ll What Bosses Need to Remember When Trying Hybrid Work
The other day I caught a news story about the future of work, and how businesses are experimenting with hybrid models as we reopen.
The reporter played a clip from Jon Love, CEO of Kingsway Capital, who described what it’s been like for his company to have some people at the office and others at home. He pointed out that “everyone is looking at a screen” and went on to describe the remote workers at being at “the kids table”. And no one can hear the kids, or so he says.
As someone who is still happily working at home I can’t help but wonder if this is a flaw in the technology, or is he prematurely cancelling hybrid work because of his the business bias that you have to literally be in the room?
Think of all the significant events in recent history that took part with key players in different spaces, connected over technology.
- US President Barack Obama in the war room when Bin Laden was killed
- NASA engineers at mission control during any space mission
- Not to mention Question Period, the daily debate taking place in Canadian Parliament, which has successfully conducted business for more than a year with some MP’s in Ottawa and most at home. If this centuries-old institution can adapt run a country using a hybrid model, why can’t corporations?
Now it’s the phrase “kids table” that really irks me. Is this a phrase his employees actually used? Or is this his assessment, in which case it speaks more to how he values contributions in meetings more than anything.
If tech is an issue, there are easy fixes. If the remote workers are having a hard time being heard, you can get them better microphones. Maybe get better speakers for the meeting room. Or build a check-in with the remote staff into the meeting agenda.
If the people in the office don’t want to look down at screens, then get a projector. Put the Zoom call on a wall and arrange the table so the in-room attendees form a semi-circle facing those joining remotely.
The hybrid work “experiment” is just that. You need to be flexible with how you conduct business as you find new ways to accommodate staff. Positive change will never come from close-minded thinking.
In my days as a manager, I would make an effort to scan the room and see if anyone was struggling to be heard. I would make a point to ask them to share before the meeting wrapped. And I kept this up when meetings moved to Zoom. So why can’t we do the same in a hybrid meeting?
Remote work and Zoom meetings are not perfect. But there are enough benefits to flexible work that warrant a trial period that lasts more than a few weeks. So maybe it’s worth making an effort to hear what’s going on outside the room.
Also, speaking as fun Auntie Tara, the kids table is more fun anyway. I’ll pick the kids table anytime.
