Creating a Hybrid Work Policy

The focus of today’s article is to help you add hybrid work policy clauses to your company. A hybrid workplace needs a set of clear rules, and this is the best way to ensure they are followed.

The hybrid work model emerged as an emergency measure, without anyone thinking it would become the new preferred working arrangement. In light of that, most companies also only created temporary rules and regulations to manage it. However, even with the pandemic over and many businesses deciding to keep hybrid working as their default operation model, most haven’t reviewed nor made the changes in their work policy permanent. If you are one of them, this article is a sign for you to update yours. 

A hybrid work policy is but a set of clauses in your full work policy, aimed to define what are the correct practices to follow in regards to working hybrid in your company. Figuring the starting point can be tricky, but we are happy to offer you some help. We aim to give you the foundation and expect you to build your own policy on top of it. 

Key Components of a Hybrid Work Policy

These are the clauses a good hybrid work policy should include:

• A defined in-office/remote working ratio;

• List of software for communication and collaboration;

• Flexible hours timeframe; 

• Expected response rates;

• Terms of using company’s property (if applicable);

• Break time requirements.

This list may be longer depending on your overall company’s setup and operation model. However, these points are non-skippable and are a necessity for any business running a hybrid office.

Welcoming New Staff

When new members join the company, you want to set the tone right. Welcoming new workers can be tricky in the hybrid environment, but with the correct practices penned down in your work policy, it’s easier than ever. All you need to do is trust and follow the process. So let’s discuss how to build it first.

Onboarding Done Right

Even in the traditional office-based environment, onboarding is often a process many companies haven’t optimised. It is therefore never smooth sailing, mostly relying on present employees to play some part in it, depending on who’s available. Now this lack of planning won’t work at all in a hybrid environment. Given how important this process is, it must be a well-defined part of your hybrid work policy. 

First of all, forget all about bringing physical copies of documents. It’s neither sustainable nor a safe way to keep your employee’s data. Email won’t cut too, simply because things get lost in back-and-forth threads and the entire process can take far too long to complete. Instead, move the onboarding online. Your new hires will be prompted to upload the required documentation and it will be automatically stored in your servers. Depending on the solution you use, you may even gatekeep them from using the company’s tools until the onboarding is complete. 

Introduction to the Toolbox

The success of your hybrid office highly depends on not just the tools you choose but also on how your teams utilise them. It is pretty common when some people stubbornly refuse to use a certain software because it’s not part of the process they are used to. While this may not seem like a big thing to be concerned about, it affects the overall team alignment and can affect the data you collect. 

With that said, ensuring your teams are on the same page in terms of what tools are used and when is important. It needs to be stated clearly in your policy, preferably with an explanation of why and if there are any possible alternatives. Your employees using solutions that weren’t approved by your company, including free online tools, can have serious consequences on your company’s security, endangering not just your data but also that of your clients. In other words, ensure your workers have and use the right tools from day one. 

Adjusting to Your Workers

Let’s talk about your existing teams and how to help them warm up to the new hybrid setup easier. They most likely know the drill from the pandemic times. But since there will be changes introduced, they will need some prepping in advance. 

Best Setup for Your Company

As we’ve discussed in our previous article, a successful hybrid company needs a well-defined set of rules and limitations. They are to ensure the company remains profitable and productive even when offering flexibility. Your work policy is the best place to outline these rules. Every working at your business is under an obligation to familiarise themselves with the policy and follow it, so your hybrid setup regulations should be a part of it. 

There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to what hybrid structure/distribution is the best for every company is different. You will need to experiment with small, gradual changes to determine what works best for your employees. And once you find the arrangement that hits the spot, include it in your hybrid work policy. For example, a clause that every employee must be present in person once a week minimum, etc. 

Individual Approach

However, don’t let the work policy clauses regarding hybrid working limit your personalised approach to your employees. Having a generalised setup is important because it sets the tone for the company, but it’s also important to understand your team is, most likely, made of very different individuals. Some of them will need a more individual approach for you to draw out their potential, especially in hybrid. 

This does not mean you should disregard your policy clauses entirely, nor should you over-expand them by listing every unique circumstance. The safest course of action would be stating that there might be exceptions, without dipping too deep into the details of what this entails. Keeping the hybrid work policy flexible is your key to success as you can better cater to a wider talent pool, dive efficiency and overall create a healthier work environment with happier employees. As long as you do it ethically and don’t discriminate, that is. 

Emphasis on Clarity

No one can be expected to follow the rules that aren’t clear. This includes your hybrid work policy. While it is never difficult in principle, some companies overcomplicate things. We are to help you make sure you’re not one of them. 

Be Concise and Straight to the Point 

When was the last time you read the Terms and Conditions? The answer is possibly never, simply because they tend to be incredibly long, filled with jargon and going round and round in circles. We all know they should be read for our own good as they contain crucial information yet we happily scroll to the bottom and hit accept. Simply put, you don’t want this scenario happening to your hybrid work policy. 

The key is to keep it short and very clear. Instead of glossing over every possible scenario, stick to setting the ground rules and make them non-negotiable. An example of that could be that every employee must attend the office once a week. Or that all remote workers must be using a VPN system. Sure, some sections will need to be expanded on, especially if there are unique circumstances in play, but the simpler the rules are, the easier they are to follow. Not to mention, the higher the chance they will be read in the first place. And, of course, it’s easier to remember a couple of bullet points than it is to remember chunky paragraphs. 

Summary

Adding hybrid work policy clauses is important for any business that runs on this model. It allows you to effectively introduce new hires into the current work environment and train them on the setup from the get-go. Not to mention, such an approach also enables you to bring them to speed much quicker as you will be cutting down on back-and-forth interactions significantly. However, it’s a good idea to run the addition of such clauses past your existing employees too for you will need to find a mutual ground in terms of adjusting. 

You can’t expect your existing team to change their day-to-day schedules and remain productive, so you will need to work around their requirements and preferences. It sounds more complicated than it is. Some experimenting will be needed to identify the best setup for your teams, but it can be done without disrupting your workers. We also recommend remaining flexible and concise when it comes to hybrid work policy. It makes everyone’s life easier. 

Need a hand in coming up with your hybrid work policy? Give us a shout.