Hybrid meetings in context. How to manage roles and set expectations
Posted on May 05, 2022 by Karla Schlaepfer, One of Thousands of Leadership Coaches on Noomii.
No matter what your organization chooses to do, your hybrid work model must be more than a quick fix - without a plan it won’t work!
Managing direct reports in hybrid working involves not only a clear plan to create an inclusive culture but also an overview, assessment and coordination of roles.
Which employees must be together to work on specific operational processes?
And on which days in the month?
When is it more advantageous to have people with certain skills work on-site together and how can synergies in this time slot best be leveraged?
This is a new kind of meta-coordination. Some businesses are even hiring “Head of Hybrid Work” to carry out the coordination with all the involved parties and their corresponding roles.
To help ensure everyone feels part of a hybrid team, managers and team leaders should focus on learning some new skills and leveling the playing field. What does this actaully mean?
Best practices for using video conferencing, digital brainstorming platforms, sticky fun chat tools, and cross-team mixers (here’s a tip: try Gatherround) so that everyone feels included and affinity bias (those that are closer have the advantage) is limited.
And yes, it is more than tools! For teamwork to be successful new hybrid routines, communication norms and new habits are vital.
Cultivating hybrid team culture remains a top priority and finding ways to encourage unscheduled interaction, informal conversations, and moments of warm emotional connection.
And that having been said, video meeting fatigue is real! Before Virtual Reality becomes more of the norm for distributed team collaboration, how about trying out a “Video-Flex” (coined by virtual work expert Sacha Connor) culture within your teams? Consider intentionally when to use video and when there are meetings where it’s ok to go audio-only! Do a poll and ask your team which they prefer.
I’ve written more than 150 blog posts on topics involving personal, team and cultural change. Check them out on my website: Schlaepfer Design Change and reach out to start a conversation on your hybrid team coaching.
