How To Develop A Successful Hybrid Workforce

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic when companies were forced into remote working situations, hybrid workforces were on the rise. With today’s technology and constant connectability, office spaces are becoming more irrelevant, and the global shift to work from home during the pandemic has only fueled that shift.

But, if you’re a company that has only known office space and locally based teams, the shift to a hybrid workforce and work from home model can be an intimidating, confusing, and seemingly impossible task. Below are some tips on how to create a successful hybrid workforce. 

Whether you’re still trying to cope with COVID protocols for businesses, or you’re just trying to join the 21st century where hybrid work is becoming the new normal, these recommendations will help ease your transition.

1. Adapt A Remote-First Mentality

For a company to successfully transition to a hybrid, work from home model, the entire workforce needs to adapt a remote-first mentality. This means giving all employees, whether they are working from the office or a completely different time zone, equal, complete access to communications, documents, and internal notifications. 

In other words, there needs to be a one-stop-shop for all things workplace related, a digital HQ if you will. This needs to be a space that can be equally accessible for those in the office or abroad. All work should be done through this platform and communications should be updated regularly in order keep everyone on the same page, regardless of their chosen workplace.

2. Core Values Are Still Valid

Your business likely has a mission statement along with documented core values that most of your employees expect the company to operate by. These core values should not change completely just because you have moved to a hybrid model. There can be small amendments to accommodate the shift, but overall, the things you valued before as a company should remain the same. 

For example, if you publicized that your company values employees’ mental health and therefore offers two mental health days every calendar year, those offerings should still be available to all, including those who choose to work from home. A work from home employee should have the same opportunity to call out as an in-person employee. Just because they are at home does not mean they don’t need the same amount of time to rest and recover.

3. Treat Remote And In-Person Work As Equally Credible

Tip number two goes hand-and-hand with this tip. If an employee chooses to work from home for whatever reason, it doesn’t mean they are working less or the work they are doing is less important. 

A hybrid workforce is most successful when all employees feel valued, useful, and seen. Work done in the office is just as important as work done from home, and those who choose to work from home should be treated as such. 

4. Include Time For Company Culture

Your company may have moved from a conference table to a digital meeting room, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to build and work on company culture. Keep in mind that if you do plan a meet-up or company wide outing, everyone should be included, including those who work remotely. Virtual happy hours have grown in popularity and are an easy way to help connect all employees outside of their day-to-day work.

Hybrid Work Is Here To Stay

It’s time to embrace the change that has come to the workplace within the last year. Now that many employees have had the chance to work remotely, some may feel hesitancy towards returning to an office.

With these tips in mind, you can build a hybrid work model that is here to stay. You will begin to find that offering a remote option for employees opens more opportunities to hire top-talent outside of the normal workplace perimeters. A hybrid workplace gives employees and employers more freedom, and with these tips, you can build your own successfully.