Quick Start Guide to Hybrid Work

1. Health and Safety

Ensure that your top priority is the health and safety of your employees. Implement cleaning protocols, a vaccine policy, and process for contact tracing. Also research any local laws that you are required to follow. Don't forget about employees' mental health.

2. Get Feedback

Engage with your teams early and often to hear what is and isn't working for them. Use their feedback to inform your principles and policies. Have an intentional plan on how you will collect this feedback.

3. Define Principles

Engage with your teams early and often to hear what is and isn't working for them. Use their feedback to inform your principles and policies. Have an intentional plan on how you will collect this feedback.

• One Size Does Not Fit All
• Evaluate Performance Based on Results
• Operate with a Growth Mindset
• Invest in the Right Technology to Enable Collaboration
• Prioritize the Health and Safety of Your People Above All Else
• Commitment to Learn and Evolve

4. Create a Hybrid Work Policy

Develop a policy document that meets the needs of your team and the business. This policy should be based on the feedback you received and should be consistent with the principles you defined. Check out our sample “Hybrid Work Policy” for ideas on how to create a set of guidelines that work for your organization.

Hybrid work means different things to different people. That is why it is important to have a written hybrid work policy. It will ensure that everyone in your organization is on the same page and that there are clear expectations.

Ready to dive in?Check out our sample HR policy.

5. Link it to Talent Strategy

Determine if your hybrid work policy will change how you recruit or retain talent. Will you allow fully remote employees? How does it fit into the talent strategy?

6. Identify Technology Needs

Use the right tools to help enable your hybrid work environment. Adopt a company-wide messaging system such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, or Google Chat. Figure out what video conferencing software you plan to use. Do you need e-signature capabilities? And use Hybrid Hero to help your team coordinate who will be in the office.

7. Train & Coach Your Leaders

Get your leaders onboarded to the hybrid work principles and policies. Make sure your leaders are role modeling these policies for their teams. Leaders should make a point of working from home on a regular basis and ensuring their teams know they won't be penalized for taking advantage of flexible work arrangements.

8. Deploy to the Entire Organization

It's time to schedule that all-hands meeting and train your organization on the new hybrid policies. You may also want each manager to have follow-ups with their team to answer any questions and offer their perspective.

9. Quick Iterations

Now that you've launched your hybrid work policy it's time to go back to step 1 and continue to iterate on the policy as needs change. This could be because there is a new surge in COVID-19 cases or because you're getting feedback from employees.