PAPERmaking! g FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF PAPER TECHNOLOGY Volume 7, Number 2, 2021
remotely, or a combination of those, their choice is not career-limiting, and their contributions are valued. They must also set the stage for effective team collaboration. Work to create a psychologically safe work environment where people can be open about their uncertainties and their frustrations. Ensure team members have the skills they need to hold candid conversations with one another, no matter where they are. It requires truth and courage to develop a coaching culture at your organization, but will help foster more innovative solutions, greater morale, and improved productivity among members of your newly hybrid workforce. (It’s also essential for building a strong organizational culture, when some at your organization are remote.) 2. Foster empathy, equity, and inclusion in your hybrid workforce. Work to maintain or establish inclusive practices for things like team huddles or group calls. In 2020, when everyone was working from home, many experienced firsthand the challenges of contributing in virtual meetings — something already-remote workers knew all too well. As offices reopen with newly hybrid workforces and teams, remember those lessons learned to ensure meetings remain inclusive. Without intentionality and clearly defined processes, it could be easy for those returning to work in-person to fall back into old habits, unintentionally excluding or overlooking colleagues who are working offsite. Also take time to help your newly hybrid workforce to develop an identity by crafting a set of shared team norms and expectations. Everyone should underst and the team’s purpose and goals, work processes, meeting frequency, and how decisions will be made. Consider the following questions: x If individuals plan to work part-time remote and part-time in person, which days will they come to the office? x How can team meetings accommodate the needs and leverage the contributions of both in-person and remote participants effectively? x How will communication tools and technology platforms be used to support the team’s goals and outputs? Working through these questions allows leaders to foster inclusion and connectedness among members of their hybrid workforce. And agreeing on use of technology tools and platforms can help remote individuals feel less detached and ensure that everyone’s needs are being met. (That’s one of our recommended best practices for managing virtual teams and meetings, but really applies in a hybrid workforce situation as well.) Leaders of highly effective teams enable full participation of all their members, no matter where they are.
3. Cultivate the mindsets of learning agility and resilience. Here’s the reality of the new hybrid workforce: Plans will change.
In the same McKinsey study as mentioned above, researchers also found that organizations willing to take a “test -and- learn” approach to designing — and redesigning — their processes for a more remote workforce realize higher levels of productivity. Learning agility, or the ability to adapt and thrive in new situations, is crucial to your organization’s hybrid workforce success. Leaders should schedule time every couple of weeks to talk with their team members about what’s working and what isn’t. In addition, they should connect with other leaders of hybrid teams throughout your organization. What are their successes and challenges? In this uncharted territory, resilience is more important than ever and burnout continues to be a problem. So leaders should set an example for the hybrid workforce by prioritizing their own mental and physical health. Whenever possible:
x Nurture your personal and professional relationships; x Prioritize regular exercise and sleep each night; x Make time for mindfulness; and x Respect downtime and avoid contacting employees during their off hours.
Article 11 – Leadership
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