Helpful Tips for Effectively Managing a Hybrid Team

Managing others is difficult enough when your direct reports work in the same physical office. Keeping team members informed, providing direction, delegating work, giving feedback, recognizing a job well done, or just being a sounding board when an employee is having a bad day can seem daunting to a manager, especially when you factor in their own work they need to get done. For some managers, proximity is key to effectively managing their team. The spontaneous coffee breaks, dropping by an employee’s cubicle to check in, team lunches, and even the after-work social gatherings have served managers well in their effort to keep their team informed, visible, and engaged. But this is not the current reality for many, if not most, managers today. The hybrid work environment is the new normal, at least for the foreseeable future, and managers will need to adjust quickly to ensure their employees are productive, resilient, and engaged.

 Below are some tips to help you effectively manage a hybrid team.

1.     Be transparent about the complexity of managing a hybrid team.

If you are managing a hybrid team and you are working from the office, show a little vulnerability here. Share with the team the likely challenges you’ll face as you try to balance your time and attention between those team members who are in the office with you and those who are working remotely. Be honest that although you will give it a solid effort, you won’t always get it right and that you give them permission to offer you feedback.

2.     Encourage at least one remote workday for all of your employees.

Even for those employees who work from the office, offer them the opportunity to stay remote one or two days per week. This will allow them to stay current on the challenges of remote working, which in turn facilitates empathy for those on the team who work remotely full time. This also diminishes the likelihood that you will, by default, solely rely on those employees who are in close proximity to you. You might also consider working remotely one or two days a week as well.

3.     Set crystal clear objectives and expectations.

Don’t make assumptions. Set clear objectives and milestones and use your 1:1 meetings to monitor progress, clarify expectations, and to offer assistance.

4.     Meet more frequently.

Consider a 15 to 30-minute morning huddle. This informal kick-off to the day can be used to share important updates, problem solve, celebrate milestones, and stay connected. These huddles would be an addition to your regular 1:1 and team meetings. And avoid assembling only those who are in the office without also including those who are working remotely.

5.     Reveal your biases.

Not all managers are supporters of remote work. If you happen to be one of those managers, you could unintentionally treat remote workers differently or develop inaccurate perceptions of their productivity or ability. It’s important to give your employees the benefit of the doubt. If you’re honest about these biases, you and your team can work together to establish rules of engagement so that you feel assured the work will get done and they don’t feel micromanaged.

6.     Worry less about your employees’ schedule.

If you shift your perception of high performance away from things such as adherence to a set schedule or the amount of effort exerted during the day and instead toward the completion of objectives and deliverables, you’ll likely experience less stress. There will be times when people need to be plugged in and available during a typical business day but let them settle into a schedule that meets your needs as well as theirs.

7.     Be mindful of employees’ personal life and responsibilities.

We all have interests, responsibilities, and stressors that exist outside of work. For many of us, those things have been amplified because of the pandemic. Don’t assume your employees will easily adjust to balance their work and life responsibilities. Take an interest in their life experience. Don’t pry but instead acknowledge that balancing personal and work responsibilities can be difficult and that you are willing to be flexible and accommodating to ensure they feel supported.