A How-To Guide For Hybrid Workforces
As the hybrid work model becomes more popular, understanding how it will impact your work style and experience is an important part of being a hybrid worker. Going from fully in-office, to fully remote, to now this odd in-between space, can create a lot of stress and anxiety when not handled properly. Here are some tips for making this new experience a manageable and productive one.
Make a schedule that works for hybrid
After spending so much time adjusting to becoming a remote worker, you likely found ways to make the remote experience supportive and comfortable. Now, it’s time to adjust once more, but this time, to hybrid work. While transitioning to this hybrid model, you don’t want to make too many adjustments each time you go into the office or stay at home. Create a schedule that works with both work settings so you can seamlessly flow from one workspace to another. Having a routine like this will limit any fatigue you might feel from changing settings a few times a week.
Create a daily regime that works for you as a hybrid worker and share it on your work calendar to ensure your coworkers can see your schedule. This transparency can reduce the redundancies of having to tell your team about your daily workload multiple times a day. Keep your status up-to-date on any company chats you have. Setting working hours for both the chats and your calendar will keep anyone from scheduling meetings with you in your off-hours or sending important messages beyond the hours of your workday.
Creating a work-life balance while hybrid seems as though it should be easier to manage than while fully remote. However, it is vital that when you leave your office each day, you don’t go back to your home office and continue your work from there. Logging off each day should mean fully logging off. Flexing your time during the workday is one thing, but clocking in more time after hours will only lead to burnout.
Be travel-friendly
Going back and forth between the office and your home leaves many opportunities to forget something at one of your many workstations. Making sure you take everything you need with you each day can feel stressful if you are out the door in a rush. Even incorporating some small adjustments and investments can ensure you are fully prepared for each day regardless of where you are working.
Whether you thrive on written notes or have flash drives of information to keep track of, keeping your documentation digitally will prevent you from leaving your work behind as you venture to and from the office. Utilizing Google Docs is a great way to house and organize your documents in an easily accessible place. Your company may have its own cloud service they subscribe to, which will allow you to conveniently access your information both from work and home. These tools are great assets for security and ease of use.
One of the most frustrating things is arriving at the office only to realize you forgot your laptop charger. Investing in multiple charging cables to have both in the office and at your home office can eliminate the need to travel with the cords altogether. Between your laptop, your phone, and any wireless accessories you have, having a charger available at all times will ensure a low battery doesn’t disrupt your workflow. To reduce your need for cord management, consider a wireless charging station compatible with your devices.
Regardless of working in the office or at home, you are staring at a computer screen all day. Managing the effects Computer Vision Syndrome can have on your eyes is imperative for any worker, hybrid or not. Giving yourself incremental breaks from your screen, as well as wearing a comfortable pair of blue light eyeglasses to combat your screen time, can help reduce the onset of eye fatigue symptoms. You can easily throw these protective glasses in your bag on your way to the office or invest in multiple pairs so you can leave one at home and one at your desk at work.
Coordinate with hybrid coworkers
Getting back into the office is a great opportunity for some social interaction, even if it’s only a few times a week. Seeing your coworkers in person can build a great sense of camaraderie and help you feel like the office is the office once again. If your hybrid model allows you to choose when you are home and in the office, coordinate with the coworkers you are friendly with and consider going into the office on the same days.
If you or other members of your team started the job as fully remote employees, the hybrid work experience can help you connect with your coworkers in person. Meeting in person can help bridge the digital gap and help the team get to know each other better, and in turn, can help foster a stronger team connection. Getting a group lunch or even host
ing a team activity can help bring down any walls and build a fellowship amongst the team.
Finding a way to make the hybrid work experience an easy and enjoyable one will take time as you figure out what works
best for you. Being able to make adjustments when something is not working for you will help reduce long-term stress and burnout. Our Employee Experience Enhancement Tool was developed specifically as a solution to these problems, as well as the related challenges facing the modern workforce. Try it today – you’ll have your personalized report in just 20 minutes!
EWI Works offers many services that can improve your quality of life. We have developed several cost-effective remote services to help you transition to remote work. Find out more about our Online Training, Services, and Resources.
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