As with many of our blogs, we find deep inspiration and insights from the training sessions with great clients that we conduct on a daily basis around the world. Today, I had the chance to facilitate a
Fundamentals of Business Leadership™ simulation workshop working with new and 1–3 year managers on how to be a great business leader. Business leadership is how you execute your business strategy and achieve financial results through people, so setting goals, giving feedback, coaching, resolving business conflicts, and leading change are pillars of success.
One of the simulation scenarios is about creating equity on your team when leading a diverse group of hybrid workers in different time zones. As we were going through the scenario, one of the participants disagreed with some of the core feedback saying that until you have established an environment of trust, nothing else matters. We purposely took a tangent and dug deep into her sentiments. What resulted was an amazing few moments of organic learning which I am sharing in this blog!
10 Tips to Lead an Environment of Trust in a Hybrid Work Environment
Leading an environment of trust in a hybrid work environment requires proactive and intentional strategies and tactics that address the unique challenges and opportunities of the way we are going to be working in the immediate future. Here are some practical steps to achieve this:
1) Communicate Clearly- Consistent Contact and Updates: Ensure consistent communication through regular updates, meetings, and virtual connections. Use multiple channels (email, chat, video) to reach all team members.
- Full and Total Transparency: Have calendar equity (meaning everyone updates and shares their calendars), clearly outline hybrid work policies, expectations, and any changes to them. Transparency drives trust!
- Regular Check-ins: Schedule one-on-one and team check-ins to maintain a connection and gauge morale and well-being physically and mentally. Make these check-ins meaningful and supportive.
- Virtual Social Events: Organize team-building activities, and informal gatherings to build camaraderie. Play games, have fun. Challenge the orthodoxies. [This was a huge topic of conversation during the discussion].
- Trust the Skills and Will of People: Show trust by empowering employees to manage their own schedules and work. Avoid micromanagement and instead, focus on outcomes. Every situation is different and you need to trust the skill and or willingness to get things done.
- Set Clear Expectations: Define clear goals and expectations. Use project management tools to track progress and provide support when needed. Provide immediate coaching and feedback as soon as you think things may be going off track.
- Invest in Technology: Equip your team with the necessary tools and technology to work efficiently from any location. This includes collaboration tools, secure access to work systems, and proper setups for home offices.
- Training: From the initial onboarding through daily skill building, provide training on new tools and best practices for remote work to ensure everyone is comfortable and efficient.
- Gather Feedback through Multiple Channels: Create multiple avenues for feedback (surveys, focus groups, open forums) and actively seek input from your team.
- Act on Feedback: Show that you value feedback by acting on it. Communicate any changes made as a result of team input.
- Lead by example: Do the right things, every day.
- Model Best Practice Behaviors: Demonstrate the behaviors you want to see, such as transparency, inclusivity, and respect. Your actions set the tone for the entire team.
- Demonstrate Vulnerability: Show vulnerability and admit when you don’t have all the answers. This builds trust by showing that it’s okay to be human and make mistakes.
- Acknowledgment: Recognize individual and team achievements publicly. Celebrate milestones and successes, both big and small.
- Rewards and Recognition: Implement a system for rewards and recognition that is fair and accessible to all team members.
- Respect Boundaries: Respect personal time and boundaries. Avoid scheduling meetings outside of standard working hours and encourage taking breaks.
- Support Well-being: Provide resources for mental and physical well-being, such as access to counseling services, wellness programs, and encouraging time off.
- Equal Opportunities: Ensure all team members, whether remote or on-site, have equal access to opportunities, resources, and recognition.
- Inclusive Meetings: Use technology to ensure remote team members can actively participate in meetings. Encourage their input and make sure their voices are heard.
- Regular Assessment: Regularly assess the effectiveness of your hybrid work environment and trust-building efforts. Use data and feedback to make informed adjustments.
- Be Agile: Stay flexible and be willing to adapt to new challenges and opportunities as they arise. The hybrid work model is evolving, and your strategies should evolve with it.
In summary, creating and leading an environment of trust is critical to long-term business success. But it is hard, and it will take a long time. By implementing these 10 tips, you can start the process of creating a hybrid work environment where trust flourishes, leading to a more engaged, productive, and satisfied team that is driving business results.
