Since COVID 19, hybrid working seems to be well established in most companies that can practice it. But what about its management and the skills of management in this area?
To ask the question is to answer it, at least partially, thanks to a few examples taken from practice:
• The manager does not know how to manage the “face-to-face” and “remote” modes in parallel. This is not his fault because he has not been trained for it, but…
• The mandates or missions are not properly expressed, generating inefficiencies and frustrations.
• Monitoring the achievement of objectives is not done in a professional and systematic way.
• Management has no idea of how remote activities are carried out and does not care…
• There is a two-tiered approach: active with those present, totally absent for those at a distance.
• Emulation between team members, whether they are remote and/or face-to-face, is not on the management agenda.
• New employees are simply not supported, and no one feels “responsible”.
“Don’t throw away anymore”. If these are the options experienced by the company, it will never work.
Far too many companies have declared “telework” as a basic provision without setting the boundaries or supporting management and staff. It is not an infinite science: it must be learned!
It is certain that the pandemic often did not leave the choice of telework and everything was done in a hurry. But once this phase is over, we must go back to the basics of management. Most staff want to do well and carry out their tasks conscientiously, but they need a guide, a support, a coach, a facilitator, a support: this is called… a leader!
However, under the pretext of a paradigm or generational change, “intuitive leadership” is becoming the rule. Having experienced too much of this kind of “let’s just do it and we’ll see” situation, it is unmanageable. While some particularly fast, intelligent, intuitive, or resourceful employees manage this situation perfectly, most need rules, principles and, above all, benevolent guidance.
The solution is particularly simple: train and support management! This would be the role of Human Resources, which have unfortunately become administrative resource managers over time. Companies are paying the price today…
Solutions do exist, of course, but we need to be aware of the problem. Let’s hope that CEO’s and other managers are intelligent and pragmatic people who will find the right way. This is our dearest wish.
Have a good week, good thoughts, and good reading.