Pro Tips:
1. Set clear expectations for hybrid/remote work: If you haven’t already done so, create an organizational guide or policies for hybrid working. Include company expectations on security, home setup, digital tools, response times, and other communication expectations. Keep this information in a central place and include it in your new hire and onboarding experience.
2. Seek feedback on remote or hybrid situations: Employees' arrangements since they started working remotely may have changed, so it's a good idea to get feedback from your employees to see what is working and what can be improved.
3. Review your onboarding experience: The onboarding experience is critical to the success of new team members. Ensure you’ve taken the necessary steps to provide a great onboarding experience by implementing a 30-60-90 day plan, the buddy system, and regular check-ins with new colleagues to help them feel valued and connected.
4. Set aside time in all company meetings to create connections: In Hawaii, we tend to take time to connect instead of jumping right into business. Taking 10 minutes to check in, do an icebreaker, or talk about weekend events can help create feelings of connectivity and decrease the isolation and loneliness associated with remote work.
5. Promote social gatherings outside the office: Social connections and relationships are important, especially in remote and hybrid work settings. As our VP of Client Experience, Michelle Kirk, says “If I know you as a person, I can start to work differently with you in a professional setting.” Take the time to bring your company together by promoting social gatherings—it’s great for morale and the business.
6. Be clear about your KPIs for each team and individual: Don’t let teams work blind. Take the time to meet with teams and individuals to discuss and determine KPIs. When teams actively set KPIs, they are more likely to reach goals.
7. Implement 15-minute huddles to start or end the day: Consider hosting a daily morning standup call to get teams on track with open discussion. Guy Cheney, Senior Engagement Manager at Akamai Technologies, noticed that his team was missing the social component of working in person, so they adjusted their virtual meetings. “We have a short meeting in the morning, and everyone in the group comes together; there’s a finite time, and everyone talks. It starts [with] us all together just like [when] we were at the water cooler. You say, ‘this is what’s going on today, this is the issue I had, and this is where I need help.’ And you go around the team.” Be creative to create a social work environment even when working remotely.
8. Make weekly or bi-weekly 1:1s a best practice: Check in with your employees on a consistent basis and create structured engagements. Michelle Kirk, VP of Client Experience at ProService Hawaii, recommends that leaders “constantly calibrate where people are, give specific feedback, and create consistency to make sure the right conversations are happening.”
9. Look for signs of burnout: Zoom and computer fatigue is real. Like in-person work, employees can experience burnout, especially if the lines are blurred between home and work time. Check-in with employees and ask what their biggest challenges are. You can also suggest shaking up routines, like walking or outdoor meetings.
10. Be aware of proximity bias in performance conversations: Being in the office does not necessarily equate to working harder and producing more value. Instead of evaluating team members on time spent in the office or facetime with leadership, managers should use objective criteria based on merit or outcomes. Learn more: Proximity Bias Is A Real Challenge For Hybrid Teams. Here Are 4 Ways To Avoid It.