As the pandemic continues, organizations are looking for ways to allow their employees to work from home safely and effectively. One way to do this is by using technology to create a hybrid work environment, where some employees work from home, and others come into the office. This can help organizations keep their employees safe while still getting work done.
However, some challenges come with hybrid work, particularly when it comes to performance management. It can be challenging to assess employee performance when working in different locations, and managers may not have as much visibility into their work. Additionally, employees may feel like they are being judged more harshly if they are working from home.
Technology can help address some of these performance management issues. For example, managers can use video conferencing to check in with employees and see how they are doing. Additionally, several software tools can help managers track employee productivity and performance. By using these tools, managers can better understand how their employees are doing and ensure that everyone is meeting their objectives.
Hybrid work can be an excellent solution for organizations during a pandemic, but it is essential to consider the performance management challenges that come with it. Using technology, managers can overcome some of these challenges and ensure that their employees are productive and successful.
“In a remote or hybrid work environment, you must take much greater care with your communication. “You have to be considerably more deliberate when communicating in a remote or hybrid workplace,” Childers stated, the owner of a firm that provides business technology systems in Muncie, Indiana. “It also helps,” she added, “because employees are less likely to value your attention when you’re not facing them. When things aren’t visible, it’s all too easy to forget about giving feedback or establishing priorities.”
Avoiding ‘Second-Class Citizens
The key to doing WFH work for all is ensuring that those in the office don’t feel like second-class citizens, said Liz Durette, president of HR consultancy The buffering zone.
“If you have people in the office who see that everyone else is WFH, there can be this dynamic of ‘I’m the only one working and everyone else is at home playing on their phone or taking a three-hour lunch,” she said. “That dynamic can very much exist, so you must ensure that you’re being intentional about not creating second-class citizens in the office.”
One way to do this is by ensuring that employees who are WFH have the same access to information and resources as those in the office. Additionally, managers should make an effort to connect with employees who are WFH regularly.
“If you’re not careful, people working from home can feel like they’re out of sight, out of mind,” Durette said. “You must be intentional about making sure they feel like part of the team, even if they’re not in the office.”
Technology can help with this by providing a way for employees to stay connected, even when they’re not in the same physical space. For example, video conferencing can be used for team meetings and one-on-ones, and chat tools can be used for quick communication.
Additionally, Durette said that it’s essential to have clear expectations for employees who are WFH. She said managers should set clear deadlines and expectations for what needs to be accomplished and trust that employees will get the work done.
“The biggest thing is to manage by results and not by hours,” she said. “If you trust your employees to get the work done, they will.”
By being intentional about performance management, employers can ensure that everyone – whether in the office or WFH – feels like part of the team and can be successful.
While working from home can come with some performance management challenges, there are several ways to overcome them. By using technology, staying connected with employees, and setting clear expectations, managers can ensure that everyone can be productive and successful.
