After an unexpected and most unwelcome new variant paused many hybrid working experiments, the end of ‘work from home if you can’ guidance means that organisations are now once again re-opening their offices and dusting off their hybrid working policy documents.

While many barely got their hybrid working experiment underway, there were undoubtedly still lessons that we could learn from those early experiences.  I’ve blogged about a few of them here; this was a collection of my own perspectives and a reflection of the very many conversations I’ve been having with both organisations implementing hybrid and the people that work for them.

Even though hybrid is yet to be fully tested in practice, it is not too early to start seeking to understand sentiment and emerging issues.  In fact, having undertaken a little bit of hybrid followed by a pause may well have provided time for useful reflection.  If you are in the middle of a hybrid experiment, even if it was temporarily interrupted, you may want to think about asking some key questions of employees, or encouraging them to review their local arrangements and decisions. 

What worked well about our hybrid approach?

What didn’t work so well?

What challenges did we experience?

What was the biggest benefit, and the biggest problem?

What made a great day in the office? What worked better at home?

What type of work was most effective where?

What development needs did we identify?

What changes do we need to make to our approach?

How well has hybrid work so far met our expectations?

How is hybrid influencing wellbeing and productivity?

What do we need to stop, start or continue?

What is not in place that needs to be, for hybrid to realise its potential?

What do we need to do differently as a team or as individuals?

What ways of working do we still need to adapt?

The real test of hybrid is yet to come, many of its lessons still to be learned.  Asking questions along the way will provide us with ongoing insight into the employee, manager, team and organisational hybrid experience, and encourage a continuous listening and learning mind-set. 

Be constantly curious.