3 Critical Hybrid Workplace Challenges That Must be Addressed

A hybrid team is a work structure in which some employees work from home and others work in the office. Employees in hybrid team structures can work in any of the two locations. As firms reimagine the work environment to incorporate both remote and in-office team members, hybrid work is evolving. However, it is difficult to foster inclusion and diversity for employees who work from home. It is vital that workers who work remotely have the same sense of inclusion and belonging as those who work in an office. As a result, this Indeed post focuses on three major hybrid workplace concerns that must be addressed in order to create inclusion and belonging.

The first challenge highlighted in the article is eliminating proximity bias in a hybrid workplace. The tendency of company executives to favor employees who work physically near them is referred to as proximity bias. Hence, the article recommends that we make a behavioral adjustment to strategically distribute opportunities. Second, the article suggests that developing community and belonging remotely is another challenge. Employees who have a strong sense of belonging feel connected, psychologically protected, and free to be their true selves. Hence, the article recommends that businesses implement steps such as hosting activities to enable remote employees to engage on a deeper level. Finally, this article emphasizes the need to balance competing interests. To maintain constant touchpoints, executives must emphasize one-on-one meetings with direct reports. It is also critical to split time evenly between in-person and remote staff to prevent the appearance of favoritism and the risks of proximity bias.

Building a uniform sense of inclusion and belonging in a hybrid workplace setting is crucial. The aforementioned are three critical hybrid workplace challenges that need to be addressed in order to foster a healthy workplace environment.