With the expansion of teleworking and working from home, many companies are considering the full-scale introduction of hybrid work. However, it is still not very familiar in Japan, and there is a lack of useful information on the key points and key points for making hybrid work successful, which can be a hassle.
Veldhoen + Company has been transforming work styles for over 30 years.
We have published an article titled
"Hybrid Work Case Study: What We Can Learn from Pharmaceutical Companies." In the article, we state that the pharmaceutical companies that Veldhoen + Company has worked with have had the foresight to practice "new ways of working" or "hybrid working" even before the pandemic due to the characteristics of "work based on cross-departmental projects" and "the need to collaborate with members around the world." We then introduce three points about hybrid work that can be learned from this, as follows:
(The English translations in the articles below are provided by the author of this column.)
It is important to define a clear framework for working and always go back to the basic rules.
"By clarifying the framework for working, both managers and team members can refer to the rules when necessary. Then, when disagreements or arguments about how to work arise, they can use a common language (agreed-upon rules about roles) to resolve issues and keep everyone focused on their work."
Managers need to find the right balance between training members and output when managing.
"We've found that managers often favour two management approaches when it comes to more flexible working: one that is more focused on nurturing and caring for people (asking about how they're feeling and how their work is going) and one that is more focused on output (asking about the results and achievements of their work). Both approaches have their merits. Our advice is to adopt an outcome-based management approach and give individual employees autonomy, with clear objectives and outcomes agreed with team members."
Individual satisfaction and team collaboration have a major impact on remote team performance
"For teams working remotely, it's hard to gauge individual wellbeing and job satisfaction, and striking a balance between work, personal and personal wellbeing is no easy task for organizations. We all know that collaboration and communication are challenges when some members are working remotely. Managers should take the time to address these two issues head on, and they need to put equal effort into both to build high-performing remote teams."
The underlying principle is the importance of trust and dialogue
I believe that the premise behind the three points mentioned above is the importance of managers trusting their members and engaging in dialogue.
Although it is within the scope of the regulations of the company, it is important to discuss and decide on basic rules and frameworks for working within the team. Because everyone understands the process and reasons for deciding such rules, when a problem occurs, you will be able to come to a constructive solution, such as returning to the original purpose to solve the problem, or discussing the possibility of changing the rules if they do not fit the current situation.
As we practice ABW (Activity Based Working), our initiative of reaching an agreement on working styles, known as "team consensus," has proven highly effective.
Related article: "What is 'Communication Management' that builds trust?"
I also think it is a valid point that managers need to achieve a good balance between "results" and "development and care of workers," "individual well-being" and "communication and collaboration." Currently, with hybrid and work remotely, we often see binary arguments about which should be prioritized: "company convenience" or "individual convenience." In reality, an "organization" is a collection of "individuals," and "individuals" and "organizations" should not be in conflict. So why do we end up thinking in this direction?
This may be because many organizations lack the trust that "if we create an environment where members can work comfortably, they will produce results" and the dialogue process of "mutually agreeing on the goals to be achieved and how to proceed." Many organizations are caught in a situation where goals are given top-down, and because employees will not achieve them if left alone, various restrictions are imposed and resources are drawn from them.
Breaking away from that worldview,
"Agree with the members on what needs to be achieved"
"Members will achieve this by working autonomously."
"We discuss obstacles to achieving our goals and our managers support us in overcoming them."
"Members are accountable for their own work style and results."
Shifting to this type of management is not something that can be achieved overnight. However, if you try to put hybrid work into practice, you will sooner or later run into this issue. Companies considering introducing hybrid work should keep in mind that it is necessary to simultaneously proceed with the shift in management methods, in addition to the workplace and related systems. And when changing the way you work, start by having detailed dialogue with employees, including managers.
