Why do we delve deeper into hybrid work? Because even though it is generally referred to as hybrid work, there are various patterns, such as "office-oriented," "team-oriented," and "choice-oriented" (*1). It has already been three years since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and at ITOKI, we have received a significant increase in consultations about how many days a week we should work in the office, and what criteria we should use to decide which days to work from home. We also often hear about the difficulties of finding the optimal balance between the company's vision and individual wishes.

Even if a company's policy is decided, when they actually start hybrid work, they will encounter another obstacle. For example, workers who joined the company during the COVID-19 pandemic are said to have weaker connections with companies and other workers and feel lonely compared to workers before the pandemic, because not only job interviews but also training and OJT after joining the company were mainly online. In addition, I have seen articles saying, "work remotely has reduced connections with companies and people, so we should set up online chats." In fact, the number of Google Meet users due to COVID-19 has increased nearly 30 times in three months (※ 2), and Microsoft Teams has also revealed figures that the number of meetings per person has increased by 150% (※ 3). "The number of meetings has increased since hybrid work began, and it is difficult to progress with the original work." There are probably many people who are worried.

Looking at it this way, it seems that many of the challenges of hybrid work are related to communication. Communication in hybrid work is difficult. Why is that? In the webinar, it was stated as follows:

• When physical distance occurs, a wealth of information (obtained when meeting face-to-face) is lost.
• We humans have a tendency to assume the worst when we can't see the other person.
• It is quite natural for us humans to have a tendency to value those who are close to us more than those who are far away.

If our inherent nature is affecting us in this way, it makes sense why many people find hybrid work difficult. As mentioned above, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face meetings are often avoided and online meetings are held, and when participants turn off their cameras, it is difficult to see the other person's facial expressions and body language, making it difficult to read the atmosphere. In the first place, Japan is a low-context culture and tends to avoid direct language, so ambiguous speech can lead to misunderstandings. In addition, rather than online meetings where all participants participate remotely, "hybrid workers" require clearer communication, where some workers gather in the office and some participate remotely.

As hybrid work continues in the future, if hybrid meetings are unavoidable, you want to conduct them efficiently. Here are some tips for hybrid meetings that you can start practicing today without needing to introduce special IT tools. Many people have been preparing for meetings in advance, regardless of whether they are hybrid meetings or not, by asking participants to turn on their cameras and sharing the agenda and presentation materials in advance. However, since starting hybrid meetings, you may have noticed that some members are having separate conversations during the meeting. In such cases, it is a good idea to encourage them to focus on the agenda of the original meeting rather than leaving them alone.

In the first place, for managers, a day may end just with meetings. When you receive an invitation email, instead of mechanically accepting it, why not stop and think for a moment about whether you really need to attend? In fact, there are only a few meetings that are absolutely necessary. For example, if you need to come up with ideas to move forward with a project, instead of setting up a meeting easily, one idea is to use a tool that allows you to brainstorm online. Let's review the way meetings are held as a routine to see if we can reduce the number of meetings.

The last thing we should mention, but should not be overlooked, is the consideration to let remote participants speak first. This is a small thing, but it can actually have a big effect. Especially when there are more members participating from the office and fewer remote participants, the influence of the office tends to be stronger. In such cases, we recommend that the facilitator intentionally bring the topic to the remote participants first, so that they can participate in the conversation even if they are not physically in the office. Equality in the meeting can also lead to engagement of remote participants, which may increase the productivity of subsequent meetings.

Among the initiatives taken by those who participated in the webinar, one company set up a monthly meeting based on the concept of "Ask Me Anythings," creating an atmosphere where even sensitive or difficult questions are welcome. Another company set up remote co-working time where individuals can join at their own convenience, creating opportunities for employees to work while feeling like they are "working together in the office."

Now that the place where we work has changed, we also need to change the way we work and our mindset towards work. Instead of thinking negatively of "we have to do it," if you look at it as a good opportunity for growth for yourself and your company, you should be able to gain something. Some people may be tired of online meetings, but in the next meeting after reading this column, please refresh your mind and try to try more effective hybrid work. Tough times bring opportunity!