A hybrid workforce that divides duties among office- and home-based employees has rapidly become a mainstream phenomenon.

For many enterprise businesses, the shift came quickly and unexpectedly thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic—complicating everything from staffing to daily operations by extending the 'work scape’ over multiple new frontiers and leaving business owners with the complicated challenge of keeping it all together without sacrificing too much.

In this blog, we outline key tactics you can use to keep your hybrid workforce aligned, informed, and, most importantly, productive.

Fortify With Wifi

A hybrid workforce requires high-speed, reliable connections to online resources. Moreover, the demands offsite workers place on assets such as shared drives, cloud-based applications, and digital storage can be considerable.

Any hybrid solution should include input from your internet service provider. At Sparklight, our business solutions can be customized to address the complicated challenge of keeping your workforce connected no matter where employees work.

Whether you have a handful or hundreds of employees, we’ll work with you to identify the products and services that make sense for your business—without compromising your bottom line. Learn more about them here.

Communicate Clearly

Maintain open and transparent communication with all employees, regardless of their location. Use various communication channels like emails, video conferencing, and collaboration tools to ensure everyone stays connected.

Set Expectations

Clearly define remote and on-site employees' roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations. This helps everyone understand their tasks and contributes to a sense of accountability.

Be Flexible Yet Firm

Acknowledge that different employees have different preferences and needs. Be flexible in accommodating varied work schedules and environments to promote work-life balance. But don't do so at the expense of achieving company goals and objectives.

Tech Up

Provide the necessary technology and tools to facilitate seamless collaboration. Invest in reliable video conferencing, project management, and communication tools that support remote work.

Check-in Regularly

 Schedule regular one-on-one and team check-ins to discuss progress, challenges, and upcoming projects. Doing so helps maintain a sense of connection and enables you to address concerns early. It may also help you identify and address gaps between home and office-based functions.

Include Everyone

Avoid ‘out of sight, out of mind' thinking by ensuring remote employees are included in meetings, discussions, and decisions. Use video conferencing whenever possible to allow remote workers to participate actively.

Focus on Outcomes

Focus on what gets done rather than monitoring where it's happening or the number of hours worked. Moreover, trust your employees to manage their work effectively, regardless of their location, and give them the autonomy to make decisions and complete tasks independently.

Foster Teambuilding

Organize regular teambuilding activities, both virtual and in-person, to encourage camaraderie among team members throughout the business. This helps build strong working relationships despite physical distance.

Train and Develop

Provide skill development and training opportunities for all employees, regardless of their work location, ensuring everyone can grow in their roles.

Factor in Cultural Considerations

Remote employees living in other regions or countries may have cultural differences and customs that may impact how and when they work. Helping others in the business understand and appreciate this can foster better understanding.

Address Isolation

Not all hybrid workers choose to work remotely, and those who do may not anticipate how different work can be when their colleagues are no longer working alongside them. Encourage social interactions by creating virtual events or setting up casual virtual meetings. And provide access to resources that can help remote employees deal with isolation.

Keep an Open Ear

Continuously gather feedback from employees about the hybrid work arrangement. Adjust your approach based on their input to improve the overall experience.

Stay Visible to Both Sides 

Leaders should try to be visible and approachable to remote and on-site employees. Regularly engage with team members personally and virtually to show your support and involvement.

Managing a hybrid workforce requires ongoing adaptation and a willingness to evolve your strategies based on your team's changing needs and dynamics. Businesses that can do this consistently will bring out the best a hybrid workforce offers.