Hybrid Leadership: 3 Tips for 2022
Hybrid working is the “new normal”. As we slowly approach a new year, our workspaces look different — and business owners do too.
What are the priorities and concerns for our leaders of the future? By combining research with interviewing our own female changemakers, successful leadership in 2022 includes the following tips.
Be Mindful of Consistency
Home office spaces look different to everyone. This includes variations in technology, functionality, and set up.
According to recent articles, Female CEOs and Managers need to be mindful that their own virtual experiences may not be representative of the whole company. It is recommended that business owners remain cognizant of how they can support other employees. Be mindful of consistency and fairness.
A hybrid leader must have the ability, empathy and patience to provide each employee with the skills, tools and support necessary to succeed. Since each individual has different needs, “fairness” doesn’t mean everyone gets the same thing. “Fairness” means that everyone consistently gets what they need to be successful. Success in consistency is met when you, as a leader, are the “go to” for your employees.
— Kimberly Erickson, Claims Director at Preferred Employers Insurance
Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash
Maintain Your Zoom A-Game
Recent surveys have shown that 40% of business travel is predicted to decline in 2022. This means that conducting virtual meetings and interacting digitally will remain a priority for many.
Leading team members in virtual environments can be challenging — especially when onboarding new team members. During virtual team meetings, if you request all participants to keep their camera feature on, encourage active participation, and ask for feedback, hybrid teams get to know each other better. This can also help build employee trust and rapport.
— Lani Gonzalez, Senior Claims Operations Manager at Preferred Employers Insurance
Crisis-Proof Your Business
It is in business owners’ best interest to include “agility” into their hybrid business model. The pandemic has taught us the importance for our business (and employees ) to have the ability to pivot fast.
We must ask ourselves, “If another wide-spread emergency occurs, are our businesses ready and set up properly”?
Our innovation program helped prepare our leaders for the unexpected. It fostered an environment where our teams were able to adapt to the crisis, and still execute to plan. It also further reinforced the value of innovation, and leadership preparedness for any unforeseen change in the future.
-Janis Eoff, Vice President at Preferred Employers Insurance
Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash
Categorize Priorities and Communication into “Types”
As a hybrid manager and business owner, prioritization is key. Everything doesn’t have to happen right away, but being mindful of the “types” of attention can help one lead more effectively. Many leaders divide up responsibilities into 3 categories: immediate, in 30 days, or in the quarter.
Businesses of all shapes, sizes, and industries should also prioritize employee safety — in home offices as well as brick & mortar worksites. Even employees within office environments are at risk of injury and should keep ergonomics in mind.
It is highly recommended that all employees have access to training for any tools and equipment they use to prevent work-related injuries. Most importantly, hybrid employees should know when (and where) to go when they have a safety concern, or to request assistance from their leadership.
— Michelle O’Neil, Senior Risk Advisor at Preferred Employers Insurance
Lastly, hybrid leaders should be aware of how their employees prefer to interact. Do they favor In-person communication? Email? Video Conference? By taking note of this detail, employees can feel more appreciated and better connected to their leadership. This can help retain talent and potentially improve productivity amongst staff.
In closing, we — like many companies — look forward to what the new year brings! May it be full of success for the changemakers of 2022 and beyond.
For over 20 years, we have been the preferred workers’ compensation insurance solution for companies of all sizes in California. Contact us directly to see if your business qualifies for our coverage. The industries we support varies, as do the sizes of the businesses we insure.
SOURCES:
https://ucreconomicforecast.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Business_Activity_Index_CEFD_12_2020.pdf
https://inlandempire.us/business-size-matters-analysis-of-small-businesses-in-the-inland-empire/
https://nlbwa-ie.com/Business-Corner/10959531
https://www.b2bmarketingzone.com/frs/16490072/going-to-market-smarter-in-the-new-economy/download
https://hbr.org/2021/06/4-imperatives-for-managing-in-a-hybrid-world