Leaders and teams are experimenting with different styles of working, with hybrid ways of collaborating. Some are planning to work from anywhere. Some are asking employees to come back to the office. Others going for flexible working hours and many opting for the regular 9 to 5 office.
To find the right way of work leaders should examine the different dimensions of work - the benefits and problems of when and when to work and align them to ensure the best output. There are four distinct possibilities in the evolution of hybrid workplaces. Use office spaces to increase cooperations.
Make working from home a source of energy. Take advantage of the asynchronous time to focus. Use the coordinated time to collaborate with others.
The axis of hybrid work: Place and time
The place of work for everyone has been the office. This is a separate place with a fixed time, with technology to do the required work. It is a place where people gather to work. During the epidemic, this has been upturned. People have started working from home, their personal space.
There is a second factor at play namely time. Time is getting reassigned as appointments into a private time with people fitting work into home schedules. This affects the regular working hours, availability with other team members for collaboration and the control of fixed office hours.
Productivity
To ensure that hybrid work works, leaders have to adjust the place and time that encourages productivity. The essentials of work are energy and focus. People are productive when they experience positive vitality and the workplace should encourage focus. Focus is difficult when surroundings are distracting and attention is scattered.
Beyond individual work, some activities require team collaboration. When people agree on the time to coordinate, work proceeds smoothly else we become disjointed and the teamwork breaks down. Productivity suffers, people become resistant and infighting may ensue.
Place and time are essentially trade-offs. Working in an office helps cooperation as they are in person and it may also drain energy if it involves a long commute time. So these have to be planned properly to boost productivity. This requires an understanding of the productivity drivers of work and the context of work that improves productivity while keeping in mind the trade-offs.
New principles of place and time
Companies should build up practices and processes to enable them to use hybrid work to strengthen productivity. Refine procedure to accommodate hybrid work. This will lead to new principles for a productive workplace. The epidemic compels everyone to rethink the workplace and time management practices but this is an opportunity to put in place sustainable practices.
Place: design office for cooperation
An office is essentially a sociable place. It encourages face to face conversations and cooperation between colleagues. As employees return to offices after lockdown, one should ensure that it is a place where cooperation and interaction can thrive.
It depends to a large extent on how the office is designed. The objective would be to create a place conducive to creating a highly collaborative dynamic space allowing informal movements.
Place: Make work from home a source of energy
One of the major advantages of working from home is the tremendous savings on time of commuting which today takes a major part of our working life. This can be better allocated to boost their health, spending time with friends and family.
The way a home office is set up plays a key role in its success. Create a unique space, follow a ritual of dressing up for work as if one were going to the office. Use technology to indicate availability for office work and follow the same with home demands also. Leave your work desk symbolically or shutdown your office work station to indicate the end of office time. Inform family and friends of your routine so that you do not get disturbed during office hours.
From the company's side, have virtual check-ins, organise virtual meetings where everyone can meet and discuss with others. It is most important to focus on outcomes rather than being present. Have a virtual performance evaluation which will include regular check-ins, one to one conversation, monthly reports.
Time principle: Asynchronous time to boost focus
There are some jobs where the focus becomes the primary driver for productivity like design, creativity etc., Employees should be allowed to craft a schedule where they are not disturbed for hours on end to focus and when their energy is at the peak. This requires a proper management system, each work is divided into tasks and analysed on time required, allocating to an appropriate team member and ensuring deadlines are set and not exceeded. It also means members can work at their own rhythms.
Time principle: synchronise time for coordination
Many a time certain tasks require coordination in real-time on projects with immediate dialogue and feedback. In a real office environment, synchronised time happens naturally as everyone is at one place and can easily agree to a common time to discuss. The underlying technology being used for work from home should enable a similar synchronised time that is place independent and create opportunities for fruitful, real-time interactions.
The way forward
Every organisation should brainstorm how to amplify energy, focus, cooperation and coordination to make hybrid productive work.
Don't move fast: Be cautious about making early decisions that will have long-term effects, leave options open. Individual preferences will take time to become clear. Initially, the productivity may drop before rising as the members get adjusted to the new norms.
Keep trade-offs n mind: Any new model designed will have its downsides. Working from home can make cooperation difficult but may boost the energy levels of the team member. Where necessary, establish satellite offices for members to meet and get together occasionally.
Resolve to experiment: It is crucial to be ready to take risks. There is a lot to learn as we get into unchartered territory and have to find our way through.
Nurture leadership skills: All these changes and fine-tuning will require leaders who are highly competent, motivated and committed to making it work. It means being emphatic and listening to individual requirements and creating solutions to address both the organisational and individual expectations.
Four Principles to Ensure Hybrid Work Is Productive Work
Lynda Gratton MITSMR 2020/11
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