Hybrid work is here to stay for many businesses. Done well, it combines focused time at home with energising time together in the office. Done poorly, it leaves people confused, disconnected and stuck on video calls all day.
Agree on the purpose of the office
If people commute to the office only to sit on video calls, they’ll soon stop coming. Decide what the office is for: collaboration, training, team rituals or client meetings. Then plan office days around those activities.
Set team agreements
- Core hours: when everyone should be reachable.
- Response times: what “urgent” means and how to flag it.
- Meeting habits: cameras, agendas and how to include remote attendees.
- Where work lives: one place for files, tasks and decisions.
Write these down and revisit them every few months.
Design for the remote person
When some people are in a room and others are remote, the remote attendees often get left out. Use good audio, share screens instead of whiteboards, and have someone in the room watch the chat.
Write more things down
Hybrid teams can’t rely on overheard conversations. Short written updates, clear meeting notes and documented decisions help everyone stay informed, wherever they are.
In a hybrid team, if it isn’t written down, it didn’t happen.
Invest in connection
Relationships don’t build themselves when people see each other less. Make time for informal conversation: team lunches on office days, regular one-to-ones and the occasional social event.
Measure results, not presence
Judge people on what they deliver, not where or when they’re seen working. Clear goals and regular check-ins make that possible.
