5 ways a hybrid remote work model can lead to disaster

Hybrid work is more than a hot topic: Nine out of 10 organizations will be adopting a hybrid work model and combining remote work with in-office time, according to a McKinsey survey on the future of work. However, according to research, if done wrong it could lead to disasters for both the employees and derail the company’s success.

Why everyone is adopting a hybrid work model

Though a hybrid model can offer flexibility for workers, diversify a company, and make everyone more productive, it also makes everything more complex, said Linda Bartman, chief operating officer of Uptake, a Chicago-based industrial AI and analytics company.

“A hybrid model can make things more nuanced when building and maintaining culture,” she said.. “However, the complexity is well worth the benefit of flexibility a company can provide to each employee. That freedom of choice, in the end, generates the best chance that individuals are capable of bringing their full selves to work, whether they’re in-office or remote.”

In order to reap the benefits of such a remote-work model, you first need to be aware of the things that could go wrong — and how to avoid them.

1. Work relationships stagnate

Culture and relationships can suffer when different people are in the office at different times.

“Informal hallway conversation, office chatter, or simply stopping by someone’s desk are much more difficult to organically recreate in a hybrid environment,” Bartman said. “Those personal aspects make collaboration possible and productive and, on a more personal level, engaging and meaningful.”

It’s up to the bosses to give employees the opportunities for the small moments that make a company feel more like a family.

“Leaders and managers have to be intentional in a hybrid environment about finding small moments or creating events for cultivating personal relationships and culture,” she said.

For example, at Uptake, employees have found creative ways to showcase their personality via Zoom, such as playing their favorite song to welcome people into a meeting or planning an early-morning chat with a colleague to socialize before work. Without such habits, it can be easy to lose some of the humanity of the workplace and the bonds that make teams thrive.

2. Bosses don’t use the hybrid model themselves

Hybrid models can’t work without a strong buy-in from leadership, Bartman said.

“Leadership must buy-in and participate in the hybrid model,” she said. “‘Hybrid workforce’ does not mean that only leaders come into the office every day. Our leadership team is cognizant of time spent in the office versus remote — we are all active participants and embracing the hybrid flexibility.”

If key stakeholders don’t fully buy into this remote-work approach, two things can happen: Employees can start feeling like there is an A team and B team and feel pressured to come into the office to spend time with managers to advance their careers. And it can also make employees question whether the company is truly following through with a hybrid workforce.

3. There’s no standardized communication

Avoiding division between in-person and remote workers is crucial for preventing hybrid model disasters, and it’s tricky to achieve without rigorous, standardized communication processes.

“With any distributed workforce, internal communication is key to getting information to employees so that they can do their jobs well and stay engaged,” Bartman said. “In a hybrid situation, there needs to be thoughtful and regular communication with employees in a fair and balanced way. I.e., people working in the office should not receive different information or information before other employees.”

4. The transition is confusing

Most management mess-ups start to happen during the transition from pandemic mode to officially hybrid, so nailing the transition period is important for ensuring a successful hybrid model.

“As workforces transition to a hybrid model, employees need clear direction on what returning to the office looks like (especially as it relates to safety, new procedures or processes, or new ways of working in the office),” Bartman said. “Similarly, leadership must communicate that the hybrid model supports flexibility and optionality for employees — even though the office is available, it is not a mandate.”

5. Bosses micromanage

It’s impossible to successfully implement a hybrid workforce without trust, and micromanagement is the antithesis of trust. Unfortunately, it’s more likely to happen when leaders are nervous about team members not always being present in the office.

“Managers must trust their teams to make the best decisions for their personal situation while balancing what’s best for the business,” Bartman said. “Micromanaging or a command-and-control management style is always ineffective, but especially so in a hybrid model.”

How to avoid hybrid-model mistakes

Now that you’re well aware of what hybrid work went wrong looks like, you might be wondering how to avoid making those mistakes.

Bartman suggests focusing on three things to ensure success.

Regular and open communication

“Leaders must ensure they’re promoting a culture of open communication,” she said. “And it has to come consistently from different parts of the company: from executives, across teams, between managers and reports.”

Keeping employees engaged and in the loop comes with unique challenges in a hybrid model, but it’s absolutely essential.

Leveraging employee input

Managers should also consistently survey employees so they have all perspectives in mind as they make decisions about hybrid work.

“It’s also important to simply check in on team members — pick up the phone (I know it seems archaic, but a simple phone call to an employee to see how things are going can go a long way),” Bartman said. “Ultimately, getting employees involved in the decision-making process can ensure their engagement and buy-in once it comes time to implement any plans.”

Training for managers of distributed teams

Don’t try to figure it out all on your own. Provide support and training to your team so you can implement your hybrid model successfully.

“We’ve brought this into our performance management training process for managers by giving them advice on how to build and communicate goals and performance management in a remote or hybrid working style,” Bartman said.