The hybrid model is becoming the norm in many organizations, and leadership styles are having to shift in order to meet employees where they’re at—including those working remotely. These hybrid formats offer flexibility and improved work-life balance, but they also come with challenges in maintaining employee trust, motivation, and engagement. HR leaders play a pivotal role in managing employees within this dynamic as they must find ways to lead with empathy and ensure that every worker feels valued and supported within their team.
Here are just a few key approaches to utilize when aiming to foster a cohesive and thriving team, regardless of physical location.
Leading with Empathy
Employees working within a hybrid model face unique challenges that can depend on the location they are working from. Those working in the office could feel burdened by the commute or balancing time with personal responsibilities that tend to get neglected. Meanwhile, remote workers can experience feelings of isolation as they work and aren’t able to interact with their colleagues the way that in-office employees can. They can also be overloaded with tasks and experience stress that goes unnoticed as they are not working in the office.
Leaders must use empathy to acknowledge these differences and provide tailored support to each team member. This can take place in a few ways:
- Balancing Workloads Across Teams: Monitor workloads to ensure no one employee feels overwhelmed, no matter their location. By distributing tasks equitably, leaders can help avoid the manifestation of resentment or burnout among teams.
- Encouraging Peer Support: Encourage relationship building among team members so that they feel comfortable sharing experiences and supporting each other. This way team members can have a better understanding of each other’s situations, leading to a more enhanced dynamic of teamwork.
- Celebrating Individual Contributions: Each employee has their own strengths, and that should be recognized and celebrated. Allow rewards and recognition programs to be tailored to what resonates the most with individual employees.
Eliminating Bias in Performance Reviews
Ensuring fairness in a hybrid work environment can be challenging. Some workplaces may engage in proximity bias, which is the tendency to favor in-person employees over those working from home. This can unintentionally disadvantage remote workers. Leaders must address these biases and implement equitable evaluation practices.
HR leaders can prioritize measurable outcomes so that employee evaluations are based on results, deliverables, and key performance indicators (KPIs), rather than time spent online or in the office. They can also standardize evaluation criteria to use consistent metrics and benchmarks across all roles to ensure objectivity in performance assessments. This can include standardized criteria for communication that are tailored to practices when working remotely or in an office. Managers can also be trained to mitigate proximity biases through training sessions on inclusive leadership practices.
Equal Development Opportunities
Remote employees often face unique challenges in accessing training, mentoring, and career advancement opportunities. Without intentional efforts from leaders to bridge this gap, they risk allowing for inequities in the workplace that hinder the growth among remote workers. If HR leaders can ensure equal access to development opportunities, they can foster a culture of continuous learning and empower all employees.
Virtual training programs are just one way to engage employees in professional development. These can offer on-demand courses for extra flexibility. For training in real-time, programs can offer live virtual workshops.
Mentorship programs can also serve as a useful professional development tool. By pairing remote employees with mentors as part of a virtual mentoring program, they can easily access any guidance they need.
When working with hybrid teams, career path transparency is a vital strategy. Clearly outline career advancement pathways that employees of all types can follow. Then ensure that each employee is able to access the resources needed to achieve their career goals.
Building Resilience
As hybrid work becomes the standard for many organizations, HR leaders and managers must adapt their strategies to create an equitable, engaging, and supportive environment for all employees—whether they work remotely or in the office. Leading with empathy ensures employees feel understood and valued, regardless of their unique challenges. By prioritizing these approaches, HR professionals can help organizations harness the benefits of hybrid work.
