Hybrid Work How Tos: How to Seamlessly Transition Between Home and Office
Nine out of ten executives surveyed by McKinsey said they’ll be combining remote and on-site working in the post-pandemic world—which means the hybrid workspace is here to stay. If you’re wondering how to implement hybrid work that really works, our office experts are sharing their top tips. Want to learn more? Reach out to one of our Account Executives to see how you can help implement impactful changes for your hybrid workforce!
Establish Clear Communication Channels
Communication is culture, and with a hybrid workforce, clear and open communication should be a top priority. With employees both at home and in the office, it’s imperative that every member of your team, regardless of location, is able to participate in conversations. Avoid communication breakdowns by replicating the three must-have meetings with their virtual counterparts.
Formal Meetings
Add Google Meet, Zoom, or other video chat software to your conference room, PoppinPod, or PoppinSpaces to bring everyone together, no matter where they are.
Casual Conversations
Slack and other chat tools make it easy to replicate the casual “desk drive-by” that inspires collaboration and cross-departmental communication.
Stand Ups
Share project status updates and increase transparency by using task management tools so everyone can solve for roadblocks and cheer on successes.
Hybrid Work Tip:
In meetings that include remote team members, everyone should log in to the virtual meeting on their own. This avoids the pitfall of in-office side conversations and helps keep everyone in the loop.
Structure Their Days In and Out of the Office
Ease the adjustment to a hybrid work schedule by structuring your team’s days around specific activities. Days where in-office attendance is recommended or required are the perfect time to schedule meetings, collaborative exercises, and culture-building initiatives. On the other hand, days spent at home make it easy to power through a list of focused work.
Here’s a cheat sheet to make planning your workdays a little easier:
Hybrid Work Tip:
Get alignment with your leadership team about scheduling through the week. That way, it’s super-simple to find meeting times in-office and schedule solo work at home.
In-Office Days
Manager and Employee One-on-Ones
Team Lunches and Team-Building Activities
Regular Departmental and Company-Wide Meetings
Work-From-Home Days
Meeting-Free Mornings or Afternoons
Calls with Dispersed Employees
Mental Health Breaks and Special Holidays (i.e. Summer Fridays)
Create Consistency Where You Can
Let’s face it: the pandemic has made it really hard to set a routine. With constantly-changing safety recommendations, childcare considerations, and the sudden switch to remote work, it’s been hard for everyone to create consistency. The good news? Now that we can be thoughtful about the way we want to work, you can help your team by giving them time to adjust to the new normal.
Here’s a few ways to to create consistency:
Mandate specific days in the office
Encourage your team to “sign off” at the end of the day to prioritize work/life balance
Give early notice for any potential policy changes to give your team adequate time to plan
Hybrid Work Tip:
If you’d like your team to move seamlessly between home and the office, comfortable furniture and inspiring office supplies can help create a sense of consistency. Offer employees a stipend to invest in things like standing desks, ergonomic task chairs, and monitors, or gift employees notebooks, pens, and desktop accessories for their homes. If you’d like to make it even easier, email sales@poppin.com to learn more about our Work From Home program.
