Because of the changing nature of work and the workplace in recent years, many new conversations are being had about the future of work. What can we predict about how work will be organized and conducted and the skills and knowledge workers need?
What is the “Future of Teams”? Do Teams go Hybrid? Will Teams flourish or suffer being Hybrid? As a leader, these questions have been bouncing around my mind. I firmly believe that teams are the fundamental concept of a modern organization. Being obsessed with their future, I had several ideas in mind that I wanted to share.
This blog post is part of a five-post series about the Future of Teams and how they operate. It focuses on Team Leaders and how they can provide their team purpose, autonomy, and mastery. The next post will provide ideas on how to implement new leadership practices. Please subscribe using your email to get notified. Follow me on Twitter and Linkedin.
Teams Are the Foundation of Any Organization
A team is a group of people working together to achieve a shared set of goals. The team members are part of the same enterprise, a shared venture to reach these goals. The collective output is greater than the sum of each member’s production. Teams are the building blocks of modern organizations.
Team members support each other; they care for their teammates and want to see them grow their skills and have a successful and happy life. They can help each other when they are facing a difficult task. They can also share their knowledge and skills. Moreover, the team can make better decisions by discussing and debating the best solution. Finally, the team members can motivate each other to reach the common goal. Being part of a team that collaborates and cares for each other is a rewarding and joyful experience.
What can a team do that a random group of people cannot? They can align on shared goals and work toward them. They can use collective intelligence to solve complex problems. They can work together to find creative solutions that no individual could have found alone. They can trust each other and ensure everyone feels valued and respected. When a team cooperates, it can accomplish more than any individual working alone, creating extraordinary results.
Teams are material to any organization nowadays. Most issues are solved at the team level. These statements might sound like an idealized definition, but they depict the fundamental aspect of teams: they are a collective. And this collective is challenged by Hybrid Work.
Understanding Hybrid Work
In Hybrid Work, you are part of two different cultures. The culture of the coffee machine conversations and one of the web calls sitting in front of a virtual background. The office culture and the remote culture. The conflicting or incompatible relationship between these two cultures presents challenges for teams.
Many claim that with Hybrid Work, overall productivity is better than being 100% at the office, that it increases a team’s sense of empowerment. This is true in many dysfunctional or even toxic groups when they were 100% office-based. It is harder to do micro-management or other misplaced leadership and interpersonal practices while being Hybrid.
But it is wrong to say that Hybrid Teams always work better. We traded one range of issues for another that may poison our teams if we don’t care for them. As team members or leaders, we must understand the new situation we are creating when moving to Hybrid Work. We need to understand the gains but also the threats associated.
Let’s first understand what the word “hybrid” means. Merriam-Webster dictionary provides a comprehensive definition (extract: a person whose background is a blend of two diverse cultures or traditions). This definition illuminates a core aspect of hybrid work: being simultaneously part of two radically different cultures on how teams work.
On the one hand, we have remote work, which offers much flexibility to workers, enabling people to have a better personal/professional life balance. Remote work, seen first as a mandatory pandemic practice, is mainly seen as an advantage by many. No commute time, more flexible work hours to accommodate our personal needs (kids, sports, deliveries, etc.). Flexibility generally makes life easier for workers. There are many great pieces on the various aspects of remote work. I recommend Remote from J.Fried and D. Heinemeier Hansson or the Gitlab All Remote handbook (see this section on Remote stages). Check out A Year Without Pants from S.Berkun, who pioneered the topic ten years ago.
On the other hand, we have what we should now call office work, though at one time it was “the” work! You are expected to show up within a particular time range in the morning, work all day long, with a break for lunch, and go back home in the evening. Working 9 to 5 is common practice. You have your allocated office space, chair, and desk and are localized with the colleagues you work with the most - your team. You spend countless hours with them. You hear them talking. You share verbal and non-verbal items during your workday at the office. You are here for others when they need you. Sitting in the open space makes it easy to engage with you. It is also easy to entertain without creating stress spikes (“A new calendar invite…why does she want to meet me tomorrow? 😨” ). It is even easier to create joy and share your enthusiasm. Eventually, you care about your colleagues, and they care about you.
I don’t think you need an example of an office work company. You’ve worked there already. Maybe you still do. It is more interesting to discuss remote companies and their practices. For instance, Gitlab is a software company famous for its all-remote culture. It is part of the company's DNA, and its CEO is championing the concept in conference talks and YouTube videos. The remote manifesto by the Gitlab company illustrates the differences between an efficient all-remote culture and a traditional all-office culture:
The Remote Manifesto - All-remote work promotes:
Hiring and working from all over the world (instead of from a central location).
Flexible working hours (over set working hours).
Writing down and recording knowledge (over verbal explanations).
Written processes (over on-the-job training).
Public sharing of information (over need-to-know access).
Opening up documents for editing by anyone (over top-down control of documents).
Asynchronous communication (over synchronous communication).
The results of work (over the hours put in).
Formal communication channels (over informal communication channels).
Look again at the Remote Manifesto above: items #1, #2, and #8 are what most people expect of remote work (working from everywhere and company and peers valuing their results, not their presence or hours). But #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, and #9 are more challenging for many. These items ask us to work publicly, asynchronously, and write a lot. These are rare practices for many groups.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to work. Many workers feel alone when remote from their team and unsupported when they have just electronic support. Not being side by side with peers of the same group, they are missing the social energy of the group. They don’t get the non-verbal – and not written – feedback. On the other hand, some of us require a quieter environment to deliver quality heads-down work, so remote work protects us from any disturbance.
But Hybrid Work is yet another thing. It’s a blend of the two cultures. It asks hybrid workers to be compounded with the two sets of habits. It asks teams to adopt the best practices of both cultures. It mandates leaders to operate in a much more complex environment.
This new environment presents challenges in at least several areas, which I will discuss in the following section: the sharing of information, team cohesion, team agility, and hiring and onboarding.
Future of Teams
Given these challenges, what is the Future of Teams?
Sharing Information in the Hybrid Age
After reading the Remote Manifesto, I remember trying to adapt my work style. For an important project during the 2020 pandemic, it was apparent that I could not organize an in-person “kick-off/brainstorm” meeting with a group of directors and VPs. So, I took time to write a memo, offering several actions as options. The note was five pages long, and I made it easy to read, well-formatted, and with a clear layout.
Then I sent the memo and asked for a video conference with my colleagues the week after. I was expecting people to have read the memo and to have fruitful discussions debating my proposed options (or others if anyone had something to suggest). But when the day of the video conference arrived, to my surprise, no one had read the memo. No one was ready to brainstorm and build a shared understanding of the issue we were facing. No one was ready to have a conversation. No one was ready to make decisions.
This episode was very disappointing for me. And at first, I didn't get it. So I doubled down on my efforts, and for another topic, I remember recording a short form video (3’) in which I read out the agenda and walked through a few slides to prepare for my next meeting. The same thing happened. People showed up unprepared, asked generic questions, and didn't accept or deny my proposals.
I realized that switching to an asynchronous, primarily written work culture was difficult. Such change doesn’t happen overnight, and most of my peers were unprepared. They were accustomed to in-person meetings and small chit-chat conversations with their peers. They were expected to be socialized by their leadership to any material topics where they needed to act. They felt autonomous, but most of their time was spent answering direct asks from senior management.
In a physical workplace, many act as influencers, chat in private 1:1 conversations, or set up endless meetings where people talk a lot and may decide nothing. When working remotely, these new meetings generate many video conferencing calendar slots. In some old fashion teams, sending an email or sharing a memo leads to no action or feedback, but setting up a weekly 1H meeting for two months is the way to go for any project.
Remote work experts teach that asynchronous, and written, processes are mandatory as the workforce is distributed, works in different timezones, or organizes life and work differently from one another. But this new work culture is not an easy shift from office work and won’t be implemented without some mindset shift.
Hybrid work adds an extra layer of complexity. When sharing information, team members are expected to use an electronic communication channel (a Slack channel or a Webex space) and, when they are at the office, to tell their coworkers nearby. When they are blocked on some issues, they will also probably broadcast the question and get a verbal answer in the office or from the electronic channel. They could collaborate with their remote or local colleagues, if not both.
Hybrid Team Spirit
Every team member working hybrid makes it harder to work as a team. Without a shift in team practices, teamwork will be dysfunctional. Staff members will complain of “not knowing what is happening” or “not being autonomous in their work.” They will ask for more sync-up rituals, creating new meetings. Which - what a paradox! - will make others complain about long meetings or being exhausted by web conference calls. That fatigue will make people work in silos, limiting their interaction with peers. Even if they have all the means - digital or physical - to communicate with their team, they would prefer to finish their work solo, and that’s it. Their mission will be successful for them as long as they have completed the tasks they were working on.
At the end of the day, workers won't care anymore about their colleagues, won’t belong to the enterprise, and won’t be part of a more significant project than their piece of work. They will continue to work as hard as before, but more for themselves than for a collective project. To learn more, to grow their skills, or their own feelings of accomplishment. Eventually, when unsatisfied, they will resign and find a more fulfilling job or a job where they can keep learning something new.
They will act as a group of freelancers, tasked with a specific project for a limited time before moving to another employer. Then they will form another group for another company on another project.
Blurring the expectations on how to work, Hybrid Work may ultimately create inconsistent work practices. It brings a lot of confusion about where to focus and breaks people's social connections with peers. A team is a group of people who care about each other and share habits and practices. A team has a purpose and a set of goals. If not, it is a horde driven by an “alpha leader,” like in a wolf's pack or a mercenary group where each soldier is driven only by their self-interest.
The Future of Teams in Hybrid Work presents unique challenges, but it can also be a highly effective way of working with the right strategies and support. Leaders have a crucial role in facilitating successful hybrid teams by providing clear communication and direction. Building team morale and camaraderie can be challenging in a hybrid environment. Still, there are ways to foster a sense of community and connection, such as through regular check-ins, team-building activities, and social events. By addressing the needs of their hybrid teams and creating a supportive and inclusive culture, leaders can help their teams thrive.
Embracing the New and Unknown
Professor Martine Haas is the Lauder Chair Professor and Professor of Management at the Wharton School. In an article in the Harvard Business Review, she highlights the five most significant challenges for hybrid teams, calling it the 5C checklist: Communication, Coordination, Creativity, Connection, and Culture. The article is a must-read for any modern team leader.
Creativity is the most surprising challenge listed. It is obviously harder to have creative sessions “on schedule” when a web conference call mandates us. The team will miss collective experience and serendipity. But personal creativity is also challenged. We have new ideas popping into our heads as we live with others. When we travel and enter new places, new experiences augment our creativity. Haas provides insights in her article:
It isn’t clear that working alone over many days or weeks will prove generative for employees who must be constantly creative or innovative. On the contrary, there is reason to think that at least some social interactions and spontaneous conversations with colleagues, seeing random artifacts in each other’s cubicles, and even the changes of scenery involved in going from home to work may be important for creativity.
Hybrid teams might be less creative, after all. They might miss essential experiences that contribute to their unconscious understanding.
Moreover, in my experience, Hybrid Teams are sometimes reluctant to change or embrace unknowns. They value a lot of processes and written communication and are missing some collective empathy with the state of their team or company. When a team leader wants to implement a new practice or launch a new project and they expect a quick answer to a market need, it is hard. Switching to a new topic or changing focus very fast is difficult. As everyone is working on their own loop, asking them something new is like challenging them as professionals. Why should they switch? Why not keep going where they were going so far? Does their current work need to be better?
This resistance is especially present when team members have different levels of visibility into the needs and goals of the organization. To successfully implement change in a hybrid team, leaders must be proactive in setting clear goals and communicating them regularly to the team. They should also be prepared to repeat these goals and provide support and guidance to team members as they adapt to new practices.
It can also be helpful for leaders to provide training and resources to help team members develop their skills and knowledge. Additionally, leaders can foster a culture of continuous learning and growth within the team by encouraging team members to seek out new opportunities for development and providing support for professional growth. By taking these steps, leaders can help their hybrid teams adapt to change and stay engaged and productive in a dynamic work environment.
Onboarding New Teammates
Let's take one final example: interns and new hires. Adjusting to a new job is challenging the first few days. Not knowing the tools, discovering the team's projects, interlocking with your team leader, and joining project meetings. It is even more challenging for interns with no professional background or industry-specific vocabulary. Imagine a new hire alone at his desk (at home or in the office) for hours. It would be even more complicated. Since the pandemic, companies and HR departments have developed a “full remote onboarding” with video tutorials, but it feels synthetic. I have heard many new hires that are a bit afraid of it.
Joining a company or a team requires “quality time” with teammates. Research has shown that in-person interactions and social connections are crucial to building trust, fostering collaboration, and promoting a sense of belonging within a team. It is challenging for new hires to build these relationships and connections solely through virtual interactions. As such, it is essential for leaders to consider ways to facilitate in-person interaction and support for new hires, whether through scheduled visits to the office, team-building activities, or other opportunities for face-to-face interaction. By providing new hires with the opportunity to connect with their teammates and the organization in person, leaders can help them feel more supported and integrated into the team and the broader culture of the organization.
As a leader, get ready to tell the team: “Sally X is joining next Tuesday. Please be at the office to help her onboarding and join our team lunch”. Some employees will push back and say, “I can work with Sally remotely. I don’t need to come to the office.” … The answer is straightforward: “You are not coming to the office for yourself. You are coming to work with your colleagues and your peers in the team. This is part of your work obligations. This is part of your job. You are coming for the team. ”
My vision for the Future of Teams involves asking team leaders to take care of many new aspects that were taken for granted. They must ensure that every team member is comfortable, gets the required support, and has all the information to work efficiently.
Conclusion
There is no way back, and the “good old office” - if it has ever existed - won’t return. The COVID-19 pandemic has opened the eyes of many. Trends that were spreading across Western societies and have been shaping the workplace for the last ten years accelerated. First and foremost, these trends are about what people value in their lives. For instance, people are less likely to buy material objects and more likely to invest their money in experiences or causes. At the same time, people are increasingly interested in their health and well-being and are looking for ways to improve their physical and mental health. Finally, people are craving for connection and community. They seek ways to connect with others and feel a sense of belonging.
This is excellent, and Hybrid Work is part of these context shifts. Few companies can afford to be 100% office based or 100% remote in the future. Most companies will be hybrid. Hybrid work will be a crucial part of this future, as it provides organizations and employees with the flexibility and autonomy needed to adapt to these changes. While hybrid work presents challenges, it also offers many benefits, including improved productivity and work-life balance.
The Future of Teams will require leaders to change their leadership to that new context. Hybrid teams are looking for more purpose and meaning in their daily work. They won’t be motivated only to get a more extensive check at the end of the month. They want more. They will also refuse to work “under the control” of a micro-manager, who drives their daily tasks and activities. Hybrid teams require a new kind of leadership that grants a large degree of autonomy and sets direction. Lastly, the Future of Teams also needs to take care of the personal growth of every staff member. Providing support to acquire new skills and grow our mastery is material.
Leaders will have to navigate through this new world. For leaders, supporting and empowering their teams will be crucial to the success and satisfaction of their employees. Organizations adopting new practices now will stay competitive and attract and retain top talent in a rapidly evolving landscape.
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