Feature
As some companies continue to push for more and more in-person time at the office, others realize that having a distributed team working in a hybrid model is the workplace of today. Several factors led to the holding power of hybrid work:
- People were hired outside normal geographies, making working in the office infeasible.
- Some companies outgrew their office space, making it impossible to bring everyone into the office at the same time.
- Employees who don't want to return to the office often find new jobs that better support remote workers. Stronger employees are often the first to find new positions.
Even with this change, in-person interactions still matter, as they lead to stronger online collaboration. The key is to make office time valuable and not simply a checkbox activity. Having people come into the office to sit in a cube participating in Teams meetings is counterproductive. In-office time needs to provide opportunities for people to work together to solve problems.
Create Opportunities for Team-Building
Team meetings are the easy button for bringing people into the office — but that shouldn't be the only opportunity for people to interact. Lunches, dinners and other activities allow people to get to know each other outside of the normal work dynamic.
It's critical for leaders to limit their non-team meetings during these days. Making time to talk to everyone who comes in, either formally or informally, is important. Leaders should think of it as condensing a month or two of water cooler talk into a single day.
Related Article: Your Corporate Retreat Needs a Roadmap to Success
The Benefits of In-Person Problem-Solving
Another great time to bring a team together is for problem-solving and planning sessions. Brainstorming works better in person as every voice is easier to hear. These types of sessions are not required on a daily, or even weekly basis, but when they are needed, bringing people together is beneficial.
Long-term planning is also a useful in-person activity. As with a problem-solving session, it leads to increased participation. It can also build a stronger level of commitment from everyone to the plan.
When properly led, everyone can leave at the end of the day with the feeling that it was worth the commute.
Related Article: Try Magnets, Not Mandates, to Make the Return to Office Worthwhile
Make the Effort to Include Geographically Remote Employees
The most challenging part is including people who are not geographically nearby. Having someone 70 miles away come into the office once or twice a year makes sense, but demanding it weekly can lead to challenges. Having people around the country, or globe, requires more effort and consideration to bring people together — but it still needs to be done.
Bringing everyone together at least once a year helps build trust, which strengthens collaboration. It is an investment in the team, and it lets those people who aren’t local know that they matter.
Leaders have a part to play here as well. When possible, they should travel to remote offices on a regular basis. Employees in these offices will feel seen and supported as a result, and it allows leaders to experience the daily life of people in that location.
Related Podcast: What Makes an Office Worth Coming To
Planning In-Office Time Is Key
Having people come into the office simply to sit in a cubicle all-day is the fastest way to bring down morale. Always have a plan to make trips into the office worthwhile. If you have a weekly design session, have that be a normal in-person day. Biweekly planning? In the office.
Also have a plan for those who cannot come into the office. Excluding remote employees will cut into many of the team collaboration gains. Make sure that those who are on the other end of the phone line can participate that day. They are still important parts of the organization, so make the effort.
Lastly, make sure there is space. Don’t bring your team in only to spread them out across multiple parts of the office or alternatively crowd them into a conference room. Plan ahead. Make sure there is enough room for everyone on the team to work effectively.
Conference
Oct
20
Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo Orlando 2025
Register
Conference
Oct
27
Gartner HR Symposium/Xpo Orlando 2025
Register
Bringing people together needs to be done with purpose and with mindful intent. Blindly making people come into the office won't build the relationships that will sustain the team over time — and could have a demoralizing effect. But when done successfully, it will strengthen the effectiveness of the hybrid working models.
