How to align your remote, hybrid, and in-person teams

Written by Mutuk Karpakakunjaram

Published on Apr 18, 2022

Aligning your remote, hybrid, in-person team members isn’t straightforward. I agree it can be overwhelming to get on the same page with members worldwide while working together on projects in an office. Those two mindsets are different, and it’s essential to recognize that at first. However, managers can help align them. Empower your manager; they play a vital role in guiding your remote and hybrid team toward success.

Before you read any further, this article was an experiment that I did to create a 1000-word post fully authored by AI. I used copy.ai, which generated over 90% of this article with a simple prompt. You can read about my process on my Twitter thread. Now, back to the article “I” wrote.

Managers are perfectly positioned to align teams and achieve company goals.

What managers say and how they do their work greatly influence employee engagement and experience. When people are passionate about their work, they are willing to take the initiative and additional responsibilities. They also become motivated and committed to the organization’s goals and objectives, which results in greater productivity. To create and maintain an engaged workforce, it is essential for all types of team members to feel they are managed fairly and equitably. As a manager, improving employee satisfaction and experience is something you can control. It takes patience, determination, and experience. You need to be there for them in times of failure and reward them for their achievements.

Here are five strategies to help you create an engaged workforce, wherever they are.

Take an active role in developing your team members

As a manager, you have a lot on your plate. It’s easy to get caught up in your own day-to-day tasks and forget about your team. But when it comes to building a successful remote or hybrid workforce, taking an active role in developing your team members is crucial. Set clear expectations. Be sure everyone on the team understands their goals and the parameters for reaching them. Be available. Even though you may not be seeing each other face-to-face every day, make sure everyone knows they can come to you with questions and concerns. Provide feedback. Just like with an in-person team, you should regularly check in with your remote employees to see how they’re doing and offer any feedback or suggestions they might need.

Reinforce your company’s values and culture

When we think about company culture, we think about what happens in the office—the casual high fives, the impromptu meetings at the water cooler, the shared lunches. But culture is so much more than that. At its core, it’s about the values and mission of your company and how each employee uses their unique skills to help move that vision forward. Companies with strong cultures have a few things in common. They’ve taken the time to define what they value, make sure their employees understand those values, and outline ways to ensure that their employees live the values. It’s not easy to foster an amazing culture when everyone works remotely or hybrid environment, but it is possible.

Share responsibility for company performance

When managing a remote and hybrid team, it’s crucial to ensure that each member feels they are an integral part of the company. Aligning a team that works in different locations, on different schedules, and in disparate time zones can be challenging, but it’s not new. Start by sharing visibility into the company’s performance. Sharing performance data can help employees feel they have a stake in the company’s success. It will inspire them to contribute toward success. Set goals together by analyzing data and identifying growth opportunities. Setting transparent goals gives all employees a clear focus, making it easier for them to work toward their goals as a team—even when they’re working remotely. Finally, conduct regular meetings to share updates and where to improve.

Promote an inclusive workplace

Every employee is different. Celebrate their differences by creating a welcoming place for all. It’s essential to make sure that everyone feels they’re a part of the team across your organization. But it can be challenging to foster this environment in a remote, hybrid workplace. Make sure your remote team members feel included in important decisions, projects, and conversations by actively seeking their input and feedback. 

Set up regular check-in meetings with individual employees and communicate often. During these check-ins, discuss non-operational topics to get to know the person better. For example, customers of All Elements enjoy their weekly 1:1 check-ins by picking talking points from over 100 topics and over a dozen categories.   Talk to each team member individually to better understand all the barriers they face in doing their job. Once you completely understand those barriers, collaborate with them to find solutions that will address their needs and improve their experience.

Give your employees a voice

No matter what kind of team you manage, giving your employees a voice is a key to aligning them towards a common goal. So what is employee voice? Employee voice means giving your people a safe place to share ideas, express concerns, and exchange perspectives without fearing workplace consequences. Naturally, managers are best suited to nurture this environment. But the culture to actively listen and act must exist in the entire organization, and it starts with the leadership.

Employees who feel their voice is heard are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to perform their best work.

Encourage people to share what they need from you to do their jobs efficiently, keenly listen, and act on them. Be authentic and genuine in your response when an employee shares an idea or raises an issue. Not following up on employees’ feedback is one of the largest contributors to disengagement at the workplace.

 

The bottom line is that managers must regularly communicate with team members to help them reach their full potential. As a manager, you could start implementing some of these strategies today to achieve team and organizational alignment. To track your progress, platforms like All Elements will help you align your company culture, manage goals, conduct 1:1s, and provide continuous feedback and timely recognition to all your team members, irrespective of where they work.

Best places to work use All Elements. Join them.