Managing Hybrid teams: Challenges and Solutions

More and more teams across the world are moving to a remote hybrid work setup. Some companies have even suggested full going back to office. While we all know the case depends on the requirements of the job, no one can deny that the technology industry can definitely work in a remote setup.

A common question arises: if remote work was feasible during the pandemic, why return to the office? While remote work offers flexibility, the lack of face-to-face interaction has its downsides. Despite the convenience of Google Meet or Zoom, they can’t fully replace the richness of in-person communication. After all, we are social beings.

Challenges in Hybrid Work

Work-life balance

Work-life balance is definitely a challenge, it has been a challenge in fully remote setup, and it is a challenge in hybrid setup as well. It’s not usually about that work is in a fixed time during the day, but it’s the ability for someone to know the limit, to know when to work and when not to, when to switch off and do something else.

To avoid the feeling of burnout, an organization should always try to focus on the value and quality of work rather than quantity. We live in a world where numbers define a lot about work and if an organization is successful. This does not contradict with the fact that quantity in technology is never the right metric. The value that someone can deliver in 2 hours of work while feeling well can be a lot more than the value of work delivered in 8 hours. Commitment and understanding of employees to deliver value is crucial to the success of hybrid setup.

Communication

Work-life balance will never happen without a proper communication. Remote and hybrid setup is all about knowing how to communicate and when to communicate. Physical meetings, phone calls, WhatsApp messages are not necessary. An immediate response to an email is not necessary.

A successful organization should always promote asynchronous communication. We always have that stigma towards the Slack notification or Teams calls, but instead of hating the notification bell, employees need to manage their communication workflow and expectations collectively. Teams should always be trained to how properly and effectively talk to each other.

Collaboration

Communication can be challenging without collaboration between teams. Collaboration is not just about few people working together, but utilizing the tools they are using to have a better workflow that streamlines the work process.

A successful organization should definitely choose their right set of tools to collaborate, whether using Google Workspace, Office 365, Jira or any other tool that an organization deemed fit for them, it has to always happen in a collective and collaborative way. 1-1 communication is important in different situations, but collective collaboration and communication can enhance and optimize the value of work and create a mutual understanding.

Onboarding

Onboarding is crucial in any work setup, It’s what sets the tone for everyone to have the same process that everyone is following from day one. Onboarding can be either an efficient kickstart for someone or a complete failure. and Collaboration can help a lot in a successful onboarding.

In a hybrid setup, onboarding needs to be efficient, it doesn’t need to be overwhelming. It needs to be based on collaboration and engagement. of course documentation is always important to read and understand, this can happen throughout the tasks we start to do, however engaging in conversations, getting feedback from others on work and non-work activities, and building work connections can be much more effective.

It’s not the same for everyone

From my experience, having spent much of my career in remote or hybrid setups, I’ve observed that each setup has its pros and cons. What works in one organization may not work in another, and personal preferences vary.

It’s crucial to suggest improvements and be receptive to feedback to enhance the work environment. Different teams face unique challenges, and what works for software engineers may not suit frontline workers. Organizational culture plays a pivotal role in addressing these differences and finding creative solutions to ensure everyone feels valued.