Best Practices for a Hybrid Work Environment

[Anonymous]

I'm a fed manager and my team has been back in the office since last April 2x a week. Our leadership doesn't require us to be in the office the same days, but my direct reports aligned our schedule to be in the office the same two days. The problem is that the other team members and our boss continue to operate like we are still working in a remote work environment rather than a hybrid. I manage several people in regional offices across the country and two that are fully remote due to accomodations. Do you have any suggestions for how to best operate in a hybrid work environment? While I love the flexiblity, I'm really struggling to see the point of in office presence and collaboration. I do find that I am more productive at work as it is super quiet now but also I can get more done because I am more likely to take a lunch, go get coffee, have a real lunch. For me, the biggest benefit is in person interactions and relationships and the informal peer mentoring and idea sharing that occurs, that is less likely to happen in a remote environment. Can you share some best practices for a hybrid work environment? Our work is very team based. Working remotely, we have that down pat. It is being in a hybrid office that is challenging. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

What was really working for us was having in office meetings. The people in other regions called in remotely and they'd be on the screen.

We also have a brown bag lunch together once a month. Come if you want. Everyone shows up.

Peer mentoring to us is also a really big thing. I assign my team different collaborative tasks. Like Sam is going to train everyone on excel macros for our program. He teaches all new people and they can go to him with questions. We also have a group chat and we touch base with each other through the day.

(But then IT took away all our video and phone conferencing equipment about 6m ago and hasn't replaced it. We're all struggling. Sometimes we use a personal cell phone on speaker phone. It's gotten ridiculous and they keep blaming supply chain issues.)

[Anonymous]

If y’all haven’t figured it out by now you’ll never get it. It’s been 3 years.

[Anonymous]

We focus on work that is best done in person and meetings while in the office. I'd suggest making work from home days meeting free (if they can be avoided) so that people can have a regular flow to their weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If y’all haven’t figured it out by now you’ll never get it. It’s been 3 years.

Hybrid is different from fully remote. We were fully remote. And I work for a government agency. They don't have the best technology and we have people who can't even use Excel. Honestly, our collaboration was excellent in remote work because people used Teams, Zoom, our messaging system. Now it is so weird. I am not a person who enjoys WFH but even I don't want to be in the office. It is creepy and there is nothing collaborative happening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We focus on work that is best done in person and meetings while in the office. I'd suggest making work from home days meeting free (if they can be avoided) so that people can have a regular flow to their weeks.

I love this. We do have a huge presence in our regional office.

[Anonymous]

Hybrid is the worst of both worlds. Trying to concentrate meetings on in-office days makes sense. I also try to schedule trainings, collaborative efforts, etc. for those days.

[Anonymous]

We are 95% remote, but management is now establishing monthly afternoon get-togethers with a happy hour to follow. Presence is highly suggested but not mandatory. There are those who will show up from 2-4, those who’ll show up for HH, and those who’ll do both. Low pressure and casts a wide net.

I think this is a good solution.

[Anonymous]

Best practices for hybrid meetings: use a written agenda, say your name when speaking, indicate when you're done speaking, pause regularly to ask for input by name (group or individual) so everyone gets to contribute without talking over each other, and limit cross talk or addressing substantive issues before/after the call.

Most of these were best practices for fully in person meetings too, but people could skate by without them. When you have participants on the phone/video you really need structure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are 95% remote, but management is now establishing monthly afternoon get-togethers with a happy hour to follow. Presence is highly suggested but not mandatory. There are those who will show up from 2-4, those who’ll show up for HH, and those who’ll do both. Low pressure and casts a wide net.

I think this is a good solution.

Afternoons and HH are typically unfriendly to parents and people with long commutes. It would be good to alternate these with a morning coffee alternative. I'd be happy to come in for a morning event but not an afternoon/evening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are 95% remote, but management is now establishing monthly afternoon get-togethers with a happy hour to follow. Presence is highly suggested but not mandatory. There are those who will show up from 2-4, those who’ll show up for HH, and those who’ll do both. Low pressure and casts a wide net.

I think this is a good solution.

Afternoons and HH are typically unfriendly to parents and people with long commutes. It would be good to alternate these with a morning coffee alternative. I'd be happy to come in for a morning event but not an afternoon/evening.

Agreed!