New working methods: which management style to adopt?

What are the new ways of working?

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The number of work arrangements has multiplied since the health crisis. Today, while companies have a choice of models to adopt, it can be difficult to navigate and choose the right options for employees' needs.

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To help you see more clearly, here are the 6 most popular new work modes:

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• Nomadism, or nomadic work, is the art of working from anywhere and at any time of the day (or night). Although this way of working remains marginal in France (only 11% of employees), the majority of French people find the freedom to choose their working hours essential.
• The telecommuting Telecommuting is a very popular way of working today. It consists in working outside the company's premises. This makes it easier for employees to reconcile their professional and personal lives.
• The flex officealso known as desk sharing, restructures the workplace: employees no longer have an individual office. They can choose their workspace and pace their day according to their needs.
• The coworking allows employees to meet in shared offices or meeting rooms outside the company's premises. This way of working offers more flexibility to the teams and reinforces the conviviality.
• The smart office, on the other hand, calls for the use of the latest technologies to optimize the management of the workspace. 
• The hybrid work Hybrid work: this new way of organizing workplaces and spaces mixes face-to-face and remote work. This flexibility makes it possible to find the right balance between all the above-mentioned work modes. 

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Hybrid management: a response adapted to new uses?

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Hybrid management applies when a team is mobile and works in different locations. As a result, employees are not always together: some prepare a meeting in a coworking space, others go to the company premises, others work from home...

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To maintain the productivity of each individual and ensure group cohesion, it is essential to establish a solid and precise managerial framework.

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4 best practices to implement a hybrid management style

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1. Emphasize the culture of feedback

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Conduct a team survey to: 

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• improve theworkspace according to their expectations and needs;
• adapt your management style to the new organization of the company.

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2. Rethink teamwork to maintain cohesion and well-being

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Create new professional and social rituals by setting up internal or external events. Here are some examples of events to set up: 

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• a monthly breakfast in person for a moment of relaxation;
• one to one meetings to exchange in all transparency;
• brainstorming sessions to strengthen team spirit;
• Team building to highlight the values and culture of the company;
• afterworks to encourage exchange and strengthen team spirit and collaborative work...

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Of course, depending on the situation and the way of working, some spaces or configurations will be more suitable than others.

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Depending on the activity, you may prefer face-to-face or remote training. If the meeting is hybrid, always remember to integrate into the team the employees who work remotely. Adopt a benevolent management style to avoid feelings of isolation and exclusion.

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3. Fight digital fatigue

With the introduction of remote work, employees and managers are hyperconnected: video conferencing, chat...

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Deploy new collaborative tools to improve communication (without forgetting data security). And above all: encourage your employees to take breaks and disconnect!

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To fight against fatigue, your employees must also benefit from more ergonomic equipment to work in the best conditions.

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4. Find the right balance between control and freedom

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The role of a manager is to be omnipresent and multitask. But be careful not to give the impression that you are constantly controlling the performance of your teams. When setting up new working methods within a company, it is essential to establish a climate of trust with your teams. To do this, opt for horizontal management, which consists of placing all employees on an equal footing. 

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To meet employee expectations and needs, companies must reorganize their workspaces and adapt their leadership styles. The flexibility offered by hybrid work corresponds to the state of mind of the new generations of employees, but this implies the creation of a personalized training for managers and teams to adapt to it. In fact, some companies offer coaching services to facilitate and optimize the transition to the new ways of working.