Hybrid work policy: how to set it up successfully
July 25, 2024
July 25, 2024
Enhancing flexibility in the workplace is essential to boost talent attraction and employee satisfaction. However, it needs to be done effectively. Hybrid work policies are the skeleton of a thriving, flexible work environment. From both employers’ and staff’s points of view, they remove confusion, prevent misinterpretation, and avoid biased behaviors. Everybody knows exactly the do’s and don’ts regarding working hours and location, plus where to find relevant answers in case of doubt.
Some rules apply to set up an effective policy. Crucial aspects like eligibility, security, technology, expectations, work-from-home benefits, etc., must be discussed and defined. We go through all this in this article and provide a template you can use as a starting point. The most important to remember is that developing procedures is a collective task. HR, Finance, IT, CRE, team leaders, and employees must work together to establish directions that satisfy everyone.
Implementing hybrid work can take various forms. Let’s see how to set up a flexible work schedule policy to embrace this modern way of working smoothly and successfully.
The reasons why creating a hybrid work policy is essential
The difference between a hybrid work policy vs. a guideline
Before digging into this topic, it seems essential to remember the difference between a policy and a guideline, as these terms are often used interchangeably. A guideline is an array of recommendations, while a policy is a set of rules employees must follow.
For instance, a guideline would be, “Ideally, if you could come on-site once a week, that would be great.” A policy says, “Hybrid team members must be in the office two days per week minimum.” Do you see the difference?
Hybrid work policies remove stress and confusion for everyone
There are different types of hybrid work models (remote-first, office-first, at-will, etc.) and multiple ways to implement them according to the company’s needs.
The policy, including remote and on-site fixed days, can be universal across the organization. It can vary to allow decision-making and to answer each employee’s needs. Lastly, it can also be flexible across teams, meaning the rules are individually determined between the manager and the coworkers. All this can be confusing, and people might not know what they are entitled to do.
One of the biggest issues in a hybrid work environment is the lack of clarity. Setting up a clear hybrid work policy can help solve this issue.
Hybrid work policies make rules official and put everyone on the same page
You can’t assume that everyone will act like you would because you think, “It’s common sense.” We all have different points of view and experience. You might see a particular aspect in a specific way that seems obvious to you. At the same time, your teammate has an entirely distinct opinion regarding this topic. Being surrounded by colleagues with diverse views is a gift. It makes people and businesses grow faster by giving new perspectives to think about.
However, when it comes to working methods, this can result in biased behaviors and conflicts. To avoid this, setting up some rules is fundamental. This way, workers know what they are entitled to, and leaders do, too.
From both managers’ and employees’ points of view, a hybrid work policy draws a line between what is allowed and what isn’t. For example, you can decide that your staff can visit the office whenever they want. However, they must come a minimum of two full days a week. Not only does understanding the do’s and don’ts give more clarity, but it also prevents unfair and unequal practices from happening.
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A few tips for establishing a clear and helpful flexible work schedule policy
Discuss with employees and other leaders before creating your new hybrid work policy
The goal isn’t to revamp your hybrid work policy every week because you realize a certain point doesn’t meet the needs of the company or the workforce. Therefore, you have to consider everyone’s expectations and take the necessary time to establish regulations and protocols that are on point. Like this, you won’t have to redo it as often, and your staff won’t be overwhelmed and annoyed by constant new updates and rules.
This doesn’t mean that you do it once and then keep the same policy for the next five years. Employees’ expectations and the workplace evolve, so updating this document is essential. But for you, as much as your colleagues, it should not happen every month.
Be as specific as possible
One of the main reasons for creating a hybrid work policy is to avoid confusion among your staff. Consequently, writing down a few points isn’t enough. You must be specific, cover many aspects, and answer as many questions as possible. Of course, more concerns might have to be replied to over time. But try to make it as straightforward and exhaustive as possible. Checking hybrid work policy templates and discussing with your staff which topics are unclear is a good starting point.
Make it your own
There is no one-size-fits-all hybrid work model. The essence of this way of working is the ability to adapt to the organization’s and employees’ needs. Each industry, company, and workforce is different. Therefore, you should welcome the flexibility this working model offers to create a tailored hybrid work policy.
Stay open to feedback
Despite all your efforts, it might happen that your hybrid work policy doesn’t work for your staff. It is crucial to collect their feedback regularly, stay available, and be open to discussion at any time. It enables you to detect drawbacks and improve them as soon as possible. Moreover, it prevents some feelings of stress and frustration from arising among your workforce. This last point is fundamental as it can lead to an increase in employee turnover and burnout.
Share your hybrid work policy with your entire company
Once you’ve implemented your hybrid work policy, sharing it and making it accessible to all your employees is crucial. In case of doubt, they need to be able to refer to it whenever and wherever they are. Here are a few ways you can ensure this:
- Send it by e-mail to everyone;
- Talk about it during team meetings;
- Share your hybrid work policy on your instant communication channel;
- Download it onto your collaboration tools (Notion, Asana, or whatever it might be);
- Hang the most critical points on the walls in the common areas (corridors, open spaces, food and chill zones, lifts, etc.).
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The importance of answering the 5 W’s through your hybrid work policy
Why
This section must explain why you implement a hybrid work policy for your staff. You’ve got the main reasons in the first part of this article, but some motivations are probably particular to your organization. Being transparent with your workforce about why you are setting up these policies is essential for them to understand all the logic behind the rules.
Who
Who is eligible for flexible work arrangements, and to what extent? Some job positions make embracing the perks of hybrid work more challenging. It’s essential that your hybrid work schedule policy mentions who is entitled to these rules and who isn’t. Like this, people know right from the beginning what they are allowed to do according to their status. To create a fair and inclusive work environment, you aim to find ways to enable more flexibility for everyone.
When
When should your hybrid employees work from home, and when should they be in the office? Another critical aspect in this section is how often they must be on-premises. For example, some companies allow their workforce to come whenever they want, except for one week per month when everybody has to be on-site.
What
This part of your hybrid work policy needs to be ultra-detailed. It must include your company’s expectations and everything your workforce is entitled to. For example, you must mention the technology you provide, the security measures in place, the communication strategy, etc. Do you cover internet service, a percentage of the electricity bills, office furniture and supplies, etc.? Switching to hybrid work can increase some of your staff’s expenditures. Therefore, if it’s something you consider and your employees can benefit from a work-from-home stipend, it must also be stated clearly.
Where
This section gathers all the “where” questions such as:
- Can employees work from a third workplace or only from home?
- Can they operate from abroad?
- Where do they apply for flexible work arrangements (if they have to)?
- Where can team members find more information about the hybrid work policy?
- Where can they get support if they have an IT problem working remotely?
How deskbird supports you in managing your hybrid work policies
deskbird's newly released Hybrid work policies feature makes it easy for employees to choose their in-office days within set guidelines, promoting a more transparent, flexible model and a better work-life balance.
How does it work?
With deskbird's new feature, you can:
Setting attendance policies: With a simple click, you can name your policy and set the minimum/maximum number of days in the office or remotely.
Assigning policies: You can create tailored policies at the individual level (in case one of your employees has specific needs), company-wide (applying to all employees), or team level (applying to one particular department or project team - coming soon!).
Customizing status settings: You can decide what constitute an on-site or remote status. For example, "business travel", “conference” or “client meeting” can all be considered as in-office day and counted towards an employee's office policy. For further customization of your statuses, contact support@deskbird.com.
With the Hybrid work policies, employees can also quickly check their compliance status directly on their deskbird feed via the web, iOS, and Android apps. It's a convenient way to see the days required or still needed to meet the policy.
Benefits for admins
- Automated attendance monitoring: No more manual calculations, reducing errors and saving time.
- Streamlined policy management: Easily set and assign attendance policies at both individual and company-wide levels.
Benefits for employees
- Autonomous scheduling: Employees can plan their week while meeting policy requirements shown in their feed.
- Improved work-life balance: Flexibility to choose in-office days within set parameters.
But that’s not all!
Stay tuned for exciting new features (including Analytics for hybrid work policies, monthly or yearly policies, fixed days Policies…, etc.) that will enhance your experience with our Hybrid work policies!
We hope this article and template help you understand better why you should set up a hybrid work policy and how to do it. Don’t forget to include your employees in the process to make sure you also consider their needs and create an effective, flexible work schedule policy.
If you need support managing your hybrid workspace and workforce, start a free trial of the deskbird app!
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