Lately, the hybrid work have started to become more and more common. Therefore, managing hybrid teams is something that you will need to explore if you want to have the desired results. This type of team has some things that you need to keep in mind so that you find the right balance between the team member.
In hybrid teams, communication is key as every member of the team needs to know what needs to be done. Therefore, managing hybrid teams is often centered around finding a way for the team to come together, brainstorm, and organize tasks. Fortunately, there are tools specifically designed for hybrid teams and their needs.
In this article, you will learn more about managing hybrid teams and tips to help you become a better manager. Keep reading.
Know More About Hybrid Teams
What Are Hybrid Teams
The first that you need to know is what hybrid teams actually are. This is a term that has been widely used in recent years, and with good reason. Hybrid teams are essentially teams that work from different locations. In most cases, some team members work from the company’s offices and the rest are working remotely.
As you may realize, managing hybrid teams has challenges that you wouldn’t face in a team that works in the same environment. Nevertheless, managing hybrid teams is not impossible.
Pros and Cons of Hybrid Teams
The truth is that there are both benefits and drawbacks to hybrid teams. Therefore, if you want to learn what managing hybrid teams entails, you need to be aware of them.
The benefits of hybrid teams are the following:
- Great flexibility.
- Employees feel more content.
- Leverage talents that are not located in your area.
- The operational costs are much lower.
Despite the numerous advantages, there are also some cons that you have to understand, especially when managing hybrid teams. These are:
- Hybrid schedules are often challenging.
- Communication between team members becomes difficult.
- Employees can become burnt out more easily.
How to Manage Hybrid Teams
What Should You Do for Managing Hybrid Teams
In essence, managing hybrid teams is a process of trying to find the right balance between the team members. This way, every employee feels like he contributes to the team and is aware of what is expected of him. Here are the dos of managing hybrid teams:
#1 Set Clear Priorities
Hybrid teams have many remote members. For this reason, it might get a bit challenging to set priorities so that the project is completed on time. However, one of the most important things that you need to do to keep hybrid teams together is to be clear about what needs to be done. No matter the location of the employee, he should always know the most important tasks that he needs to work on.
In this article, you will learn more about managing hybrid teams and tips to help you become a better manager. Keep reading.
#2 Be Inclusive
One of the greatest challenges of managing hybrid teams is to make every employee feel like a part of the team. As a manager, you should always try to let everyone express their minds and contribute to the project. Managing hybrid teams should always be about inclusivity, regardless of the location of each team member.
#3 Prioritize Communication
The next thing that ensures successful hybrid teams is communication. This refers to every part of the project, such as brainstorming, scheduling, and reporting. In addition to this, your hybrid teams should feel that they can talk to you about anything. This way, you can always know what your employees are going through so that you are better at managing their time.
#4 Offer Support
This element is closely related to the communication that you have established with your team. Working remotely can sometimes become challenging for an employee since he might face several distractions at home. Therefore, managing hybrid teams should also include the support of the employees so that they don’t get burnout. By doing this, you will create relationships that are based on respect and trust, which will contribute to a better working environment.
#5 Find the Right Tool to Bring Your Team Together
There is no denying that successfully managing hybrid teams is all about the right technology. Since hybrid teams are remote, you have to find all the tools that will facilitate the process and make communication quick, easy, and efficient. For instance, you might need a tool for your meeting, a cloud file management system, and even a scrum board. Luckily, there are plenty of options to find the best one for your team.
What Can’t You Do for Managing Hybrid Teams
In addition to the above things that you must do, there are also some don’ts that you have to follow when you manage hybrid teams. These are the following:
#1 Not Taking Scheduling Seriously
Hybrid teams have members that are working remotely. For this reason, you should always prioritize scheduling. In fact, at any given time, each employee should have access to a clearly defined schedule with both short-term and long-term tasks and goals. This way, they will know what to do even when you are unavailable.
#2 Not Giving Every Team Member a Place to Express Their Opinions
Remote members of hybrid teams will often complain that they feel left out. This happens because it is much easier to ignore or not be aware that an employee is trying to contribute to the conversation in a video call. For this reason, you should take the time and ask each team member separately.
#3 Not Realizing Signs of Stress and Burnout
As we have already mentioned, managing hybrid teams entails recognizing the needs of your employees. If a team member is pushing himself a little too hard, he can end up with immense stress or even burnout. This will result in him being unproductive, a thing that will also affect the project. This is the reason why you need to put extra effort into recognizing these signs.
#4 Not Utilizing Proper Tools
There is nothing more frustrating than getting some online tools only to find out that they get in the way of ineffective communication. If you don’t use the proper tools for your team, you run the risk of hindering the completion of the project. Therefore, you should thoroughly research which tools will be the best for your case.
A Tool You Can Use for Managing Hybrid Teams - Boardmix
Managing hybrid teams isn’t that difficult when you have the right apps. One of the best tools that you can use with your team is Boardmix. This online collaborative whiteboard offers you a wide range of tools that can facilitate your team’s daily communication.
First of all, every user on Boardmix can attach files and create notes. Then, the other members can see the changes in real-time and give feedback. Therefore, brainstorming becomes easier than ever before.
Moreover, you can easily create boards so that you assign tasks to your team members, thus simplifying scheduling. In addition to this, you can also use Boardmix for online meetings, product design, and even various mapping and diagramming.
In Conclusion
Hybrid teams have brought a revolution to the working environment. Right now, you have the chance to discover their benefits by utilizing Boardmix. This tool has been specifically developed to bring remote teams together and boost collaboration. Try the app to get access to its full potential.
