Negotiating hybrid work
May 31, 2022The old ways of working are behind us and flexible working is here to stay. But are leaders really equipped?
The dynamics of flexible working arrangements are being mapped in real-time. Few organisations have a roadmap for effective teamwork when some people are in the office while others are working from home.
Leading a hybrid team is complex
According to PWC’s 2022 report The Balancing Act: The New Equation in Hybrid Working, “less than one third (31%) of team leaders have received any formal training on leading and managing in a hybrid environment since the move to remote working. This underinvestment is resulting in (as little as) 41% of those with team leader responsibilities feeling confident in their ability to lead teams in the new world of work, while only 36% ... felt that their organisation provided the right tools and support to enable them to effectively lead in the hybrid context.”
The dynamics of flexible working are highly subjective
On the one hand, people who are working from home report a decline in mental health (50%) and feelings of being burnt out (47%). On the other hand, individuals who have a dedicated workspace at home say that their mental health and wellbeing has improved (79%).
This self-reported data goes a long way to explaining why leaders are challenged by the negotiation of flexible working arrangements.
To lead effectively in the hybrid workplace, people managers need:
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clear parameters of the flexible working offer as defined by their Executive Team
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the ability to articulate messaging that is aligned with the Employee Value Proposition, and
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training and support to carry out team-level negotiations and monitor their implementation
It is imperative that leaders are able to articulate, model and enable wellness-building behaviours amongst their team as part of this workplace evolution. These are learnable skills that are central to negotiating flexible working arrangements.
Listen to our Leadium podcast with Dr Sharon Parker, a workplace transformation expert, discussing these challenges and smart job design.
