Are you looking for ways to improve team communication in hybrid teams? You’re not alone. The rapid shift to remote and now back to the office and beyond has left many businesses struggling to adapt.
The way people are working has changed, and it’s likely that those changes are here to stay. According to a recent survey, 62% of employees said they would like to continue working remotely post-pandemic. And, over 50% of employees said they would like a hybrid work model.
The good news is that there are several things you can do to help your team communicate more effectively, regardless of where they are. In this post, we’ll cover 13 ideas to improve team communication in hybrid teams.
1. Set clear team communication expectations
In a hybrid team, it’s likely that each team member will have a different preferred way of communicating, and that’s okay. However, to ensure that everyone is able to communicate effectively, it’s important to set clear expectations for how the team will communicate.
This could include things like:
• What channels will be used for different types of communication
• How quickly team members are expected to respond to messages
• What time zone the team will operate in
• How the team will handle miscommunication or misunderstandings
• How the team will handle conflict
• How team members will be held accountable for their communication
Setting these expectations helps align communication norms across different types of work environments, whether fully remote, hybrid, or in-office so that everyone is on the same page.
2. Choose the right communication tools
The right communication tools can help your hybrid team stay connected and work together seamlessly. From project management apps to video conferencing software, there are countless tools available to help remote and in-person employees communicate and collaborate.
When choosing tools for your team, consider the following:
• The size of your team
• The specific needs of your team
• The types of remote work you do
• Your budget
Be sure to get input from your team before choosing tools, and be prepared to make changes as your team grows and evolves.
3. Schedule regular team meetings
Regular team meetings are important for keeping everyone on the same page and creating a sense of unity among team members. In hybrid teams, it’s especially important to make sure that remote workers are included in team meetings.
If you have team members who are working from home, make sure that they have the ability to join the meeting virtually. You can also rotate the location of the meeting so that team members who are working remotely have the opportunity to attend in person.
If you have team members who are working from home, make sure that they have the ability to join the meeting virtually. You can also rotate the location of the meeting so that team members who are working remotely have the opportunity to attend in person.
4. Schedule regular one-on-one meetings
Regular one-on-one meetings are a great way to make sure that everyone on your team feels heard and supported, but they’re especially important in hybrid teams.
When you’re working with people in different locations, it’s easy for team members to feel isolated or overlooked. Regular one-on-one meetings give you and your team members the opportunity to connect and build a strong working relationship.
During these meetings, make sure to check in on your team members’ workloads, discuss any challenges they’re facing, and get their feedback on how you can best support them.
5. Allow for informal communication
Allowing for informal communication is a great way to build relationships and trust within your team.
In an office environment, informal communication often happens naturally. People chat as they make coffee, walk to meetings together, or grab lunch.
But in a hybrid team, remote workers can miss out on these opportunities to connect with their colleagues.
To make sure your team is building strong relationships, you should create opportunities for informal communication.
This could be as simple as starting meetings with a quick “ice breaker” question, or setting up a dedicated Slack channel for non-work related chat.
You could also set up regular virtual coffee breaks, or even organize in-person team building activities for your hybrid team.
6. Use video calls
Video calls are a great way to bring remote and in-office team members together. You can use video calls to run meetings, host training sessions, and even to have casual conversations with your team.
When you’re speaking to someone on a video call, make sure you look at the camera. This will give the impression that you’re making eye contact with the person you’re speaking to.
7. Share meeting agendas and summaries
It’s important to make sure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to meetings.
If you have team members who are working from home and others who are in the office, you need to make sure that everyone has the same information.
One way to do this is to share an agenda before the meeting. This will help everyone know what to expect and what will be discussed.
After the meeting, it’s a good idea to share a summary with the whole team. This will help make sure that everyone has the same information and that no one is left out.
8. Use chat apps
As we’ve seen, the rise of remote and hybrid working has led to an increase in the use of messaging apps for work. Chat apps provide a platform for real-time communication, and can help to bridge the gap between remote and in-person team members.
Chat apps are particularly useful for quick conversations, or for sharing information that doesn’t require a formal email. They can also be used to share files, links, or other resources.
However, it’s important to set some ground rules when using chat apps for work, to make sure that they don’t become a source of stress for your team. For example, you could set expectations around response times, or encourage team members to mute notifications when they’re not working.
9. Create a virtual water cooler
One of the biggest challenges remote employees face is the feeling of isolation. They miss out on the “water cooler talk” that happens in an office. This can make them feel disconnected from their colleagues and the company as a whole.
To help foster a sense of community among your hybrid team, create a virtual water cooler. This can be a dedicated Slack channel, a weekly team meeting, or even a virtual happy hour.
The goal is to create an informal space where team members can connect and bond without the pressure of a formal meeting. This can help to build trust and camaraderie among team members, which is essential for effective communication.
10. Use project management tools
Project management tools are essential for hybrid teams. They provide a central place for teams to communicate, share files, and collaborate on projects.
There are many project management tools available, so you want to find one that works best for your team. Some popular options include Asana, Trello, and Basecamp.
When using project management tools, make sure to keep everything organized. Use folders and labels to organize projects and files. You can also enhance visual elements—such as team boards or task visuals—by using tools that let you remove background from images, giving your shared assets a more polished and professional look. And, make sure to use the comment and chat features to communicate with your team.
11. Set up an internal knowledge base
Use an internal knowledge base to store all important information, documents, and resources. This way, employees can easily find what they need and won’t have to ask the same questions over and over again.
A knowledge base also helps to standardize information, so everyone is working off the same data. This is especially important in hybrid teams, where it can be harder to keep everyone on the same page.
There are many knowledge base tools to choose from, such as Guru, Notion, or Tettra. Or, you can simply create a shared folder in Google Drive or Dropbox and organize your files there.
12. Share work schedules
In hybrid teams, it’s not always clear who’s working when. If you’re in the office, you can see who’s there and who’s not. But, with remote work, your teammates could be working from home, a café, or even a different time zone. Tools like address lookup can help verify time zones or general locations (without breaching privacy) so scheduling meetings and coordinating availability becomes smoother for everyone involved.
To make sure no one feels left out, share your work schedule with the team. That way, everyone knows when you’ll be available and when you won’t. You can also use your work schedule to set expectations for when you’ll respond to messages and emails.
13. Encourage feedback and ask for suggestions
Encouraging feedback is one of the best ways to build a culture of open communication on your team. It shows employees that you value their input and can help you identify problems and opportunities that you might not have otherwise noticed.
In a hybrid work environment, it’s especially important to be proactive about asking for feedback. Remote employees can sometimes feel isolated or left out of the loop, so it’s important to make sure they have a voice in the conversation.
In addition to asking for feedback, you can also encourage employees to share their ideas and suggestions for how to improve communication on the team. This can help you identify potential issues and come up with creative solutions. To keep track of trends in team sentiment or engagement, consider using tools like form tracking on anonymous feedback surveys or check-in forms this makes it easier to gather consistent data over time and act on what matters most.This can be shared as an expectation from the hiring process when your recruiters for remote jobs or hybrid jobs are screening and interviewing candidates.
Conclusion
It’s important to remember that hybrid teams are still new, and there are no perfect rules for how they should operate. As a manager, it’s essential to be flexible and open to trying new strategies. You can’t please everyone, but by listening to your team and making adjustments, you can find a happy medium that allows everyone to work together effectively, regardless of location.