Dos and Don'ts of Managing Hybrid Employees

By Ashley Paskill on November 8, 2022

Many workplaces continue to offer full-time remote work while others require employees to return to the office fully. However, some employers are allowing a hybrid of these options, with employees able to work remotely some of the time and requiring them to be in-office on certain days. This can be beneficial for you and your employees, but managing this type of schedule can be daunting at first. There are things you should and should not do when managing hybrid employees.

Do stay organized

Many hybrid employees may choose to work at different times on remote work days. This can be due to kids, appointments, or other obligations. Flextime is a popular perk, especially for remote employees, but knowing the employee’s schedule is crucial so you know when to contact them and when they are off the clock. Have your employees write out their availability or requested schedules and plan things like meetings and tasks accordingly. Be sure to know which days each employee is in the office and when they are remote so you can work with them on what needs to be done and when.

Don’t pressure employees back

It can be tempting to want all employees to come back to the office most of the time. However, not everyone may be ready to do so yet. The pandemic may have hit some harder than others, especially if loved ones were lost or if health issues have ensued if an employee was diagnosed with Covid. The pandemic is still ongoing, and many employees are still concerned about the risks of the virus. It is crucial that you have empathy for your employees who do not want to return most days yet. Work with employees on a case-by-case basis for what works for them and their situation. Be willing to allow some people to work as many as four days from home with one day being a “catch-up” day to collaborate with other employees.

Do communicate effectively

When you have employees working in-office and others working from home, it is crucial to have communication flow easily and effectively. No one should be left out. If you have meetings on days when there are employees working remotely, use your technology and bring remote employees in using video software like Zoom. Encourage communication through apps and sites like Slack so work continues to get done collaboratively, even if not every employee is in the same place. Encourage your team to get to know each other better regardless of work location. This will help build collaboration and teamwork. Make sure those who are predominately remote feel included by ensuring that you reach out to them as much as you do with those in the office.

Don’t encourage a “them and us” culture

Some employees are in the office when others are working from home, and vice versa. It is important for your employees to work as a team, regardless of where they are working from. Do your best to stop any “us and them” that you notice between remote and in-office employees. Again, encourage communication between all employees and have everyone work together to accomplish what needs to be done. Allow employees to come to you if they feel like they are not being included, especially if they work from home and are not included by in-office employees. Know the benefits of both worth environments and use this knowledge to combat any hostility of one versus another. Make sure any rewards or benefits you offer can be applied and enjoyed by in-person and remote employees alike to help keep motivation and morale up.

Image via Pexels

Do measure performance fairly

For some employers, it can be tempting to base performance on whether or not someone is at their desk consistently or is showing as “online” on communication sites. However, this is not fair to those who are working remotely. Instead, shift your focus to productivity goals based on what gets done. Focus on outputs and quality of work instead of time put in. Make sure the way you measure your team’s productivity can be applied across the board, whether an employee is working from home or in the office.

Don’t withhold physical meetups

Have events outside of the workday where your employees can meet in person and get to know each other outside of work. Have monthly meetups where your remote and in-person employees can get to know each other informally to help put a face and personality to the name behind text chats. This will help your team feel more connected to each other. Set up events like happy hours, escape rooms, and trivia nights. Allow for various forms of networking and even mentoring opportunities to help bring your team together.

Managing a hybrid team can seem challenging, but knowing what to do and not do can help you navigate the work situation effectively while keeping things fair for your employees.

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