In this article, we delve into the Hybrid Workplace trend that was propelled by the pandemic. As companies allow every employee the flexibility to work on-site and remotely part of the week, here are a few ways that they can also ensure that the company culture still remains strong

As more organizations consider hybrid workplace model following the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to adapt organizational culture to ensure the happiness and continued productivity of employees.

However, as more companies move into the hybrid work model, there is a risk of two organizational cultures emerging: one with strong in-person collaboration and interaction, and another for employees who might feel isolated. 

The latter can reduce an employee’s sense of belonging and purpose within the organization.

A McKinsey study from earlier this year found that “in the post-pandemic future of work, nine out of ten organizations will be combining remote and on-site working.”

The study shows that despite fears about the impact of the more flexible hybrid models on work, most organizations have seen plenty of benefits of flexible work culture such as improvements in productivity, employee engagement, and customer satisfaction. 

Moreover, companies that emphasized the connection between employees (an important aspect of culture) have also seen productivity increases.

But even though a hybrid office is the future of the office, and the hybrid model has offered a number of productivity increases, it has also shaken the foundations of how companies have traditionally been organized.

To maintain positive cultures in a hybrid working model, leaders need to connect people across departments, providing cross-functional learning opportunities and creating time for people to have virtual coffee or networking discussions with colleagues from across the company. 

To prevent the erosion of social capital, managers must actively take measures to maintain an interactive atmosphere.

Here are five ways leaders can drive the kind of positive work culture that is suited to new hybrid working models:

Communicate Regularly 

When your entire team is at the office, you take communication for granted. Small interactions happen all day, and team members can get quick answers to questions.

As a leader, ensure that there is flawless communication between you and your team. Communication is quite key across all the aspects and departments of your business.

To allow for this sharing and maintain communication in a hybrid workplace, it’s a good idea to have frequent and quick virtual ‘stand-up’ meetings on a more regular basis. 

While you may not have been having formal meetings every day, a tremendous amount of information can constantly be shared.

Be present and accessible

While this may be more difficult to achieve within a hybrid model, it is all the more important. 

As a leader, it is highly important that you are present and accessible. Leaders’ accessibility correlates with team members’ performance and confidence. It also creates a greater sense of safety, and thereby reduces uncertainty and disconnection.

Workplace Flexibility // Why This is a Perfect Solution

The lack of immediate contact, as in the office, may lead to people falling off the radar, and feeling abandoned.

Regularly checking up on team members, being responsive to their queries, and communicating that you are steadily present are all important ways in which you can help strengthen your company’s culture.

Make use of technology

Technology now impacts every functional area of most organizations. Leaders who understand and prepare for this earlier will see success sooner.

With more businesses  adopting cloud-based architecture, technology will continue playing a critical role in transitioning to a hybrid work model. Making workforces digitally fluent and ready for this change is vital for success.

Customer needs and expectations have also changed. They are more flexible about channels of engagement and focus more on the desired output and outcome. This means it’s crucial for service providers to build digital tools that create new ways to serve customers’ needs and drive value.

Emphasize accountability and allow for conflict

Hybrid teams must maintain high degrees of accountability at all times. This does not mean waving a finger over someone’s head but rather looking at their work and their challenges, and seeking meaningful solutions.

At the same time, healthy company culture should not exclude conflict. On the contrary, leaders need to find ways of supporting healthy disagreement that helps clarify what may otherwise get buried or exaggerated unnecessarily. Establishing procedures for disagreements and a variety of opinions is one way to approach this issue.

Push boundaries

One of the biggest challenges for leaders of the hybrid working model might be the potential for loss of innovation at an individual level. Leaders facing this must shoulder the responsibility of fostering a culture of innovation instead. They need to incentivise people to work towards a specific purpose and understand the important role “people networks” play in influencing the culture and success of an organization.

In conclusion, a hybrid work model’s success is strongly related to the health and strength of the company’s culture. And creating such a culture is not an automatic process but rather a deliberate and continuous effort.

The benefits of such an effort are many though, and this is why it is important that managers, leaders, and HR professionals regularly invest in building their company’s culture.

Implementing meaningful management practices and leveraging people networks will be the key differentiators for maintaining a healthy culture.