{"id":7396,"date":"2021-10-28T14:28:05","date_gmt":"2021-10-28T21:28:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/knowyourteam.com\/blog\/?p=7396"},"modified":"2024-10-11T13:05:10","modified_gmt":"2024-10-11T20:05:10","slug":"hybrid-working-environment-4-practices-to-create-a-positive-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canopy.is\/blog\/2021\/10\/28\/hybrid-working-environment-4-practices-to-create-a-positive-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"Hybrid working environment: 4 practices to create a positive culture"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Rather than succumb to a fragmented culture, here are 4 key practices to set the foundation for a positive, cohesive hybrid working environment.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"hybrid<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Welcome to a new world: The hybrid working environment is the new norm for many of us. And, its challenges are new to us, as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’re concerned. Now that your team is transitioning to a hybrid working environment \u2013 split between some folks coming into the office regularly, and some folks rarely (or never) coming in \u2013 you’re concerned about the effect this might have on employee morale and culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your concern is warranted. Culture, after all, often models itself after the environment. With two team environments \u2013 one remote, one in-person \u2013 two team cultures could easily emerge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fragmentation might feel innocuous at first, but it’s disastrous in the long run. Without any malintent, social events could disproportionately happen in person \u2013 with no equivalent or attention given to remote workers. More and more meetings that “just spontaneously needed to happen” might materialize in person \u2013 with folks who are remote aren’t looped in. A decision could easily be made and announced in the office \u2013 but not reach remote folks until a month later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over time, the potential for remote employees to start to feel they’re working at a completely different company than their co-located coworkers is real. In the worst-case scenario, remote employees could feel they are second-class citizens in a hybrid working environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t despair. The cultural crumbling of a hybrid working environment is not<\/em> inevitable. It can be counteracted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are 4 foundational practices to keep in mind to enable a positive team culture to flourish in your hybrid working environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\nLooking for more detailed guidance on this topic?<\/strong>\nMake sure to check out our Training Program.\n<\/div>\n
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#1: Commit to being remote-first, even if you’re hybrid.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The biggest pitfall of a hybrid working environment is when your organizational practices are not cohesive. Imagine what happens when a team member is confused about where to find answers to the most fundamental, team-oriented questions. For example: “If I have a new idea, how\/where do I share that with my team?” or “If I have a question for someone not on my direct team, exactly how do I go about asking it?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don’t have a unifying framework for how to get work done, the work simply won’t get done well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Practically speaking, this means committing to a remote-first framework. All communications and collaboration should happen in your team as though 100% of your team is remote. With remote communication and collaboration as the default, everyone then has the ability to opt into meetings, decisions and information can easily be shared, and the most basic questions around how to work are easily and swiftly answered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re wondering what a remote-first communications framework looks like in detail, you can reference these resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n