As pandemic restrictions ease, it’s clear that one big change to the way we work is here to stay: hybrid working. However, these environments run the risk of creating new inequities and exacerbating those that already exist. For employers to ensure fairness, maximize performance, and maintain cultural cohesion in hybrid work arrangements, they need to consider these five practical dimensions of inclusion when designing hybrid policies and navigating new ways of working.
5 Practices to Make Your Hybrid Workplace Inclusive
As you craft your company’s hybrid work plans and policies, be aware of the inequities hybrid work can create or make worse. Designing with five practical dimensions of inclusion in mind is critical for creating an equitable organization. First, create a positive recruitment and onboarding experience by providing new hires with the right technology and support and implement a buddy system to replace the informal learning that typically takes place in the office. Second, bridge physical distance by making smart use of digital tools to keep people connected. Third, increase psychological safety to enable people to speak up when they experience interpersonal conflict. Fourth, break up in-groups by identifying “weak ties.” Finally, monitor who gets promoted and why to identify patterns that favor one group over others.