“Adaptable Job Design: Making Hybrid Work Successful”
January 18, 2023
During a recent presentation at the Center for Brain Health, Dr. Sara Perry discussed how her research is helping inform decisions concerning hybrid work practices.
In an earlier blog, we encouraged leaders to begin considering hybrid work practices, which are certainly influencing the future of work in very significant ways; however, it’s difficult to know which parameters are important and the issues that must be considered. Dr. Perry’s research can help leaders begin to identify how to best implement these practices in their own organizations.
Her overarching recommendation is to be intentional about configuring the hybrid practices to ensure that both office and home options provide optimum environments for work and employees.
For example, it is important for the leader to work with his/her employees concerning setting expectations, not only for work goals but also for availability. Since remote workers might work during different times, they must negotiate with their leaders to identify periods during the work day when they will be available for meetings and check-ins. In addition, it is essential for remote workers to have a dedicated space in the home to conduct work. An interesting idea emanating from this is that team members working from home should build in transition time (from office working to other responsibilities) as they did when working from an office and commuting. This transition time allows the employee to mindfully separate himself/herself from the work and become more fully present for non-work challenges and opportunities.
She discusses the idea of “adaptable job design,” which is based on identifying tasks needed to complete a job while determining which tasks may be best done in a remote or office location. Another recommendation reminds us of the importance of leadership in that Autonomy is essential for remote workers: Sara calls it “the #1 driver of making remote work successful.” “Choice and Voice” manifest Autonomy and lead to better outcomes. As with office workers, remote workers do not wish to be micromanaged, especially from afar. A reminder of this are programs used by some organizations that count the number of keystrokes made by remote workers as a proxy for them working at their desks. While an example of micromanaging, the proliferation of programs that automatically make keystrokes when one is away from the computer, reminds us of the uselessness of establishing rules and policies so onerous no one follows them. Leaders and their team members should work together to establish touchpoints where progress can be discussed and challenges addressed.
Anyone who has experienced “Zoom Fatigue” can appreciate the final recommendation we will discuss here. She asks, “How often do we really need to see everyone’s faces?” Apparently, the research regarding remote meetings indicates that allowing team members to turn off the cameras can mitigate “Zoom Fatigue,” while always requiring cameras for every meeting can exacerbate this problem.
The most important takeaway from her research: it appears leaders must be more intentional in their communication with remote team members, working with them to negotiate the best possible outcomes while also respecting boundaries. Team members also are not absolved of responsibility: they must seriously consider how they can best do their work, carving out a location specific to work while also transitioning to other responsibilities when the work day is over.
Suzette Plaisance Bryan, PhD, SPHR, GPHR, SHRM-SCP
Director OBCC Leadership Center
University of Texas at Dallas
