Good agreements make for good employees
Work in a hybrid environment is typically independent of place and time. How far do you want to take that as an employer? Are your employees free to determine when and where they work, or must they coordinate this with you and their immediate colleagues? To avoid lack of clarity, solid agreements are needed.
Clear communication
You may not be seeing your employees in person as frequently as you would otherwise. After all, sometimes you'll be working from home while your employees are in the office. That makes clear communication essential. A few things to keep in mind:
- Communicate effectively and proactively. Explain to your employees why you're doing things a certain way. This helps avoid potential annoyances.
- Use the most appropriate means of communication. What do you want to communicate? For minor matters that are easy to understand, email can be sufficient. For more complex matters that require further explanation, video conferencing may be a better choice. That way, you can gauge your employees' responses and take the time to explain as needed.
- Give meaningful feedback. Feedback isn't meaningful if it isn't useful to your employees. Explain your response and present negative messages in a positive light. This way you help your employees understand the message, so they can apply it effectively.
Mutual trust is important
A hybrid work environment is really all about mutual trust. A top-down work culture, for example, won't mesh well with flexible work arrangements. To further encourage mutual trust, you need more than just good agreements. You also have to make time for your employees. One way to do this is to set up weekly video calls, during which you ask how they're doing and check for any problems or concerns.
Technology designed for hybrid working
Even in a hybrid environment, the aim is for people to be able to work securely and effectively. Regardless of where they work. To make this possible, you need the right technological support. HP offers that by looking at your employees: their tasks and responsibilities, needs and ways of working. Based on these factors, you can divide your employees into various 'personas' or profiles and allocate a specific device to each individual. For instance, an ultralight device such as an HP EliteBook 855 is a good choice for people who are on the road a lot, or an HP ZBook Firefly 15 for mobile employees who need that added bit of processing power. Want to learn more about possible personas within your organization? Personalization is part of our Workplace-as-a-service package.
