Remote Revolution: Mastering Team Building and Culture
It’s time to talk culture. Don’t worry—this won’t be about what book to read or film to watch, though we may suggest a podcast you could listen to. No, the culture we’ll talk about is more teams than tomes.
Culture and team building are interlinked. Without the right culture, you won’t create a winning team. Yet, how do you create a culture that fosters the ideal team environment? The solution was easier in the good old days when everyone worked the same way – from an office – and conditions were mostly the same. But then, the pandemic struck.
Everyone worked in an office, then everyone worked remotely, then everyone… Ah, there’s the rub. Everyone no longer did any one thing. After the pandemic, the world of work became fragmented. Some people returned to the office, some continued working remotely, and some followed a hybrid model.
In the latest edition of our 101 Ways podcast, Oliver Happy, Anikh Subhan and Ray Parkar explore the new world of work and consider how to build a winning team in a hybrid environment.
Here are the highlights from the conversation.
What are the 3 main types of working styles?
Pre-pandemic, the only working style in town was office-based. There was some flexibility but relatively little. Everyone accepted they would need to commute to an office daily for work.
The pandemic hit and employers sent everyone home for social distancing. Remote working was the only option. Once social distance became less draconian, people began returning to the office for a few days each week, and the third working style – hybrid working – began to appear.
What did we learn from lockdown?
Lockdown highlighted how long commutes had eaten into time with the family and had reduced the quality of our lives. It also revealed our authentic selves to colleagues. Anikh calls out that, with family members, pets, and personal living spaces on camera during video calls, the people we work with saw a side of us they hadn’t known. It was fun, human and deepened connections.
Lockdown also opened new opportunities for many. Remote working was a great geographical equaliser, says Ray, widening the talent pool now that distances between homes and offices were no longer a factor.
Of course, lockdown revealed some hidden truths as well. One of them was trust. How much trust a leader had in their team soon became evident. Micromanagement crept in in some places. The irony was that many people showed they could thrive in a remote working setting. Anikh adds, the best leaders realise greater team autonomy could lead to greater results.
How to build a great hybrid team
The importance of building hybrid teams wasn’t widely recognised before the pandemic. Hence, companies are learning as they go – however, some things we can say for sure. A team is a team is a team. It doesn’t matter that it’s hybrid. It has to have the right people.
Find out who is available for the team and ensure their skills align with the task. Once the team members are chosen, set expectations for the group. Make clear what’s expected and get each member to sign up for that.
How to manage a hybrid team
Evidence suggests dictating that team members come to the office on set days a week hasn’t worked as well as hoped. Many teams have resisted this approach, which harks back to the days when everyone was office-based.
It is much better for people to have autonomy to choose their office days. Team members know when a face-to-face meeting will be the most productive – so let them get on with it, states Anikh. Companies are going to have to trust team members. It’s not much more complicated than that.
When asked what team members value – “I’d say trust, consistency, autonomy, accountability, and allowing people to use the skill sets they brought to the team in the first place,” says Ray.
How to get the team to gel
Creating a culture for hybrid teams to thrive is a challenge. It wasn’t easy when people were just office-based. Social interactions to strengthen bonds were hard to create. With hybrid working, it’s become even harder.
Informal chat channels may not work, or the online quiz on Friday afternoons may not be well attended.
No problem. Some things fail the first time, but they succeed after several iterations. When something like social interaction, either online or off, is so important, it’s crucial to continue trying things out. Just remember that whatever you come up with needs to suit various personality types, Oliver notes.
The ways to measure success
Scratch the surface of a team leader’s resistance to hybrid working, and productivity pops up. How can we ensure the level of productivity we need? The simple answer is to measure success just as before and to course correct when needed.
Standard measures of success can fall short, though, Ray, Anikh, and Oliver agree. Projects may slip, but often, hybrid teams are highly efficient, so productivity isn’t the main issue. More relevant measures might be: What is the level of team churn? Are members getting promoted? Are members upskilling? These types of questions determine whether a team’s culture is working or not. With skill shortages everywhere, retention is a critical issue.
Looking for tips on how to build a great hybrid team and culture? We can help. To hear more from industry experts like Ray, Anikh, and Oliver, check out our Team Takeover podcast series.