Hybrid teams are emerging as increasingly common, balancing restrictions imposed by the pandemic against the benefits of having your team in the workplace.
What is a hybrid team?
A hybrid team is where employees are located in multiple different places. For example, some might be at home, some might be in the office – some may continue to be furloughed.
While home working has been a positive shift for many, with 90% reporting their family and personal life had improved (MIT), the changes in leadership style needed to maintain great team engagement and performance are becoming more evident.
In 2020 some of the biggest struggles people faced when unable to be in the traditional place of work, were loneliness, distractions, staying motivated, use of reliable equipment and WIFI or connectivity, as well as collaboration and communication.
Interestingly, a study conducted by the Journal of Business and Psychology found that confidence, intelligence and extroversion were successful traits when leading an in-person team. But those traits don’t translate quite as well into a virtual setting. Remote teams showed preferences for leaders who were organised, dependable, helpful and goal-focused. So instead of those with the most dynamic voice in the room, virtual teams appoint leaders who get the job done.
Here are our tips to maintaining a high performing hybrid team:
1. Know your team members
Knowing the preferences and strengths of each team member and harnessing that information in whichever setting they are in, is key. This is the bedrock on which many other elements of leadership are built. Without this, you won’t know how to inspire or energise. You won’t know how to share information effectively to get your message across, or when you might need to listen rather than talk. You will find it hard to create that culture of mutual support and engagement vital to high performing teams.
Work hard to get to know individuals you don’t see very often, and to keep up with the things that are important to them. Next month we will be blogging about five different questions you can ask your team members to ensure you have the information you need to be able to lead and inspire them. From how they prefer to receive information to their career goals.
2. Consider your style
If you are a leader who’s strengths lie in leading remote teams, great. If you are more comfortable when your team is in the same location as you, great. The trick is knowing where your own preference and strengths lie and finding a way to be sure you are still ‘leading’ the full team regardless of their settings. Consider strategies you can use to cater differently to as workplaces shift and to develop the skills to lead and inspire every single person.
3. Choose video over phone calls
Regaining non-verbal cues and picking up on emotions will give you a feel for how people are coping with new ways of working. If you’re on a call and realise someone else should be there, reach out to them (physically if you are in the same workplace, or by texting or calling), to encourage a sense of inclusion and that they are a valued member of the team.
4. Tools
8% of homeworkers suffered injury from using an ironing board as a desk, so providing the correct tools and infrastructure is the absolute minimum expectation. To overcome some of the usual remote working barriers, think about providing dongles or securing subscriptions to tools supporting brainstorming (notoriously harder with a hybrid team) such as digital whiteboards.
5. Integrity
Being consistent in your actions; disparity and unequal treatment can be a fast track to undermining the relationships you have worked hard to build, and can very quickly result in conflict. Sticking to what you have said you will do and delivering to deadlines are great places to start. It is vital that you don’t cancel scheduled one to one meetings with remote workers, reschedule if you must.
6. Recognition
Giving recognition when deserved. Tangible things that might delight remote workers and are easy to provide for those in the workplace and outside of it:
- Tools– a new monitor, laptop, headphones, a better chair, desk, speakers
- Home service– monthly house clean, food delivery, flowers
- Health/wellbeing benefits – health insurance, wellness talks, yoga classes, running shoes, home gym equipment, meditation, life coaching, treats of some kind
- Learning and Development – professional development continues to be a top perk for all employees so think about online courses or memberships, or simply a book allowance
How can we help you?
We offer leadership & team coaching, wellbeing events, conflict/dispute management, culture & change projects and performance management, so if you’re struggling with running a hybrid team effectively and are looking for some extra support get in contact with us today on 01582 252500 or email us at liz@redway-hr.co.uk.
Why not keep an eye out for the next ‘Leading Great Teams’ webinar, where we talk about this in more detail.