In Q1 of 2024, we will be four years on from one of the most dramatic changes in modern workforce behaviours – the shift towards remote and hybrid working. As we can all appreciate, this was of course a necessity due to the Covid pandemic, but today it remains an option that the majority of businesses (that are able to) offer to their employees.
In fact, if we take a look at studies like this from HBR, it appears that remote and hybrid working is very much here to stay too, with most staff members viewing it as an appealing – or indeed essential – aspect of their working terms. So with this, firms must look to embrace this trend or risk losing out on top talent.
However, this can lead to problems for those who aren’t sure what they need to have in place for facilitating a thriving remote or hybrid workforce. So here we’ve taken a look at what can be rolled out to help your staff get the most out of these working practices.
Equip your teams with the tools they need
From a very basic level, without the right tools for the job, your teams won’t be able to work – and this would apply both in and out of the workplace. As such, you need to offer them the basic hardware required to do what they need to fulfill their role.
A common office-based example would be giving them a laptop and a charger, but this could be augmented with additional tech like headsets, office furniture and additional screens. You’ll likely find that the little extras like this can be a good way to boost productivity too.
Remain connected with the right communication platforms
Even with hybrid working, face-to-face interactions can be scarce but a successful business is also built on communication. This means you and your employees should have access to comms platforms where they can instant message and video call. Just a few examples include:
- Microsoft Teams
- Slack
- Google Meet
- Zoom
An additional benefit here is that many of these are free and simple to use, plus some of them allow staff to share files and folders.
Automate and digitise your systems
To build on the above, you’ll need to make any business processes and workflows that can be done online accessible for your teams in a similar capacity. Everything from digital project management tools, to cloud-based payroll software, HR documentation, training, recording expenses and more can be managed seamlessly via different software and platforms. However, you may need to offer some extra support and guidance for some of these; particularly for staff who aren’t as tech-savvy as others.
Check-in on a regular basis
As a leader you should also make sure you are monitoring performance and the wellbeing of your teams. Again, this can be trickier to do remotely, but it’s still important to check-in with people on a regular basis – which is another reason to roll out some of the above communications platforms.
Encourage team building
In a similar vein, new and/or younger staff won’t have had the face-to-face interaction and experiences as older team members who worked together before the pandemic. But a part of their professional development will likely involve dealing with others and speaking with new people, so you should try and encourage remote team building.
There are plenty of resources available online with great recommendations, but some common examples include:
- Virtual team challenges, quizzes and games
- Virtual parties and classes
- Unboxing events and experiences (e.g. online Secret Santa)
Naturally, what you can and can’t do here depends on your budgets and the types of roles your teams are involved in, but where the above can be relevant for your business, by utilising some or all of them, you’re sure to boost the effectiveness of your remote and hybrid workers.
