Hybrid working has become more popular since the pandemic. To better regulate and optimize this practice, businesses can adopt a charter or code that clearly outlines expectations.
In order to regulate hybrid work, a form of organization that allows time to be shared between the office and home, many human resources experts recommend drafting a code or a collective charter. And it is preferable that both the team and managers collaborate in its creation.
“A team charter is an excellent management tool for hybrid work teams,” says Eric Brunelle, full Professor in the Department of Management at HEC Montreal. “It helps to clarify all the details to spell out the desired relationships and behaviours.”
According to Eric Brunelle, a good charter should contain elements that contribute to defining the values and principles that drive the team, especially in the face of unfamiliar situations. Are we trying to promote performance, caring, courtesy, respect, mutual aid, well-being, innovation? The roles and responsibilities of each person should be clearly indicated. “It’s a type of compass for the ‘how’ we want to experience this new way of working,” he underlines.
Coordinate and communicate
The times when employees must report for work at the company’s premises should be determined, according to Julie Cloutier, professor in the Department of Organization and Human Resources at UQAM. “You have to take into account the needs of the organization, and the rule of uniformity is not necessarily the fairest,” she explains. Digital tools now make it possible to perform many tasks remotely.
“The Charter should also make it possible to arrange a day of the week when all employees are in the workplace to discuss, strengthen cohesion and break isolation,” continues Julie Cloutier.
Another question is how the team will coordinate to foster a group culture while maintaining performance objectives. This could be through the arrangement of fixed and flexible hours, for example, but also the length of work meetings, the break times between them, or even whether cameras are on or off for remote workers.
Communication must also be included in the Charter, since people who work remotely must have access to the same level of information as those who are face-to-face. It might be wise to specify deadlines for sending emails to colleagues. Very often, remote work should be defined to promote the right to disconnect, that is to say not being connected to professional digital tools outside of working hours.