Hybrid high performance
Many organisations have moved to some form of hybrid working as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Where previously hybrid or fully remote working was quite uncommon, it’s now very much the norm. The ‘best’ model of hybrid working for any organisation will depend on a wide range of factors, and will likely continue to evolve over time.
Hybrid working is both an opportunity and a challenge to organisations that are looking to adapt and improve their culture. When it’s done well and with clear intentions, it can promote and reinforce good cultural practice. But when it’s done ineffectively or haphazardly, it can foster negative behaviours and make culture change much harder.
We’re helping various organisations ensure that, for them, hybrid working is the ‘wind in their sails’ for positive culture change, rather than slowing them down or pushing them off course.
Engage your people in dialogue about the current ways of working: whether wholly office-based, remote, or hybrid. Understand what people like and dislike about the different environments, and how they impact on deliver and team cohesion. What’s working well about the current approach, and what would you collectively like to change?
Share a personal change journey to help people feel comfortable talking about their experiences of hybrid and remote work
As a team, agree your deliberate approach to hybrid working for the next phase, considering team performance, productivity and wellbeing. Identify the behaviours, working practices and success measures. Highlight which aspects which are consistent for everyone, and any areas for individual flexibility. There’s no one size fits all: the “best” approach will depend on the nature of the work and the business.
Listen to individual preferences – whilst also managing expectations about personal choice
Prioritise the changes that will have the biggest benefit to your hybrid working approach: make sure your first change happens well and quickly, before moving onto the next. Empower the team to own the short-term action plans for these changes. Monitor progress as a team. and make further changes as required. A simple retrospective approach can work well for future reviews: identify (1) what’s working well, and (2) what would be “even better if…”