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Hybrid work has many advantages, although managers must seek that everyone has equal treatment, rights and opportunities

As a result of the pandemic, a hybrid model of work is now in place. Employees combine face-to-face and online work, so they can get the benefits of both models of work. For example, they have greater flexibility and still work with their peers. However, this hybrid model also requires a change in leadership. Managers must work on developing new skills and improve those acquired during these months of pandemic.

Something important to take into consideration is fairness. Because some are working in the office and others from home, managers must ensure that everyone has equal treatment, rights, and opportunities. If not, some employees may feel discriminated against or unhappy, which may reduce their efficiency.

Equity in the hybrid workplace

Fairness in the new hybrid workplace is nothing more than giving everyone the same. It is an environment where leaders value everyone equally, both in-person and remote workers, and provide all of them with the same tools to do their jobs. It is obvious that employees who work from the office will have a computer and internet access, so make sure that those who work from home also have the same possibilities. Also, managers must ask themselves if in-person employees are getting preferential treatment that can only happen in the office.

Also, when you work from the office, you have many benefits that can go unnoticed. For example, you have your colleagues support, and you can have some breaks with them. However, when working from your house you can feel left out or disengaged. Also, many of them are afraid that their work will go unnoticed. That is why leaders must ensure that all their employees feel the same and carry out continuous evaluations or supervisions, in order to detect these problems.

For example, one thing that could be beneficial is to encourage a rotation among employees. This way, everyone would be working the same amount of time from home and from the office, with a fair level playing field for the entire workforce.

Challenges during the pandemic

Adapting to this new way of working has been hard for everyone, but especially for those who had children. These have had to balance their children's remote schooling and their own remote work. According to statistics, a large number of women have dropped out of the workforce because of this.  However, there have also been other challenges, such as not having a set schedule or the stress of all the new changes. Young people starting out in the workplace have also had to overcome challenges. They have started working from home, not being able to interact with their peers and be in a work environment with professionals.

As a result, many very different employees have had to face new challenges and adapt to a new reality. That is why leaders must also adapt to this and not forget any of them. For that, empathy is crucial, and leaders must understand that each employee needs a different level of support. Because of that, they first need to understand what their employees’ specific needs are, so they must monitor performance and feedback very closely.

The hybrid workplace has come here to stay. It has many benefits, such as working on the office as well as sometimes from home, having a great flexibility. However, fairness is a crucial component that leaders must work on in order to have happy and efficient employees.