Hybrid work has many advantages, but it also introduces new challenges for both businesses and employees.
One of the most difficult challenges is the loss of the in-person connection between the company/brand and the employee.
Communication is essential for ensuring that your hybrid transition is successful.
Without effective communication, teams are at risk of becoming bogged down by crossed wires and miscommunication.
While your leaders are in charge of teams rather than countries or disaster relief efforts, the principles of effective communication remain the same.
Empathy in leadership, knowing when to listen, and clearly and concisely conveying the appropriate amount of information at the appropriate time.
Because of the abrupt shift to remote work, some businesses have been slow to adopt best practices in virtual communication.
Communication and collaboration within teams were frequently left to happen organically in back-to-back Zoom meetings in a rush to set up home offices and ensure adequate access to information.
So here are some tips to help navigate the new hybrid working reality.
Why Communication Matters Now More Than Ever
Our working methods are evolving.
Traditional 9 to 5 office jobs are no longer the norm, and an increasing number of people are working remotely – either from home or from coworking spaces.
This implies that the way we communicate with our coworkers should also change.
According to Atlassian’s “Reworking Work” survey, the single greatest challenge to effective hybrid work is connection quality, which is largely driven by communication challenges among team members.
The greatest team challenge, according to more than half of the participants (56 percent), is connection.
There’s a good business case for building connected teams too.
Communication has an impact on tasks every day, according to 97 percent of workers.
A recent McKinsey study found that organizations with connected employees increased productivity by 20-25 percent.
Internal communications are more important than ever before because they help to keep employees informed, engaged, and motivated – regardless of where they are in the world.
Many businesses, however, are struggling to keep up with the ever-changing landscape of work and lack internal communication practices to support their employees in a hybrid work environment.
Common Challenges of Internal Communications in a Hybrid Working Environment
When transitioning to a hybrid working environment, each company experiences something unique.
However, there are some common communication challenges that most businesses face:
1) Inadequate home technology (unstable internet, no headset or camera, incompatible apps) can make it challenging to communicate with a person, putting strain on IT support teams and leaving that person feeling isolated.
2) If you’re at home, no one can simply drop by your desk to deliver a simple message.
This frequently results in an increase in instant messaging and emails flying around the company, clogging people’s inboxes.
Important messages may be missed as a result.
3) Not everyone will be familiar with the company’s branding and brand voice, and without easy access to someone to ask or compatibility issues with company apps, they may send messages that are inconsistent with the brand.
Finally, when employees work remotely, they may feel isolated from the business, alone, and not a part of the culture.
This can lead to boredom and unhappiness, neither of which is good for employee retention.
How to Improve Communication in Hybrid Workplaces
Effective Communication Needs a Strategy
Plan out how communication will work in your organization.
When employees are split between the office and the field, strategizing is critical.
There are two types of hybrid communication: synchronous communication and asynchronous communication.
When developing a communication strategy, keep those modes in mind.
To begin with, synchronous communication occurs when you transfer a message. As a result, an immediate response is required.
Phone calls, video conferencing, instant messaging, and other forms of synchronous communication are examples.
This mode of communication is often overlooked in hybrid teams, but it should not be avoided.
For feedback, problem-solving meetings, brainstorming sessions, emergencies, and planning sessions, use synchronous communication.
The synchronous mode is also ideal for team bonding. In case of you choose this one, business phone system is one of the best options you have.
As we move on to asynchronous communication, we must consider the time lag between receiving and responding to a message.
This type of communication does not take place in real-time. As a result, it works when we want to reduce the pressure of an instant response.
We talk about email, fax, shared documents, collaboration tools, and so on. It is best to process high-quality information using asynchronous communication.
Using this mode, you set reasonable time expectations for responding to a sent message and developing a response that may require additional time or adjustments.
Furthermore, some information must be processed before proceeding.
Ask your teams what works best for them to determine your hybrid communication strategy.
Steer Clear of Technology Overload
According to 2024 trends in employee experience, technology can do a lot to improve the satisfaction of your staff.
However, you shouldn’t go overboard. It may be tempting to add another app to your stack but resist the urge.
There is a fine line between how useful technology is and how overwhelming it can be.
Keep them to a minimum and try to integrate as much as possible so that users do not have to switch from one app or platform to another.
This can have a negative impact on productivity.
Write Everything Down
Anything said in remote or hybrid video meetings has the risk of being misheard, miscommunicated, or simply lost in translation—and if employees are unable to attend, they must rely on secondhand information.
This causes unnecessary frustration and prevents employees from performing at their best.
Transitioning to a hybrid working model necessitates organizations documenting the knowledge-sharing process that occurs in traditional meeting formats and making it accessible across multiple platforms.
Find the Best Hybrid Work Approach
Businesses can implement a few hybrid work approaches based on their needs and best working practices.
Remote-first with limited office work is a work style in which the home office is the primary workspace.
This is the most common type of hybrid work, in which employees work primarily from home but come into the office for important meetings, training sessions, and events.
Meeting physically from time to time is important for the teams in order to keep an open channel for communication, while they get to know the other employees better and have the chance to discuss important topics face-to-face.
Employers can contact professionals to find and rent office space for key meetings or events where physical presence is required for clear communication and understanding of a specific topic.
It is widely acknowledged that choosing the best office spaces results in a more productive environment.
The design of an office can have an impact on employee productivity and health.
Naturally, a company wants to create an appropriate office environment in which employees can work efficiently and safely.
Many office space design elements can also promote employee health and well-being, which increases workplace productivity.
For hybrid work approaches, consider an office in a place that suits the majority of your team.
If your team is separated into different locations then look at the possibility of renting office spaces in NY, California, Texas, etc.
Make sure these spaces fit your team’s needs and offer appropriate working conditions.
Encourage Feedback Loops
Validation, confirmation, and guidance are required, but they are more difficult to achieve due to the lack of constant contact we are accustomed to in an office setting.
Additional steps are required in a hybrid working system, such as messaging, calling, or tagging.
Create a feedback-friendly culture by utilizing forms, recurring one-on-ones, and team meetings to ensure everyone is on the same page.
If you used to do this prior to hybrid work, you should continue to do so.
There are numerous tools available to assist with gathering feedback, structuring it, and generating reports to see what’s changing at a glance.
Conclusion
The key to effective internal communication is to consider what each group requires and then tailor your message accordingly.
It’s also critical to use the right channels and develop a solid strategy.
Communication is about how employees have a say in process and policy, not just how teams communicate with one another.
The most important step forward, if nothing else, is to ensure that your employees have a way to express themselves.
To ensure that your employees feel catered to regardless of where they are geographically located, it is critical to consider the full spectrum of employee experiences when developing company-wide policy.
