In hybrid workplaces where employees are scattered across different locations and working at different hours, managers need to put extra effort into keeping the workforce connected. But with adequate hybrid workplace technology, leaders can facilitate communication and collaboration to help the team connect. You can recreate a digital work environment, so teams feel close to the workplace even if they are not present in the office.
Let us see in detail how you can connect distributed teams with hybrid workplace technology.
- Use Communication Tools
Communication is a precondition to building connections at hybrid workplaces. All you need to do is provide an accessible medium, so employees can communicate. Use technology to establish proper channels of communication, and your teams will connect on their own.
One might argue email and personal messenger are sufficient to carry out work-related communication. But they could not be more wrong. Email is formal, but it is not efficient for conversations between distributed teams, and personal messenger is simply not for work. You need business communication apps like MS Teams or Slack, so workers get a centralized channel to communicate and share resources.
Workplace communication applications integrate with other applications like calendars, which ensures remote and on-site teams get all necessary information about their work schedules, meetings, and more.
- Establish Video-First Culture
On-site workers can meet in person, engage in conversation and work together. They can book desks and meeting rooms to plan and collaborate on projects. In person, interaction is a privilege that remote teams do not get. Due to this lack of face-to-face contact in hybrid workplaces, some workers feel disconnected from work.
Even though technology facilitates video conferencing, most employees are not comfortable switching their cameras on. Ask your employees, and they will tell you they are more comfortable over text chats. It is more convenient to just drop a text and get things done.
So, create a video-first meeting culture and encourage remote teams to participate with their cameras on. It is the next best alternative to in-person meetings and humanizes conversations carried over a digital medium.
- Facilitate Collaboration with Technology
Collaboration can also help you foster stronger connections in hybrid workplaces. And the only way to facilitate collaboration between remote and in-office teams is to leverage technology. Invest in cloud-based collaboration tools because their deployment is not costly, and one can access them from any browser and device.
Use tools like MS Office 360, Google Workspace, and project management software to create a central database for all work-related information, from task distribution to progress tracking. All users can access these applications from their devices, co-work on projects, and share resources.
Use an employee scheduling tool to see work schedules and assign projects accordingly so teams can collaborate on necessary tasks with ease. Use meeting room booking solutions and video conferencing to facilitate meetings among remote and on-site workers.
- Establish a Centralized and Uniform Workflow
The majority of work in hybrid workplaces is done using digital solutions. But using too many applications to carry out day-to-day tasks only complicates simple processes. Complexities in workflow lead to disengaged employees who are difficult to connect with. So, it is better to create a workflow that centralizes and automates all necessary operations.
Use hybrid workplace management software that carries all the necessary tools for resource scheduling and space management, so employees get a centralized workflow ideal for all their hybrid workplace requirements. It removes any need for managerial oversight over desk and meeting room booking, so employees can freely choose how they would like to work with their colleagues.
Having centralized software also helps deliver the same workplace experience to every employee. All workers get equitable access to workplace resources which helps them develop a sense of collective identity within the workplace fostering strong connections among the workforce.
- Create a Remote Centric Work Culture
In a normal office setup, employees do not communicate not only for work but also to socialize. So, why do distributed teams communicate to complete tasks? To help teams build deeper connections, focus on creating a remote-centric work culture.
Schedule informal huddles or e-meets at regular intervals. Playing games and celebrating birthdays and achievements (both individual and company) are some of the many activities you can do over group video calls. These virtual activities not only give remote workers a chance to break away from work but creates company traditions that bind a distant team together.
Final Words
Hybrid workplaces may be great in terms of flexibility, but they are equally challenging to manage. It is difficult for leaders to keep distributed teams connected, but the right set of hybrid workplace technologies bridge silos between distributed teams and bring them together.
Remote employees might feel isolated in a hybrid workplace model, but with the right team collaboration tools, a hybrid workforce can be easy to manage.
WorkInSync hybrid workplace software allows you adopt flexible working in your office space. With features like desk booking and conference room management, your hybrid work models can become seamless with WorkInSync.
Visit WorkInSync’s website and book yourself a demo.
