EP. 59 To Build a Hybrid Work Model, Propose Scenarios and Listen to Everybody

Team Anywhere Leadership Podcast

In today's special episode we interview Rachel Casanova for our second round discussion on how to build a hybrid work model. Who is accountable for designing the hybrid work plan? If we leave it exclusively up to leadership, we may disenfranchise the employees and frankly, they'll leave. If we leave it up to the employees, will they have the best interests of the company in mind?

Rachel recommends that this be a collaborative quest where leaders partner with their employees to come up with several possible hybrid scenarios. Companies that focus on the solutions rather than the problems will collaboratively create viable options to Team Anywhere in ways that work best for everyone.

The Problem: The Organization vs Employees
Inspired organizations describe their future vision and challenge their talent to bring what they have to the table to achieve their vision. These inspired organizations are not rules-based organizations. Rules-based organizations will only get out of their people what their job description says, which is far less than what their people are capable of. Most companies are rules-based organizations and since the onset of the pandemic, the rules are up for grabs.

Now organizations are experiencing tension with their employees. There have been many examples where employers have said, “we need you back,” and employees have responded with, “we're not coming.” Several organizations have been focused on proposing hybrid work models. Perhaps these organizations and their employees are inspired by the same outcome.

Organizations are faced with both the war for talent and the fear of employees quitting if they don’t get what they need. Thus, organizations have been willing to be flexible, perhaps because they have no choice. Both organizations and employees want to get to an ideal state where pandemic issues are behind them; and fortunately, it seems organizations are more willing to remain flexible.

Accountability

Accountability on certain subjects between the employee and the employer is also creating rising tensions. Both the employee and employer have their own individual mission, vision, and goals, and they need to get into a place where they can have those conversations to find alignment.

Accountability in many areas has pivoted toward putting more accountability on employers. What is an employer going to do for their employees? What is the employer going to do to make the return-to-office easier for the employees? Employers are still faced with identifying who is accountable for things like vaccine mandates and the overall mental health of employees.

The Solution: Prototype Several Hybrid Work Models Collaboratively
What does hybrid work mean? Before the pandemic, hybrid work was not a mainstream conversation. Today, discussions fall under this bucket of hybrid work, as if there is only one “right” hybrid work model.

Have the Right Discussions
By having the right discussions and listening to all of the stakeholders before coming to a decision, leaders can come up with better hybrid scenarios. Organizations need to listen to employees, front-line managers, leadership, focus groups--and hear from external consultants and stakeholders.

Having the right discussions with the right people allows organizations to create a hybrid work model that works for everyone without it being at the expense of a certain part of the organization. Employees are more open to speaking when the leader/owner isn’t in the room, so including expert dialogue consultants can break down that leadership influence to create great discussions.

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