Hybrid work is here to stay in many organizations. As such, the conversation continues to shift from whether to adopt hybrid work to how to do so effectively. This new Gartner article shares ideas on different practices that enable collaboration in a hybrid environment. One practice addresses the decision organizations have made about the number of days workers are required to be in the office.
- Although many organizations are mandating a minimum number of in-office days per week, Gartner data show a “minimum number of in-person days per year” could be more effective.
- These in-person days are more likely to be structured around the work the team is doing. For example, if the team is working on a project with five phases over the course of six months, they will meet in person during a few critical checkpoints of the project lifecycle (see p. 30 for illustration).
While this arrangement will not work in all situations—and there is no one size fits all for hybrid work—it is ONE alternative to the “days per week” approach many organizations are adopting.
The article includes other practices for enabling hybrid work, such as restricting the number of meetings done on camera each day—especially in cases where a camera is unnecessary. Such a practice can reduce the fatiguing effects of cameras during meetings (see a Journal of Applied Psychology article I shared on this topic).
As bonus resources, check out 1) Microsoft’s 27-page Work Trend Index Pulse report, which points to three urgent pivots that every leader should make to navigate the hybrid work landscape and 2) The Center for Creative Leadership’s 74-page report: Work 3.0: Reimagining Leadership in a Hybrid World.
