The top skills leaders need to better manage hybrid teams

Hybrid work, a combination of in-office and remote work, has a growing presence and will be a significant part of the future of work. This is evident in this LinkedIn report, where 85% of employees say they would want to work remotely most of the time. As managers and HR professionals, this presents new opportunities to build a better workplace. However, it also comes with new challenges that range from performance management and inclusivity to trust and productivity measurement, just to mention a few.

While you can’t stop this fundamental change, as a manager, you can adapt by learning the right skills needed to succeed in this growing work environment. Here, we bring you some of the most underrated skills every leader, HR professional, and People Operations department needs to excel when managing hybrid teams.

The zeal to experiment (trial and error)

A lot of managers may be afraid of testing new things because they don’t want to waste time or make mistakes. But the truth is, the only way you can find out what works best for your hybrid team is by experimenting with different management strategies.

This is because trying and failing can teach us more about what doesn’t work than what does. It can also help us identify our own strengths and weaknesses as managers and as a team so that we can adjust accordingly. This is a skill that is highly needed in a hybrid work environment.

Accept that you don’t have all the answers

As a manager working with a hybrid workforce, you are responsible for the success of your team. You have to realize that you don’t have all the answers and that you can’t know everything about your team members.

A great skill to master here is being able to ask for help and delegate tasks when needed. Also, managers should develop the skills to hire people with strengths in certain areas and should not be afraid to get help from an expert or consultant when needed.

The skill for open dialogue

Another great skill to master in managing hybrid teams is open dialogue, especially when it comes to addressing grievances, asking for input from employees, or just trying to build an open work environment.

Open dialogue is a way of communicating that promotes openness and honesty, helps to create a space where people can speak openly without fear of judgment, fosters trust and understanding, and is inclusive and expansive. A good way to start developing these skills is by practicing them with your employees, organizing an offsite, and hosting team building activities.