Challenges of hybrid work

Work has changed after COVID! Most organizations had to change to remote work and now hybrid work became the norm. Although it certainly has its benefits for employees, there are particular challenges each organization should put under the magnifying glass before it impacts negatively.

Most leaders should ask themselves whether cross-functional virtual collaboration between employees and departments will be sufficient to maintain productivity and retain team members? We are all aware that as a result of hybrid work interpersonal distance might increase and some team members can become more disconnected from the community at work. 

While technology enables people and teams to collaborate remotely, the lack of informal connections takes its toll on culture, engagement, innovation and well-being. Looking beyond the organizational hierarchy is ever more important as the significance! The role of informal relationships plays a more vital role in hybrid work. 

The invisible and informal networks should become visible to leaders in order to facilitate a productive and positive company culture and work environment.

When optimizing hybrid work, pay attention to the following areas:

• Fostering a strong organizational culture: Hybrid work can lead to employee disengagement and a lack of team cohesion. Organizations can foster a strong organizational culture by hosting virtual events, recognizing employee achievements, and providing team-building activities. By leveraging your influencers, you can also build a strong organizational culture.

• Clear communication: a successful hybrid work environment requires both synchronous and asynchronous communication with Influencers and team members. In addition to regular team meetings and instant messaging platforms certain project management software can also be used.

• Utilizing technology to enhance collaboration: Hybrid work requires a different approach to collaboration than traditional office work. Using tools such as virtual whiteboards, video conferencing, and project management tools can enhance collaboration. However, digital transformation presents its own set of challenges.

How Organizational Network Analysis helped a financial company in the digital transformation?

The company’s objective was to transform into a digital enterprise that responds to changing customer needs and automates processes to save money by delivering services more effectively. Not only did people need new competencies and skills, but they also had to adopt a new mindset regarding digital innovation and hybrid work.

Maven7's "OrgMapper Influence" was used to identify informally well connected influencers throughout the organization. In order to make the digital transformation successful, the analysis aimed to identify "Influencers" within the company who would become the Digital Champions. They acquired new skills and knowledge in hybrid work, digital technologies and innovation, and they spread these skills and mindsets throughout the organization.

Over 400 influencers participated in Digital Champions programs. They became knowledge hubs and sparks for innovation, breaking down silos among different business units. Classroom and virtual training sessions were conducted on new technologies, frameworks, and solutions. 

To improve customer experience and automation, innovative projects were initiated and teams formed to work on Enterprise applications. The Digital Champions became knowledge hubs and sparks for innovation breaking down silos between different business units.

On average, with just 4% of influencers identified by ONA, 70% of employees can effectively be reached!  This concentration highly increases the success of any culture change projects and is crucial in managing the challenges of a hybrid work environment.