Managing in a Hybrid Workplace
The COVID-19 pandemic, changing operational needs, improvements in the use of technology and acceptance of a different model of working have created the opportunity to explore a flexible, long-term at-home work structure for some of our employees. Beginning February 2022, the Work from Home Program will be formalized. The program will result in a combination of working on-campus and working from home, creating a hybrid workplace.
COVID-19 has taught organizations a lot about alternatives to traditional work models. Forbes magazine recently identified the hybrid model as the “key productivity strategy for the workplace of the 2020s.” Much of what we know about effective workplaces will not change with the hybrid model. The Harvard Business Review recently pointed out, “what defines quality work, what effective meetings look like, what good management does, and how bosses can help their people grow and flourish” does not change. In fact, it holds the potential to increase team effectiveness and productivity, and well-being. Recent literature reports that:
- Employees are able to collaborate better than when working exclusively on-site.
- Satisfaction associated with a hybrid work model can lead to better employee experiences, performance outcomes, and engagement.
- Flexibility associated with hybrid work allows employees to choose how to do their best work can lead to the increased attraction, recruitment, and retention of outstanding employees.
Managers and supervisors can leverage the leadership competencies they are already using, including communication, collaboration, team building, inclusion, and emotional intelligence, to increase team effectiveness, engagement, productivity, and wellbeing. Learning opportunities offered by Human Resources, Health, Safety, and Environment (HRHSE), together with university processes, procedures, and safety requirements are designed to support managing in a hybrid workplace.
Managing Staff Working at Home
Best practices for leading your team, including information on safety, technology, equipment and supplies and conversation tips for assessing needs of staff.
Administering the Work From Home Program
Assistance with assessing employee requests, planning for safe work, communicating decisions and expectations to employees and managing remotely.
Leading Hybrid Work Teams
Resources to assist you in leveraging your supervisory competencies to ensure a positive and productive hybrid workplace.
Supporting Well-being in a Hybrid Workplace
Optimizing Resiliency: Getting the Most from Your Team
Resilient teams are as important to businesses as resilient individuals. While individual resilience comes with self-work, team resiliency is cultivated by the group’s leadership.
Managing Teams Remotely
Explore answers to common questions about trust, productivity, engagement and mental health for remote teams.
Promoting Psychological Health While Going Through Change
When transitioning to new work model or structure, it’s vital to support employees and members of the organization through these changes, empowering them to embrace new ways of growing, communicating, and executing tasks.
Violence at Home #SignalForHelp
Isolation can increase the risk of domestic violence at home. Know what to do if someone gives you this hand signal on a video call.
Working Safely in a Hybrid Environment
Assessing Hazards at Home + Work Site
Identifying, understanding and controlling hazards at the work site is key to keeping workers safe. In the hybrid environment we need to continue to practice hazard assessment skills at the work site and then act on controlling hazards in the new work area at home. The Home Office Hazard Assessment Template will help to prepare for safe work at home.
What to do When Working Home Alone
Working from home can create a disconnect from the regular in-person communication and interaction we have with leaders, supervisors and colleagues. Assessing a worker's working alone situation at home is vitally important to ensure they have ready access to a supervisor when there's a health and safety concern or when help is needed in an emergency situation. The Work Alone from Home Guide will help to identify these situations and provide guidance on how to keep safe. And don't forget that working alone situations may be present at the U of A work site.
Engaging an Emergency Plan in Hybrid Work
The impacts of emergencies are significantly lessened where threats to safety have been anticipated and planned for. Units should have an emergency plan for their on campus work and similarly a home office emergency plan will be key to being prepared to act to lessen impact and get back up and running. Use the Working from Home ER Template to be ready should the unexpected happen.