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Leading the Future of Work

A leader chatting with his employees at a meeting table.

This workshop on Leading The Future Of Work offered as part of our Future of Work learning program provides leaders with an overview of hybrid workplace challenges, approaches to hybrid leadership and strategies for leaders to enable their teams to be more effective.

Leaders are facing unique challenges in navigating the hybrid workplace and managing distributed teams. This workshop provides practical strategies for creating team cohesion, promoting an inclusive culture and strengthening your leadership skills.

Challenges of hybrid work and how to overcome them

Communication with colleagues
  • Be specific and ask for clarification about who, what, where, when, why and how.
  • Schedule specific days focused on in-office collaboration.
  • Seek feedback at each project stage.
  • Hold active listening sessions to check-in with employees

Creating balance during meetings
  • Be intentional about cameras on/off to promote connection/rest.
  • Give rationale for camera use.

Differences in employee experience between in-office and hybrid employees
  • Identify how team spirit and company culture can be experienced both virtually and in-person.

Management and collaboration
  • Demonstrate trust continuously through your actions and conversations.
  • Establish norms around use of various communication channels.

Understanding hybrid leadership

Hybrid leadership blends the best of various leadership styles to get the most from employees in-person and remotely. According to Gartner:

“An open mindset is key, but management skill sets are also important. Hybrid-ready leaders must be able to:

  • Drive performance;
  • Champion employee development;
  • Communicate effectively across a variety of channels;  
  • Connect virtual workers with their in-office and otherwise dispersed peers; 
  • Support teams and peers to drive high enterprise performance and contribution;
  • Foster inclusive team climates; 
  • Build trust and psychological safety; and 
  • Establish team culture and norms across hybrid teams.”

Effective hybrid leadership through EDI 

Leading effectively in a hybrid world means creating inclusive team culture and working intentionally to foster trust. This will increase retention, collaboration and job satisfaction. Consider equity, diversity and inclusion in all your decisions and actions:

Lead with equity

  • Identify how your decisions impact different employees prior to making decisions. For example, will your decision have an adverse impact on staff of diverse ages? Genders? Racial backgrounds? 
  • Provide equal access to information and opportunities for all employees, regardless of work location. Avoid giving more attention or favouring employees in the same location as you.

Practice inclusive meetings

  • Actively bring in new voices from underrepresented groups.
  • Be mindful of groupthink and ensure diverse perspectives and ideas are shared.
  • Have brave and authentic conversations.
  • In hybrid work environments, involve both in-person and remote participants and establish meeting norms for equitable participation.

Build an inclusive culture

  • Empower others to speak up without fear.
  • Establish platforms for employees to speak up in a comfortable way.

Be mindful of fairness

  • Spread high-visibility projects.

Celebrate successes and recognize team accomplishments

  • Recognize and celebrate diverse accomplishments.
  • Amplify the voices and achievements of individuals from underrepresented groups.
  • Host virtual celebrations and leverage digital platforms to ensure events are accessible and engaging for both in-person and virtual team members.

Leadership strategies for successful hybrid work

A successful hybrid team requires leaders to practice fairness and inclusivity with every member of your team, regardless of where they are working.

  • Share the Future of Work framework
    • Introduce your team to the Future of Work.
    • Standardize in-person and hybrid processes.
  • Transparent decision-making
    • Be prepared to discuss and explain your decisions.
  • Create equitable experiences
    • If one person is virtual, ask everyone to dial in separately when possible.
    • Prioritize online participants in hybrid meetings.
  • Role model desired behaviours
    • Be mindful of what and how you communicate about hybrid work.
    • Balance your time in the office and working virtually. 
  • Check in, assess and adjust
    • Set clear expectations around the Future of Work plans with everyone in the department.
    • Meet with your team to ensure that all employees understand how decisions are made.
  • Adopt flexible working arrangements
    • Familiarize yourself with the flexible work policy.
    • Find out what time and work patterns work for different team members and align them.

Team strategies for successful hybrid work

Successful hybrid teams rely on collaboration and co-creation of the environment that will meet operational and employee needs. The Future of Work is not a one-size fits all approach so engage your team to find what will work best given your unique requirements:

  • Determine which hybrid communication strategies will work the best for your team.
  • Bring teams together in person occasionally. 
  • Approach peers and team members with compassion and listen. 
  • Embrace virtual events that allow employees to get to know each other.
  • Offer flexibility where possible. 
  • Host regular check-in meetings with the team to discuss challenges and opportunities for alignment.
  • Co-monitor stress levels by having everyone: 
    • Watch for signs of burnout.
    • Incorporate elements of play into the workday.
    • Talk to you individually when they need help with workload prioritization.
  • Ensure both employees and leaders are responsible to get the work done.