In April and May, we wrote about the practicalities and legalities of moving to a hybrid model of working – the practice of working from home for part of the week, and from the workplace for the rest of the week – and how it was being regarded, by many, as a far more practical option for operating in a post-pandemic world.
With restrictions generally now lifted in the United Kingdom and the world doing its best to return to ‘normal’, the theory of the hybrid workplace has become a reality and remains
a future consideration for even more organisations as the Furlough Scheme comes to an end on 30th September 2021.
Therefore, what considerations does an employer now need to make in managing their organisation through this dynamically new world? In this month’s blog post – the final instalment of our 3-part series – we will be looking at five essential categories; Policy and Procedure, Communications, Technology, Performance Management, and Wellbeing.
Policy and Procedure
As discussed in ‘The post pandemic organisation – Part 2’, May 2021, introducing hybrid working will require an update to any existing Contracts of Employment and your Flexible Working Policy (or relevant Contract clauses), or the creation of a Policy specific to hybrid working.
In doing so, an organisation must identify which roles qualify for hybrid working; how an employee may request hybrid working; how hybrid working will fit alongside other forms of flexible working; and how it will affect other operational factors, such as IT, data protection and expenses.
Organisations are moving to hybrid working for varied reasons – some to reduce numbers in the workplace and thus virus spread; some to prevent unnecessary travel that might put employees at greater risk; while others are opting for this route as ‘unofficially’ working in this way during lockdown has proved beneficial, operationally or financially.
As a result, hybrid working may differ from varying working arrangements under Flexible Working Legislation, as it may apply to entire groups as opposed to a specific individual. In which case, the organisation will need to have Procedures in place for looking at the needs of their teams as a whole.
Communications
It goes without saying that excellent communication will be essential for making a success of hybrid working.
Communication within a hybrid model that is not well managed can lead to poor delivery of information, gaps in knowledge and employees outside of the workplace being left out at critical times. It can also prevent teams from being able to work together effectively, particularly if they are split between the workplace and home.
Additionally, when employees are working from different locations and at different times, the informal but useful discussions that may have taken place when everyone was together in the workplace will naturally be reduced, with a potential negative impact on camaraderie.
A way to ensure good communication is to arrange for formal meetings to take place online, so that no one misses out on important discussions, whether they are in the office or at home. Many organisations continue to use virtual meeting platforms and these are now well established within the business footprint.
However, online meetings should be complemented with other communication tools, such as chat functions on alternative platforms, as this will support flexibility for those who need it (i.e: travelling, those with connectivity issues, those balancing work with caring duties, etc), and help reduce ‘online meeting fatigue’ that many employees have reported experiencing over the course of pandemic-influenced homeworking.
Employees and teams should also be supported in creating other forms of communication outside of online meetings. This could be in the form of physical meetings or selecting a method of online communication that allows everyone to take part.
Technology
It is important to review the systems and tools already in the workplace, to ensure they are suitable for hybrid working. Can they communicate seamlessly with other systems outside of the workplace? Will there be any connectivity issues or data privacy risks linked to their use either outside of the workplace, or in conjunction with other systems outside of the workplace?
Not all employees will have the equipment and tools they need at home, so the organisation may need to provide equipment and mobile devices as required. Although it may be a moot point, and there is nothing specifically in employment legislation about this, it is advisable to provide employees with the equipment they require anyway, rather than them using their old laptop, for example (more on this later).
Technology has been invaluable in keeping organisations running, but it has required many employees to ‘get up to speed’ on systems and tools that were new to them. For some, this may still be an issue. Therefore, providing ongoing training and support will be an important consideration.
Finally, it is vital to have robust security systems in place to protect the organisation’s systems and data, now that much more information will be ‘virtually’ leaving the four walls of the office.
Performance Management
With employees working remotely, the practice of observing their performance is harder to carry out. Employers may find that they need to now assess employees on the measurable results of the work and their levels of contribution, rather than their perceived busyness.
Adjustments to work objectives and performance management systems may need to be made, especially if they were created on the basis of work being carried out in a controlled workplace environment. Managers may also need updated and continued training on how to manage and rate performance within a hybrid model.
Where the opportunity to request hybrid working is available to employees, it is advisable to devise a criterion that accommodates qualifying factors such as conducive work environments, access to equipment and adequate Internet speeds, so that the employee may perform at their best.
However, where the hybrid arrangement is compulsory, consideration should be given to the fact that some employees may not be able to perform to the same level when working remotely (some may have caring duties when located at home, and some may live in areas with poor Internet connectivity, for example). As far as possible, the employer should support the employee in overcoming such difficulties, such as paying for better Internet speeds, or accommodating alternative working hours.
The performance management system for the hybrid organisation should consider all of these issues, rather than measuring each employee against a blanket standard that some may not be able to meet through no fault of their own. Therefore, it is essential for managers to have regular 1-to-1 meetings with their employees to discuss objectives, performance and any issues the employee may have with remote working.
Many organisations will already have a reward system in place, and practices for addressing poor performance. It is important to maintain these, as long as they allow for the additional considerations discussed above.
Wellbeing
Long Covid, mental health issues, additional caring responsibilities, loss of confidence at work, and anxiety in returning to the workplace, are all long-term effects caused by Covid-19, and are likely to be here for some time.
Hybrid working may support improved wellbeing by offering access to better work/life balance, through reduced commuting time and flexibility of location, but it also has the potential to bring more challenges as employees adjust to operating in home environments that may not be conducive to working (i.e.: caring responsibilities, noisy house-mates, unclear boundaries, connectivity issues, etc).
It is important to train managers in the benefits and pitfalls of hybrid working, and how to have effective conversations with teams about wellbeing and mental health. They should also receive training in how to spot the signs of poor wellbeing or recognise when hybrid working is not suiting an individual.
For employees, consider training and support in managing hybrid working and achieving a good work/life balance, as well as advice on digital wellbeing and a healthy approach to work and life.
Moving to a hybrid working model offers many benefits, but also brings some challenges. While this blog is not an exhaustive list of the considerations needed to be successful in managing your own hybrid workforce, we hope it will be a good starting point.
If you wish to dive deeper into this topic, or need further support, please do not hesitate to contact us.