Strategies and Recommendations: Employee Visibility in Hybrid Work

Having explored in our previous blog, the challenges of employee visibility in a hybrid work environment and why maintaining visibility is important, the next important thing is how do we implement it?  To help with this, there are some strategies that can be implemented to enhance employee visibility in a hybrid work model. Also, we will discuss a a few recommendations for effectively managing employee visibility in a hybrid setting.

Effective Strategies to Adopt

To improve employee visibility in a hybrid work environment, organizations can adopt some strategies:

• Once the organization has mapped out the kinds of visibility all the stakeholders require or benefit from, it becomes easier to work backwards to determine what kinds of data will be needed. For instance, data on total work time, number of context switches and collaboration, and tool usage can help avoid scrutinising every minute of an employee's time in a way that erodes trust or violates their privacy.
• Another effective strategy is to establish a regular check-in between managers and employees. Regular check-ins help maintain communication and ensure that employees feel connected to the organisation.
• Organisations can also encourage employees to participate in virtual meetings and events. Such meetings and events can help build relationships and foster collaboration among employees regardless of their location.
• Another effective strategy is to establish clear expectations for communication and collaboration. By setting clear expectations,, employees will know what is expected of them and can work to meet, maybe even exceed those expectations. Clarity of goals can help employees feel like they can accomplish and be seen and heard for their achievements.
• Various tools and technologies also play a crucial role in enhancing this visibility. One effective tool for increasing employee visibility is video conferencing. It allows the people of an organization to have face-to-face interactions. It can also help improve communication and collaboration if the management of these meetings is done in an efficient manner to agree on outcomes, action points, and deliverables.
• Another effective tool is project management software. Such software allows managers and employees to track progress and collaborate on projects, ensuring that the all-important result remains high priority while ironing out any inefficiencies. This can help improve visibility throughout the tenure of any project and make sure that employees are working effectively towards the organization's goals.

Hybrid Model Best Practices

Also, there are a few best practices or recommendations that organisations can follow to manage employee visibility in the hybrid work model:

• Organizations need to establish clear communication channels and expectations if they want to effectively manage employee visibility in the hybrid work
• As mentioned earlier, managers should regularly check in with employees to ensure that they're engaged and productive organizations
• Promote visibility by encouraging employees to participate in virtual meetings and events.
• Establish a culture of trust and flexibility. Managers need to trust their employees to work effectively.
• Organizations should also be flexible in allowing employees to work from home when necessary to promote work-life balance. An employee who feels trusted and valued will reward their manager and the organization with excellence in the workplace.
• Another concern is the potential for decreased productivity, which is directly related to the trust factor mentioned above. To address this concern, organizations should establish clear expectations for communication and collaboration and regularly check in with employees to ensure that they are engaged and productive.
• And finally, measuring employee productivity and performance in a hybrid work environment can be challenging. Managers and HR departments must ensure that employees are regularly engaged and productive, and they use project management software to track progress and measure productivity. Regular performance reviews can also help in providing feedback and ensuring that employees are meeting expectations.

Conclusion

While data is important, trust is key, as is the belief that the valued company leadership must act based on the data they collect. Therefore, collaborating with managers and employees to identify opportunities for continuous improvement goes a long way in creating great outcomes for employees as well as the organization.

Feedback loops that integrate employee reactions, business outcomes, and input from other leaders and experts will ensure that the organization never grows complacent. With all these tips and tricks, organizations can ensure good employee visibility within the hybrid work model.