The pandemic has brought employee experience into the limelight. As organizations are charting their path towards hybrid working models, leaders need to stop anticipating what the new normal will be; it’s already here. It’s time to use the lessons from the pandemic to navigate this new hybrid world of work, while reflecting the need to support collaboration, offering the flexibility to work from anywhere, and providing workspace for employees who prefer to work from an office.
According to the EY Work Reimagined survey, over the course of the pandemic, leaders have struggled to empower their teams, solve critical problems, and demonstrate empathy and emotional intelligence. To stay competitive, it has become fundamental for leaders to upskill themselves in digital fluency and change management.
Navigating Hybrid Times — Being an Effective Leader
Transforming companies from traditional to hybrid models will require increased focus on leadership attributes such as authenticity, empathy, openness to change, and the ability to build trust-based cultures. Here are some tips on how leaders can thrive in a hybrid workplace:
1. Compassionate and empathy-driven leadership
Employee wellbeing is a top priority, considering the effects of burnout, stress, and isolation caused by socially-disconnected working. Leaders need to engage in an honest and personal conversation about employees’ mental health and advocate for well-being across the organization. This also helps instill a positive culture. For example, Intel has instigated meeting-free Fridays to curb “meeting fatigue”.
2. Acting fair and flexible
Leaders need to ensure that their people — irrespective of their physical location — have the support and resources that enable them to perform their best. Flexible and remote working should not have an impact on their visibility and career progression. Instead of relying on a skewed view derived through informal networking, leaders must take a data-driven approach to assessing people on their skills, aspirations, and interests. Richard Branson, founder of Virgin, said, “We like to give people the freedom to work where they want, safe in the knowledge that they have the drive and expertise to perform excellently, whether they [are] at their desk or in their kitchen.”
3. Encouraging social learning and digital upskilling
Informal and social learning between coworkers has suffered due to the lack of face-to-face contact. Hybrid work models require leaders to devote time to helping their teams learn and grow, but also enable them to apply their new skills. Providing employees with world-class learning experiences in a remote setting will require a flexible blended learning approach that is available on demand.
4. Establishing new communication norms
Leaders need to reignite employee engagement by fostering a culture of openness and communication. Its crucial that your team members are active in shaping how the team communicates, such as deciding which decisions require everyone to become together, or establishing exclusive remote hours where people can express freely.
Re-thinking Leadership
The new hybrid world of work requires leaders to adjust their behaviors. They need to embrace leading a hybrid team and working with their people — closely and transparently, with respect, curiosity, and a willingness to learn together instead of mandating — to discover a new and better way to work. Successful leaders trust in empowering their employees, and engaging them to ensure their organization advances successfully in a post-pandemic world. Favorably, organizations that focus on equipping leaders with the right skills are better positioned to address the needs of their employees and enable greater sense of trust, inclusion, and empowerment.
