By Tom Goldsworthy

It's been an unusual year for businesses amidst the pandemic. Thousands have had to quickly pivot their working practices and begin offering remote working to employees - perhaps even when they haven't done so before.

Of course, under usual circumstances, it would be advisable to plan for such significant changes to working practices, but, of course, that simply wasn't possible for many. As time goes on, it's becoming more and more apparent that remote and hybrid working is here to stay. More businesses than ever are embracing the hybrid working model, essentially a mix of office and remote working, over fully remote working.

And, although there are some challenges inherent to this style of working, there are many tools and plenty of advice available to tackle these and promote a happy, healthy hybrid working environment.

What are the main issues faced with hybrid working?

Remote and hybrid working comes with an individual set of challenges for both the employer and employee. Minimal or zero in-person management can be tricky, particularly when onboarding new starters who can't get a feel for the working style of their new boss or team.

Some find a completely remote working model is isolating and lonely. People who are used to working in the buzz of a busy office environment have expressed discontent, and Gen Z particularly struggled with this jump to remote working. Although interestingly, 73% of employees surveyed in Microsoft's 2021 report still want flexible remote working to be available, so the pros definitely outweigh the cons for many people.

Many employees reference the lack of proper tools as having an impact on their productivity and overall happiness. With this in mind, it's essential to have robust and reliable communication channels available so staff can feel supported. 

So, what can be done to improve your hybrid working practices? 

Use technology!

Without being in the office together, it's hard to feel for your team's mood or what issues individuals face daily. Technology like VTSL's video conferencing, which is fully integrated with your VTSL phone system, offers an excellent way for a team to congregate virtually, giving some sense of camaraderie and team spirit as well as an efficient means of communicating. 

Suppose you already use Microsoft Teams for your video conferencing. In that case, we also offer a fully supported integration service with one of our experts so that you can link this up with your VTSL phone system for seamless communication across multiple channels. 

Video calling is becoming an everyday tool for remote workers, and it's normal to have calls throughout the working day. 

Arrange a daily or weekly catch up 

Keeping in touch on a one-to-one basis with your employees has never been more important. A daily (or a few times a week) call ensures that your employee knows what tasks they're expected to do and offers them a set period to clarify the project, ask questions or get your feedback to ensure they're on the right track. 

This daily or, at least, regular check-in also gives peace of mind that the employee is working and working correctly from a management perspective. And it's even better if you do this using a video.

Be flexible with your employees

It's essential to remember that remote working has also been dropped on employees, who are also under pressure from the ongoing pandemic. Offering flexibility and a hybrid working model is a perk for some people but vital to success for others, so try to be flexible and understand individuals' working preferences. 

Every team member will have a different setup. For example, some may have children and partners working from home, meaning they may be interrupted occasionally; others might have a dedicated home office. Although there is no one-size-fits-all solution, providing decent tech and an integrated phone and video system will encourage people to create a work-conducive atmosphere and set aside time for meetings, even if they don't have a dedicated space yet. 

Trust your employees 

Whilst it might be tempting to check in all the time, it's advisable to stick to an organised schedule of contact and trust in your employees to do their jobs. This way, people feel valued, respected and responsible for their outcomes and actions rather than micro-managed and overworked.

Research has found that productivity while working from home has been higher than the average office setting, people are on average 47% more productive working from home. Trust your employees and stick to your schedule of meetings and encourage collaboration between team members. 

Focus on results, not the activity

Establishing trust leads on to our next tip, focus on results and not just activity. Create manageable goals and transparently define expectations and outcomes. Again, communication is the key to success, and it's essential to use all the available tools, including voice, video, and text. 

Whilst connecting online regularly in a structured way offers employees a chance to ensure they're working towards those goals efficiently, removing people's requirement to continually prove they're working allows them to focus on the results rather than ticking boxes.

Encourage a remote social culture.

Socialising is important for working relationships, and just because people can't be physically present doesn't mean that all office socialising must stop. Video calling has become so ingrained with day-to-day business operations over the past 18 months that it's a no brainer to use it for social meetups, too. Not only will this help those struggling with the isolation of working from home, but it's also a great way to integrate new hires into your existing team. 

There are many ideas for dedicated socialising over video chat, but if that's too formal, the other option is to save some time at the end of an already planned meeting for everyone to have a chat and catch up. Encouraging this at the end of the working week is an excellent option as people are often feeling a bit more relaxed.

Offer employees support

Finally, offer support in the same way you would if working with your employees in a physical office. HR principles perhaps need to be altered to suit the new hybrid working style, and it could be helpful to draw up a set of guidelines setting out what you expect from them while working remotely.

Be mindful of the power of video over voice calls and consider incorporating video into your weekly meetings to make sure you connect with your employees on a one-to-one basis. 

Why Choose Us 

VTSL cloud communications systems are simple, efficient and robust. We provide the best telephony solutions entirely designed to improve your business's efficiency and growth. 

We have engineered our cloud communications system to suit the needs of both small and medium-sized businesses. And, integrating VTSL cloud communication services with your customer support will improve your business' employee satisfaction - which ultimately increases sales and profitability. 

Plus, our unrivaled support, highly competitive pricing, and unbeatable flexibility ensure you have the best possible phone systems that set you apart from the competition.

About VTSL

VTSL is a leading cloud communications provider, offering GP practices and other organisations across the UK & Ireland powerful voice communications technology that allows them to work smarter.  VTSL's service streamlines day-to-day interactions with intuitive and easy-to-use management portals, mobile apps, and state-of-the-art phones. Integrations with applications such as EMIS reduce admin time and provides a seamless working across platforms. Learn more by emailing info@vtsl.net today.