As the heart of summer approaches, business leaders across the globe face unique challenges in managing remote and hybrid workforces. The summer months, often characterized by vacations and slower business activities, provide a crucial period for companies to fine-tune their strategies to ensure productivity, collaboration, and work-life balance.
This period of reflection and adaptation is vital as organizations navigate the evolving landscape of work. The below insights from industry leaders shed light on the innovative strategies and technological advancements that are shaping the future of remote and hybrid work:
1. Develop clear and consistent communication protocols: Juan Betancourt, CEO of Humantelligence
Effective communication is crucial for remote and hybrid work models, especially during the summer months when employees may be on vacation. Juan Betancourt, CEO of Humantelligence, a collaboration tool that enhances the future of effective team collaboration driven by psychometrics, emphasizes the importance of embracing asynchronous communication. “As CEO of a remote-first team, one of the most important things I have done is to embrace and set expectations for communication,” Betancourt explains.
As part of this, he recommends defining your communication protocols, which he believes is key to building positive connections among remote workers. Betancourt advises, “This protocol should cover all aspects of your team’s communication, including which tools, channels, and threads to use for what purposes, expectations for response times, and guidelines for respectful and productive communication.”
Betancourt points out that keeping teams connected throughout the year, especially during summer months, requires more than the standard collaboration tools like Slack or Teams. “Consider squeezing more from your investment in those tools by integrating a quick bolt-on that gives each team member the insights needed to establish stronger relationships with another,” he suggests. Such add-ons can automatically provide customized tips for more effective communication, helping improve relationships, keeping teams more connected, and building trust.
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2. Support work-life balance: Jason McCann, CEO and founder of Vari
Maintaining work-life balance in remote and hybrid environments, especially during slower business months, requires clear communication of values, vision, and mission. Jason McCann, CEO and founder of Vari, a workspace innovation company, stresses the importance of maintaining focus on annual goals. “Business is ever-changing, and maintaining focus on annual goals is essential. Celebrating company values and being clear about the vision and mission helps keep everyone aligned and motivated, even during the summer,” McCann says. This ensures that even if business is slow, the commitment to the company’s goals and team’s well-being remains high.
McCann keeps his team engaged in Vari’s mission by hosting quarterly all-hands meetings, broadcast both virtually and in-person. “These meetings provide an opportunity for team members to hear from leaders across the company and stay abreast of the latest news, goals, and progress,” he explains. “This format ensures that everyone, regardless of location, feels connected to the company’s mission and objectives.”
Even with all this, McCann acknowledges that there’s no replacement for the collaboration that happens when you bring everyone together. “Interns and younger workers, in particular, crave in-person engagement with team members and mentors,” he says. McCann has found that hosting in-person events, such as company picnics and organized charity work, significantly enhances his company’s culture, providing valuable opportunities for team members to connect and be reminded of their role in the company’s overall mission.
3. Keep up with emerging technology and work trends: Kara Hertzog, president of Innovative Employee Solutions
The landscape of work is undergoing major transformations, driven by technological advancements, shifting employee expectations, and the move to hybrid and remote work. One critical trend is the integration of AI in the hiring process, according to Kara Hertzog, president of Innovative Employee Solutions, a leading provider of remote and contingent workforce solutions specializing in U.S. and global employer of record, agent of record, and independent contractor compliance services.
“Using AI to screen résumés, match candidates, and schedule interviews gives hiring managers and HR teams more time for interviews and company-culture matching,” she writes. Hertzog believes this technology plays a crucial role in hiring contingent workers, enabling rapid matching with suitable project experience, fast onboarding, scheduling, and even performance tracking. These capabilities are especially valuable during the summer months, when hybrid and remote workers may be balancing vacations and fluctuating workloads. Leveraging AI and other technologies to support hybrid and remote work not only helps maintain continuity, but also reinforces a company’s commitment to flexibility and employee well-being.
Trends like upskilling workers, hiring based on skills, adapting to generational needs, and adopting AI-powered employee engagement are further shaping the future of work. Hertzog emphasizes, “Companies that embrace these trends, invest in continuous learning, and adapt their hiring and management strategies will be better positioned to navigate the evolving talent landscape.” This is particularly important during the summer, as maintaining engagement and productivity can be challenging with employees working remotely and taking time off.
The summer months present an opportune moment for businesses to reassess and enhance their remote and hybrid work strategies. By developing clear communication protocols, supporting work-life balance, and staying abreast of emerging technologies and trends, companies can maintain productivity and engagement even during slower periods. The insights from these industry leaders underscore the importance of proactive management and technological integration in fostering a thriving distributed work environment. As we move forward, embracing these innovations will be crucial in creating resilient, connected, and motivated teams, ensuring that businesses not only survive, but also thrive in the ever-evolving landscape of work.
