6 Things You Need to Run a Hybrid/Remote Workplace By: Veronica Louvros

A lot has changed in the world over the last two years, particularly how we conduct the modern workplace. Now more than ever, it’s become a common practice for employers of many different industries to provide a hybrid/remote work environment. A hybrid workplace combines in-office and remote work. Essentially, it is the idea that employees will either be remote, in-office, or a mix of the two. This is a concept where the employee can do his or her job from multiple locations such as in the comfort of their own home, a hotel room, a coffee shop, or the office by using company approved assets, policies, and tools. Being able to work from home provides flexible working hours to the employee and is a helpful option for delivering work life balance, while simultaneously helping to meet the needs of the organisation.

While most people have easily adapted to the new conditions of work, there’s still many factors to consider while setting up a hybrid workplace as it raises new challenges in how to keep people connected and engaged, how to retain your culture and how to ensure continuity during times of accelerated change.

Here are six things you need to run a hybrid/remote workplace.

1. Navigating Traditional and Virtual Workplaces
Though the modern work environment includes a remote option, the traditional offices aren’t going to disappear any time soon so it’s important for the employer to gain an understanding of how to environmentally adapt to new changes. As a result of the new hybrid changes, many businesses are modifying how they do things by:

• Moving to smaller office spaces is an economical tactic that would allow your business to save money on infrastructure, utility, and maintenance.

• Moving to a flexible office space which is partly owned, and partly rented. It lets you effectively manage your work environment as the number of employees who need to come into the office increases or decreases over time leaving you prepared to handle these fluctuations. 

• Making offices agile to suit flexible hybrid work schedules with changeable, multipurpose furniture which can be moved around to support collaborative work. Offices can also include different formal and informal areas, where people can collaborate, as well as designated quiet areas.

2. Systems and Set Up – Plans, Policies and Rules
Having a hybrid work model means you have a second workplace — the virtual workspace. Therefore, businesses need to make ensure they provide their employees with all the productivity tools and technology they need to excel in their tasks which includes providing:

• Team Communication 
  Just because businesses are switching from office to remote doesn’t mean you can’t keep communication. With modern technology, there’s an abundance of communication software’s to choose from that will aid in communication, whether it be via email (Gmail or Microsoft), messaging (Slack, Microsoft Teams, or WhatsApp), video calls (Skype, Zoom, Google Meet) or a combination of the three. It’s up to the employer to do their research and choose wisely to find the perfect fit for their team in order to help their business thrive.

• Software and Tools
  Companies who have the right software’s and tools can make the physical and online offices feel more connected as they will help promote communication, collaboration, efficiency and productivity in the digital environment. By giving your employees access to tools that will benefit their specific roles, the entire company will be able to benefit as a whole. Such software’s and tools may include Final Cut Pro, iMovie, Adobe Premiere, Sales Navigator upgrade on LinkedIn, Microsoft Project, Asana or Trello.

• Benefit Policies
  Employers should provide a great understanding of benefits to both future and present employees which will ensure they attract the best people for the job. Benefits include, but are not limited to, insurance, retirement plans, work from home stipends, wellness stipends, paid time off, sick leave, maternal and paternal leave, flexible work schedules, and so much more.

• Company Rules 
  Providing rules will both set boundaries between employers and employees while also assisting employees to understand what’s expected of them such as an understanding of work timeframes, flexible working hours, contractual obligations, legal guidelines and any company specific rules. It’s also important to ensure your team is informed about confidential information that should be kept within the company. 

3. Hire and Inspire
Hiring the right candidate virtually isn’t as easy as one may believe, and this is definitely a critical component of having a remote business as it can make or break a role within the company.
Employers need:

• A great understanding of what they need.

• Create a clear job description.

• Determine where they want to hire (platform, location, agencies etc)

• Conduct their own interviews with relevant questions prepared prior.

Luckily, by being completely virtual, you are able to expand your pool of candidates which allows a wider variety and locations to search for the right person. Create a list of roles and skill sets that will help you narrow the candidates down. Make sure to add the following for a remote candidate, as mentioned by Indeed:

• Proactive communication

• Able to work independently

• Proficient with computers

• Collaborative

• Reliable 

• Organized 

Despite its many benefits, having a remote team may sometimes feel quite isolating for employees, but by creating a sense of community within the workplace through communication platforms, you’re allowing each team member to feel valued and taken care of; remember, it’s the little things that matter the most, so just by checking in here and there can create a sense of community and value that will benefit the workplace by showing through the hard work and diligence of employees.

4. Trust and Communication
When it comes to running a hybrid workplace if anything one thing on this list could be more essential, it’s that of building trust and communication between employers and employees as trust goes both ways. Both parties don’t wish to feel as though either are being taken advantage of for both their time, money, and good nature. Therefore, it’s important for employers and employees of a hybrid workplace to build both a respectful and understanding relationship with each other in order to succeed.

5. Balance
It’s important for employees of a hybrid work environment to find a balance between their work and home life in order to avoiding burnout. Without the commute to provide a mental transition between home and work life and without the office to provide physical context for the working day, it takes discipline and conscious effort to maintain balance and boundaries. The organisation and its leaders need to set a precedence as to what is expected of employees, to lead by example and provide tools to help people to take personal responsibility for their remote working day, so that burnout is avoided.

6. Collaboration
In a remote hybrid working environment, the office is used with intention and purpose to bring people together to collaborate, innovate and learn from each other. Not to mention the importance of socialising. Once you have the right team you can go far to reach your goals. When you value your team members, the feeling will be reciprocated.