How Managers Can Better Navigate Hybrid Working Environments

The way we work has changed. Even businesses that have fought against remote working, insisting that employees operate entirely in the workplace, must still reconcile their attitudes with developing technology and cloud-based collaborative working, both of which are changing how employees approach tasks.

As we enter a period of ubiquitous teleworking, flexible hours of operation, and increasingly remote workspaces, managers must rethink their approach to leadership. No longer are old adages as useful and the training that had once guided their decision making is less appropriate. Businesses must relearn the basics.

One clear example of this is that of recruitment. Historically, there have been certain personality traits and work styles that have made employees stand out when being selected during the application process. Those who are able and willing to push themselves, being driven to accomplish tasks even without supervision, were seen as benefits to the workplace. While this was true for shared office environments, where managers could easily oversee their work, it is no longer true for remote situations.

This individual drive, when utilised away from a shared space and without managerial discipline, is likely to lead employees to overwork themselves by working beyond required hours or taking on too many tasks. If managers are not aware of this during the application process or are unable to appropriately guide such an employee remotely, then the business operation will suffer.

This shift in dynamic is prompting management training in London, as well as those services based elsewhere, to develop and offer new educational courses to staff across the UK. These new courses bring managers confidently into the post-pandemic workspace, one that is underpinned by hybrid working environments, whether teleworking or with variable hours. By undertaking this personal development, managers are able to more confidently approach the challenges that occur.

Communication is another pertinent example and businesses are already finding themselves challenged by an almost entirely digital mode of communication. Video conferencing requires different methods of talking and listening, while also being online environments that are more challenging for staff to engage within. Emails too, whereas once supplementary to in-person conversations, have now become relied upon entirely, leading to a larger number of miscommunications and even workplace conflicts as staff members experience greater distance between each other.

Remote working, however, isn’t entirely a challenge and, when managed appropriately, actually increases productivity and efficiency within the workplace, making it a hugely attractive endeavour for businesses. To accomplish this requires work and, more specifically, strong leadership.

Managers, as a further example, must dedicate themselves to bridging the gap between employees and ensuring that individuals do not become distant from the business. They must oversee tasks more diligently while simultaneously allowing employees to be individually empowered to complete tasks in their own way. These new approaches, while difficult to implement and accomplish, bring advantages that are necessary for a competitive business.

So, if you are a business seeking to ensure it does not get left behind in an ever-competitive economy, it is time to rethink how your business leaders operate and retrain your staff to better navigate a new environment.

Sophie Green: Sophie's blog focuses on e-commerce strategies and trends. Her background as an e-commerce entrepreneur informs her insightful posts.

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