Leadership training courses before the pandemic typically didn’t cover how to communicate with employees when some work in the office and some work remotely. However, in today’s evolving workplaces, knowing how to communicate effectively with employees no matter where they work is essential. Here are four tips to communicate well with your hybrid workforce.
Ensure meeting materials and tools meet the group’s needs.
When team members work from different places, consider what they need to engage successfully in a meeting. Ensure that materials provided or referenced during the time together will meet everyone’s needs. For example, make handouts available virtually, add a video call option to in-person meetings and be sure that online participants can see whiteboards that are being used.
Set one-on-one meetings with your team members.
Whether in person or on a video call, make it a priority to meet regularly with each of your employees. Set a schedule and stick to it, resisting interruptions during that time.
Show employees you are interested in them.
Get to know your employees and what matters to them. Ask how their work and non-work worlds are going. Developing personal connections is crucial to building trust so employees feel comfortable coming to you with questions or issues, either in-person or virtually.
Have some fun as a team.
All workgroups need to bond. To nurture team camaraderie, set up virtual activities in which everyone can participate. Trivia games, escape rooms, cooking classes and much more can be done online to include all team members.
At Latitude 34 PR, we have helped organizations of all sizes develop effective communication methods to connect with employees, both before and during this pandemic. Contact us to learn how we can help your organization and people managers communicate well with team members, no matter where they work. Put our expertise to work for you.