Following last week’s article on the results of our Parameters survey into hybrid working, this week we look at the issues arising from this way of operating and some ways for team leaders to manage the situation.
Post the Covid-19 pandemic some form of remote working has become the norm. While there has been a move back to office working, many firms are now taking a hybrid approach, allowing staff to work some days from home but requiring some days are worked in the office.
For paraplanners in particular, working from home has proven highly effective for focused, detail-driven tasks. Our Parameters survey showed that 88% of paraplanners preferred either to work fully from home (33%) or hybrid (55%).
Which means that team leaders are faced with the ongoing challenge of how to balance the benefits of working from home with the need for in-office collaboration.
Many employees value the flexibility of home-based work but businesses often rely on the energy, communication, and problem-solving that come from face-to-face interaction. Striking this balance is not easy, but it is essential for building strong, productive teams.
Managing a hybrid team needs key elements to be addressed:
- Respecting individual preferences while ensuring the collective goals of the team and the business are met.
- Maintaining productivity without over-reliance on monitoring or micromanagement.
- Building connection and culture when not everyone is in the same place at the same time.
The risk is that while home working can weaken collaboration, firms who push too hard for office attendance risk disengagement or even losing valued staff.
Practical tips
The key lies in flexibility, communication, and clear purpose.
Hybrid working works best when there is clarity. Team leaders should establish and communicate a framework for when and why office attendance is required. For example:
- Designate office days for team meetings, adviser collaboration, or training – tasks that clearly benefit from being face-to-face;
- Make sure in-office sessions are purposeful and add genuine value – .
When employees understand that office time is not about presenteeism but about meaningful collaboration, they are more likely to buy into the arrangement.
If employees feel they are commuting just to sit on Teams calls or do work they could have done at home, motivation will drop. A clear focus to office days for face-to-face client meetings, problem-solving, knowledge sharing, and team building can help give meaning and value to being physically in the office.
Office time can also be used to strengthen working relationships, encourage mentoring, and resolve complex cases that benefit from live discussion.
Trust is the cornerstone of hybrid working. It is important to measure productivity by results rather than where or when the work is done.
This can be engendered by having clear objectives, regular check-ins, and open communication, which will help ensure accountability without undermining flexibility. This approach gives employees confidence that their output is what matters, not their physical presence at a desk.
No going back
Hybrid working is very much the new normal. As our Parameters survey results showed, there has been a significant shift in working practices, with over 80% of paraplanners now working at home or in a hybrid arrangement.
And having experienced the benefits that come with the hybrid approach, it is no wonder 92% of paraplanners believe it is here to stay.
Team leaders now have to find the right balance for their teams by setting clear expectations, ensuring office days have value, and focusing on outcomes over presenteeism – a culture shift but not an insurmountable one.
Handled well, hybrid working has been proven to not only boost productivity but also engender happier, more engaged teams – which clearly benefits both employees and employers in the long run.
Main image: nastasiia-chepinska-mB__zsotOqY-unsplash
