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Organization and management: how do you manage your hybrid team?
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Hadrien
15/11/2024
Corporate culture
Organization and management: how do you manage your hybrid team?
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Identify motivational levers, clarify the roadmap, support skills development... Managing a hybrid team is not so different from conventional management.
In this new dynamic, the company must not only adapt, but also organize strategies that reinforce team cohesion and success, always keeping the end goal in sight. In fact, 57% of managers believe that hybrid working has not made their role any more complex. But what really changes in day-to-day management? Hadrien Brunaux, Head of Operations at Worklib, shares his expertise on how to create a climate that keeps every talent present and motivated, even in times of health crisis. The world has changed, and successfully leading a hybrid team requires new approaches to meet today's challenges.
#1 Create a mature managerial relationship based on trust
Creating a relationship of trust, both at a distance and in the office
Implementing a management model based on trust is the key to achieving corporate objectives and fostering team spirit. Especially in a hybrid environment, building this trust becomes even more important to avoid isolation and keep employees motivated. If you succeed in gaining the trust of each individual, you'll be able to :
- Identify your motivational levers more easily, whether in your professional or personal life, face-to-face or remotely;
- Detect their needs and expectations, in line with the challenges facing the site and the company, so that we can respond to them in an effective, personalized way.
Make time for each other
Whether your employees work face-to-face or remotely, you need to take the time to talk to them regularly to ensure effective team management and motivation.
To begin with, focus on informal discussions with your employees, to get to know them better and gain a better understanding of their professional and personal objectives.
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Think autonomy
Autonomy is an integral part of management adapted to the hybrid work model.
Are you wondering whether your team can do without constant supervision? To find out whether your employees are ready to enjoy total freedom in carrying out their tasks, draw up a managerial relationship maturity assessment chart.
Adapt your management to new workspaces
To establish this famous relationship of trust, be sure to maintain an individual approach while respecting the framework set by the company. This is all the more important when working remotely, as not all employees have the same needs:
- Some want 100% teleworking weeks;
- Others prefer to set up office tickets;
- Some would like to take advantage of a workation or a few days of special leave;
- Still others want to abolish the fixed office in favor of the flex office or zone booking...
As a manager of a hybrid team, you also need to take into account the different perceptions of physical monitoring. Some employees are not comfortable with this approach. It's up to you to identify everyone's needs and expectations, and to be flexible. Your watchword as a manager: adaptability!
#2 Encourage management based on objectives with a clear framework
The first levers of commitment for your employees are clear objectives and the right resources to achieve them (tools, skills, ongoing training, etc.).
When working remotely, formal and informal exchanges are less frequent and sometimes more difficult to organize, especially since the COVID period. Your hybrid teams no longer have as many opportunities to ask questions, seek feedback, or take stock of project progress, which can be detrimental to cohesion and the bond between collaborators.
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As a manager, you are responsible for :
- Provide the right information from the outset (clearly defining tasks, expected quality, deadlines, priorities, etc.);
- Ensure that the employee has the necessary means to achieve his or her objectives, whether through adapted tools, pedagogical support or skill-building activities;
- Set up regular follow-up to check that evolving needs are being taken into account. This helps maintain a strong bond with each team member, supporting cohesion and preserving everyone's psychological and professional health.
How do you achieve your objectives in a hybrid context?
To make it easier for your hybrid teams to commit to the results to be achieved, and to encourage a spirit of initiative, define the OKRs together. This will enable you to give meaning to your work while respecting the company's overall strategy. At the same time, you'll get your employees involved in defining the objectives.
You can also use commitment assessment frameworks such as Maslow's pyramid, Gallup's 12 questions or Herzberg's 2-factor theory. These tools will help you to regularly assess your employees' level of commitment and strengthen your managerial relationship.
To put it simply:
- Start every managerial interview (face-to-face or remote) with a more personal exchange to maintain a solid relationship with your employees and detect any changes or concerns;
- Schedule one-on-one meetings (1-1) every week or two weeks to address any issues and maintain regular communication with each member of your team;
- Encourage a management style based on coaching and autonomy, rather than hierarchical management or micro-management.
Be careful not to fall into a relationship of over-control
With remote management, some managers are tempted to micro-manage, organizing overly meticulous monitoring of each team performance point. Stay in touch with your colleagues, providing them with the support they need (decisions, expertise, etc.). In this way, you'll encourage them to rapidly gain autonomy, while maintaining a good work-life balance.
According to the Malakoff Humanis study, for 30% of managers, hybrid working encourages greater team autonomy.
#3 Adapt your team's organization to the company's hybrid operation
Managers are not the only guarantors of employee commitment. Company policy also has an impact on this behavior (values, principles, employer brand, rituals, etc.). With a hybrid organization, exchanges can become more complex, altering the sharing of corporate culture.
Set up a work environment adapted to the hybrid context
Use the various elements of the work charter to guide the behavior and expectations of all employees - while remaining consistent with the guidelines imposed by the company. This will ensure a harmonious working environment in line with their needs.
Reinvent your teams' rituals
Compensate for the loss of connection at the office by adapting existing rituals or creating new moments of exchange. For example, organize monthly face-to-face team days , or plan quarterly seminars in an informal setting. These events are ideal for strengthening the sense of belonging within teams.
Support work reorganization
Help your employees choose their workplace according to their daily tasks. This is what we call activity-based working, a practice that favors working from home to meet concentration needs. At the same time, employees are invited to come into the office or dedicated external workspaces to :
- Collective tasks,
- Brainstorming sessions,
- Strategic workshops,
- Informal exchanges...
Choose the right communication tool
Use methods that promote information exchange and synchronous and asynchronous communication. Instant messaging platforms such as Slack or Discord, collaboration tools like Notion, and videoconferencing (Meet, Teams, Zoom, etc.) facilitate both ongoing team training and the facilitation of project meetings.
Whether in charge of a hybrid or traditional team, managers face the same challenges when it comes to supervision. The challenge is to secure the levers of employee motivation and adapt their new managerial posture, in order to encourage the commitment of each individual, while offering better working conditions.
The key: creating an equitable environment and meeting the individual needs of each employee.
Need help getting there?
Transparency at the heart of a relationship of trust
To manage a hybrid team, you need to build a relationship based on transparency from the outset. Is your employee having trouble managing his telecommuting workload? Take the time to talk about it, and propose an educational action to support him/her. Would some members of your team like more flexibility in telecommuting hours? Explain your choices transparently, while listening to their needs.
Encourage a culture of feedback within the team, giving everyone the opportunity to express themselves freely on issues that concern them. This will value the opinions of remote workers, who are often exposed to the risk of isolation, and stimulate their creativity and motivation for future projects.
The managerial relationship in a nutshell
For 37% of managers, hybrid working reduces informal exchanges.
