We have been seeing articles after articles about hybrid work being the new normal. We should be used to this by now–considering that we have been working in a hybrid, or even fully remote, environment for the past two and half years. However, the corporate world still finds challenges surrounding behavior in a hybrid environment. 

It is easy for people to feel isolated or suffer from Zoom fatigue in these newfound everyday, working conditions

Here are 5  best practices for working in a hybrid environment:  

1. Help employees stay connected to the mission: Keep employees focused on the mission and purpose of not only their work but also that of the company as a whole. This creates a sense of camaraderie among employees and keeps the company culture alive, even virtually. 
2. Practice Empathetic Leadership: From boss to employee, build relationships. It is more than just being kind to employees but caring. Checking in with them when they need mental breaks or if an issue is arising at home. This is crucial in fostering trust among teams and keeping employees healthy, both mentally and physically.
3. Communicate synchronously when possible: Figuring out the line between when to communicate asynchronously versus live is vital to keeping employees connected. A meeting or phone call is not always necessary and can cut into productive time. 
4. Healthy work-life balance: Prior to the pandemic and regular hybrid work culture, it may have seemed easier for employees to completely step away from work. Now, with our devices always at the ready and no real physical boundaries,  we are more connected to work than ever. Setting work boundaries will help make everyone feel important and empowered. One of the best uses we’ve seen is adding to their email signature: *My working hours may not be your working hours. Please do not feel obligated to reply outside your normal work schedule.*
5. Don’t fall into the “curse of knowledge”: This is a term we use at Decker to describe the phenomenon of knowing so much about a certain subject, its hard to remember that other people might not understand what you are talking about. Less is more…

These ideas work universally, and many of our clients have adopted them as have we – give them a try.