Management Imperatives in a Hybrid Workplace

Hybrid work is here to stay, and leaders will face challenges as they manage a workforce that is part in-person and part remote. Writing in the Harvard Business Review, management consultants Kalle Heikkinen, William Kerr, Mika Malin, and Panu Routila, offer advice based on interviews with 38 executives in Nordic countries. (Nordic leadership teams are used to operating in complex settings with employees spanning multiple nationalities, languages, and locations.)

1. The virtual world does not treat roles and tasks equally:  Some executives and middle managers are frustrated with their level of effectiveness when they work virtually. They may need increased training and mentoring. Additionally, leaders should be aware of who does, or doesn't, have access to the best technology, and avoid judging talent until they know that employees are not being hampered by sub-par tech.
2. Nuances matter in people management:  When in-person connections are less frequent, people skills become more important than ever. “The best leaders listen and show empathy, allocate more time to team management and coaching, enable versus control, and invest more in building a culture that reaches out of the office and into people’s homes.”
3. Strong central guidance is a must:  Many executives said that, in a hybrid setting, their organizations are becoming flatter and less hierarchical. Most have sought to boost the empowerment of employees, who need to make more and quicker connections across geographies and business units.
4. Ensure Your Processes are Crisis-Proof:  The pandemic showed how quickly many organizations can change and adapt. But this is hardly likely to be the last crisis of our turbulent times. The hybrid model will allow for more flexibility and resilience going forward, but it is also necessary to carry out important organizational changes before an emergency confronts us again.

 
What do you view as the biggest obstacle to seamless hybrid working, and what will you do to address it? To join the conversation, click "comments" above.

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