Maximising Hybrid Teams

Mixed teams could pose multiple challenges, but they offer manifold benefits too. It is important for leaders to understand this scope.

- Wayne Turmel

Vikram is a new project manager on a software development effort. Part of his team is located in an office with him, but the others are dispersed—some working from home, others from satellite offices in other cities. While this working arrangement—a hybrid team—is common it also presents unique challenges that leaders and their organisations should consider.

When it comes to remote work, many people assume that the issue is binary: either you have people who all work together, or your team is scattered across different locations and everyone is remote. The truth is that the majority of project teams are a mix of the two working arrangements. This dynamic creates unique challenges that managers should be aware of before beginning the work.

For example, over the last few weeks, Vikram has heard rumblings of favouritism. The team members who work remotely feel that those in the office are getting preferential treatment such as getting to speak first in meetings and being delegated plum assignments. Meanwhile, the people in the office grumble and complain that they receive a lot of last-minute assignments and extra work while those working at home are ‘left alone to get the work done.’

What Vikram experiences is not at all uncommon for managers in this situation. When the leader does not have equal access to all team members (and the reverse is also true) there are times when one group or the other gets more of the boss’s attention. Other times it is simply a matter of perception that one part of the team receives preferential treatment. The solution is to be aware of some of the dynamics at work, and take mindful steps to address them honestly.