How do you plan to tackle the challenges of hybrid team work in your company and leverage its opportunities?
Welcome back to our blog post series, where we explore the exciting changes and challenges of the post-pandemic world of work. In today’s post, we address the challenges and opportunities of hybrid team work and provide valuable insights on the first steps to successfully implementing hybrid work models.
Actively Embracing Change: A Lesson from Barack Obama
In 2008, during his nomination as a presidential candidate, Barack Obama said that change does not happen if we wait for someone else or another time. “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” These words perfectly capture the current challenges in the world of work, especially in the context of hybrid team work.
Leaders around the world face two important questions:
- How do we manage the challenges of hybrid team work?
- How do we seize the opportunities of hybrid team work?
Hybrid Teams: A New Dynamic
Currently, no topic is as hotly and controversially debated in many companies as the free choice of workplace. While some, after the COVID-19 pandemic subsided, vehemently demanded the return of all employees to their traditional office workplaces, others wanted the home office or any other location with internet access to be considered equivalent.
A hybrid team is characterized by the fact that there are rarely moments when all team members are physically present at the same time. Generally, part of the staff is in the office while others work from home or from another location. This hybrid work model will shape the coming years, presenting both challenges and great opportunities.
Challenges and Opportunities of Hybrid Team Work
Drawbacks and Challenges:
- Information Flow: In hybrid teams, the flow of information can suffer. Transparency requires clear agreements and discipline. According to a study, 68% of surveyed employees said their organizations have not yet communicated a detailed vision for hybrid work, leading to uncertainty and anxiety.
- Performance Evaluation: Employees in the office have greater “visibility,” which can lead to unintended favoritism.
- Team Dynamics: Team building requires additional effort.
- Individual Needs: Some employees feel isolated, while others are less productive in the home office. A McKinsey analysis highlights that hybrid work models must accommodate different preferences and needs of employees.
- Differences: Areas where physical presence is necessary could cause dissatisfaction among those who do not have this flexibility.
- Technology: Companies need to invest in additional technology.
- Well-being: Hybrid work can lead to burnout if employees feel they need to be constantly available.
- Change Process: The introduction of hybrid work consumes resources and carries the risk of reduced productivity.
Benefits and Opportunities:
- Satisfaction: The voluntary choice of workplace can increase employee satisfaction and productivity. A survey shows that 64% of respondents would like to work from home one to four days a week.
- Team Development: Higher self-organization and self-responsibility promote a positive company culture.
- Performance Evaluation: The focus shifts from measuring working hours to assessing results.
- Recruiting: Companies can attract talent regardless of location.
- Change Processes: Greater transparency and regular feedback promote positive cultural change.
- Metrics: Cost savings through reduced office space and a better carbon footprint. The future of work after the pandemic will be more hybrid, leading to more efficient and sustainable work models.
How do you plan to tackle the challenges of hybrid team work in your company and leverage its opportunities?
Stay tuned for upcoming posts in our series, where we will focus on specific topics and practical solutions!