Written by Sam Dow | 23rd March 2022
With businesses going through so much change in the past two years, employees may have a tough time relating to their managers, and vice versa.
Rebuilding trust is important, but this can be harder in a hybrid working model when people are split between the office and working remotely.
Employees are more likely to leave companies when they don’t feel supported or appreciated, so here are some suggestions on what you can do as a manager to improve relationships with your team when you operate a hybrid working model.
Keep up contact
It’s possible that your employees’ lifestyles are now different than they were before the pandemic, this could be financially, or from a wellbeing perspective.
If things have changed for them at home or at work, it may affect their performance, so it’s important you are in regular contact, especially when you may not see each other often.
Employees are likely to create a bond with a leader they trust, who genuinely cares about their wellbeing and listens. This means you should regularly feedback on performance, listen to any issues and work with them to find a solution. Try to schedule weekly catchups (and stick to them) when they are in the office, virtual, or over the phone, so they feel supported.
This will help you develop a better understanding of their needs and goals and improve your relationship with them.
Foster collaboration and social interaction
One thing missing from the office in a hybrid working model is social interaction. When sat together, it’s easier to bounce ideas around and have spontaneous team meetings. It’s also nice to chat to colleagues about something other than work – the office atmosphere was a key motivator for people to move back to the workplace and it’s vital for wellbeing and employee engagement too.
In a hybrid world it’s important to allow the time and means for socialising and collaboration such as team meetings, ‘break-out’ areas, after work drinks or virtual meetups, that allow all your staff to be included and have open communication. Try to limit in person social gatherings that might leave remote workers out.
Equal opportunities for in-office and remote employees
Failure to communicate with employees while they work at home may leave them feeling out of the loop on the days they do return to the office. They may even feel isolated and unsupported.
This could lead to resentment of employees in the office if they feel they are being favoured over them. Make sure your processes for promoting employees and even assigning tasks are the same for both remote and in-office employees. Face-to-face time in the office might make you think of certain employees first, but they may not be the best fit for a project or role. Remembering this will go towards maintaining good relationships with your people.
Nurture health, safety and wellbeing
When you manage a hybrid workforce, you need to make sure your remote employees are getting the same level of support as those in the office. Your employees may be suffering from burnout, anxiety or even Covid-19 which could affect their mental health and in turn their work, and you want them to feel comfortable speaking to their manager about any issues.
An estimated 70 million working days are lost to mental health issues in the UK each year, while employers suffer increased staff turnover, sickness absence, decreased motivation, and lost productivity.
Ensure you check in with your employees to ask them about their wellbeing, how they are coping with hybrid working and that they are aware of any support and resources available to them. This will help employees feel valued.
You also need to have the right tools to communicate with your staff about mental health issues, and deal with them when they arise. We recommend you have a well-developed and implemented Wellness Action Plan (WAP) that can help you understand what is required from them to increase wellbeing or support the individual through the recovery process. Download a free WAP template.
An Employee Assistance Programme may be beneficial to employees if they are struggling with their mental health. This involves confidential support and could include face-to-face (or virtual) counselling, e-mail and phone support 24-hours a day. Speak to our team if you would like to learn more about this service.
Employees are now also looking for more flexibility, including freedom to choose where they work, which can have a positive effect on wellbeing. Trusting them to do this through a hybrid working model shows you believe they will stay productive and do their best work wherever they are – this will only improve your relationship.
Get insights into your people
Rebuilding relationships is easier when your employees understand each other and their differences. Insights Discovery is a psychometric profiling tool that can explain how people think, communicate with one another and how that may have changed as a result of the pandemic.
We offer Insights workshops, led by our trained practitioners which can help equip you for the challenges of hybrid working.
Rebuilding relationships with your employees in a hybrid working model isn’t easy but taking the time to address your employees’ needs and interests now the working environment has changed will help you create a workplace where existing and new employees will feel safe, valued, and want to stay.