As the country begins to reopen, many workers look forward to getting back to the office. However, according to getAbstract, 43% of full-time American workers say they want to continue working remotely, even as companies open up. As CNBC puts it, “Of the more than 1,200 employees surveyed between April 16 and April 17, nearly 20% said their employer is actively discussing how they can make remote work more of an option in the future.” One option is the hybrid work week, which will become more and more common. As a result, companies will have to start thinking about what they want to do moving forward. If your business is considering a hybrid work week, here are a few tips for how to prepare.
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Important considerations
Striking a balance is probably the most important and most difficult step. According to SHRM, executives and managers should be thinking about which positions need to be on site and why, how frequently an employee needs to work with others, how rapidly employees need to exchange information, how the individual employee feels about working remotely, what teams should be on-site on the same days, and whether or not to designate a day of the week when all employees will work remotely.
An additional consideration is safety. You might consider re-organizing the office space and implementing hygiene practices that make your employees feel safe as they return.
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Invest in tech
Transitioning to a hybrid work week requires adequate tech to keep things running smoothly. Most importantly, as Microsoft points out, digital exhaustion has been a huge issue during the pandemic. They encourage employers to, “consider how to reduce employee workloads, embrace a balance of synchronous and asynchronous collaboration, and create a culture where breaks are encouraged and respected.”
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Emphasize communication and accessibility
One of the primary issues with remote working is the potential for gaps in communication. If your company is moving towards a hybrid work model, focus on training, setting expectations, and strengthening company messaging. As Laurel Farrer, writing for Forbes, suggests, “Performance expectations that used to be enforced pre-pandemic may no longer work for your staff members. To prevent surprises and complaints, give your workforce a voice. Then, offer an extensive training and onboarding program to clarify and confirm requirements of participation.” This ensures that managers avoid measuring success by physical presence, reducing remote employees’ chances for advancement. It also helps employees meet expectations.
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