There have been hurdles since we announced our hybrid work structure, but our team and its can-do spirit have survived them all. We continue to learn from and with each other as we navigate and even embrace these uncertain, but hopeful, times. Our new hybrid model is still a work in progress, but here are a few things we're learning as we figure out how to stay connected even though we may not be in the office on the same days.

Don't overly rely on meetings via Zoom and Teams. Many of us are "Zoomed out." I can't imagine what we'd have done these past couple of years without it, but we need not use video conferencing every time we interact. Sometimes, a phone call suffices. A good rule of thumb for us has been: If it was a meeting in "the before times," then use video as a meeting platform now. If it was a quick conversation in the break room before, pick up the phone.
Not every interaction needs to be scheduled. We've become so accustomed to inviting teammates to video meetings that we can easily forget that not every encounter needs to be a meeting. I like picking up the phone every so often. Or "pinging" a coworker with a quick question or just to check in. Spontaneous interactions used to happen all the time when we were all in the office Monday through Friday. They still can – but only if we allow time to make or take the occasional impromptu phone call.
Respect each other's time away from the office. On the days when our teammates are home, I realize they may not be working a strictly 9-to-5 schedule. I get it; I'm not either. Some teammates have told me they appreciate being able to take a longer lunch to squeeze in a workout. Or they might help kids with homework or shuttle them to activities in the afternoon, and then work a little later to make up for the time away. We're not all working the same hours anymore. We have to understand that some people won't be at their laptops when we call or message them. And just because I happen to be working at 8 p.m. one night, I don't expect my team to be.
Respect each other's work preferences. Like many workplaces, we have five generations on the Sharonview team. Some "old-timers" like me may prefer working in an office setting. It's all we've ever known. I've told my fellow boomers that if they want to come in five days a week, have at it. But, the youngest folks on our team have never known what it means to come to an office every day. Remote work is all they know, and it feels normal to them. What works for one person may not work for the next, and savvy employers will allow some flexibility and some level of self-determination when it comes to figuring out a work schedule. Companies may need to rewrite their playbooks to account for new virtual rules of engagement.
Management must model the behavior. If the leadership team and I told the staff it was OK to work from home – but then we didn't do it ourselves – the team would quickly get the message that it wasn't really acceptable. Senior leaders need to walk the talk. I'm working one, sometimes two, days a week from home. If the CEO is doing it, then everyone should feel comfortable doing it.

Leaders also have to lead the way when it comes to forging a cohesive team. As I said on LinkedIn: "As a leader, you can't get up, walk out of your office and bump into colleagues at the copier (in this new normal). You've got to be intentional about scheduling calls, getting people together, touching base often. I don't care how digitized we get, this is still a people business."

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Embracing the 'New Normal'

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