While no one agrees on what hybrid working means in practice, it is universally agreed that it means less often in the office than in 2019. A very small percentage of people are back as often as they used to be, some people are now only 1 day a week less in the office, and most are in the office less than half as often as they used to be. The dawn of individualized work weeks is upon us and it drives many managers bonkers.
This usually plays out with individuals being in the office on the same day less frequently. Before the pandemic, it was common to have almost everyone in the office on a Wednesday almost by default. It is just how things were done. Now, the frequency of once a week is up and that preferred day may not be the same across team members.
It may seem old-fashioned or oversimplified to state it, but interpersonal communication is more critical than ever. This does not mean Zoom calls or Teams messages or random emails. It means one on one brainstorming calls or afternoon catch-ups just because. Informal chats lead to the realization of “OH! Maybe we should get together in the office next week to draw this out together.” Accidentally being together must be replaced with intentionally being together.
In-person culture is easy to create when everyone is together just because. It requires effort and energy when the default is not just having everyone in the office just because. Part of that effort can be filled by people talking and collaborating. A huge piece must come from leaders (not just managers, but anyone leading the way) promoting, encouraging, and pushing for important time together. Falling into the work-every-day-from-home trap is simple. The effort from leaders pushes individuals to go the extra mile for both themselves and their teammates.