In order to meet employees’ needs, businesses must adapt and create a hybrid environment that enables their workforce to thrive and produce good results. Although a hybrid environment is a different setup, the skills you need to be successful within a hybrid role are in many ways, similar to the ones you need for any role. 

However, if you are transitioning from the office to a remote setup a few times a week, some of the skills you require may need tweaking and making sure the setup is right for you is crucial. 

What’s best for you? 

Hybrid working does sound appealing to the masses due to the flexibility involved and it’s positive impact on work/life balance. However, you need to be sure that the company setup for a hybrid work schedule suits you. Afterall, in order to thrive in a hybrid role, you must  be productive. 

Do you work better in the office or at home? Before deciding to commit to a hybrid position, firstly, analyse which periods throughout the day or week where you are most productive, and come up with a strategy to work a hybrid schedule successfully. 

Embrace Cloud 

In order to work successfully with colleagues in any working environment, you must be able to collaborate. What’s the best way to collaborate in a hybrid setup? Cloud! 

Consider moving all your necessary files to cloud systems, so they are easily accessible to not only you, but those who work with you. As you may not be in the office at the same time, colleagues can be on top of project updates whilst being able to use all the necessary resources required. Whether you’re working at home or in the office, your files will be available. 

Communication & Accessibility 

Thriving in a hybrid work environment means you will need to be accessible and regular communication is key.  A key soft skill to be successful in any work environment is your ability to communicate effectively. We have seen the rise of tech communication tools that enable effective communication between co-workers and your ability to use these tools will determine how successful you are as a hybrid worker. 

Whether it’s via video chat or a messenger app, maintain regular communication for long term success. 

Create a Hybrid Workday Routine 

A workday routine helps a great deal when it comes to getting yourself organised and on-the-ball on a day-to-day basis. There are challenges when it comes to routines and hybrid work, as you’re changing from one location to another a few times during the week. It may be a case of having two routines: one for the office and one for home. 

Going to the office means commencing on your morning commute earlier to beat the rush hours, whereas working from home can allow you to have more time to get ready, eat breakfast and begin your day. 

Breaks Are Important 

Whilst hybrid work offers you the chance to work in the comfort of your own surroundings, it’s important to remember that you still need to take breaks when necessary. As you’re likely to be less interrupted as you would be in the office, it can be easy to forget breaks. But whilst in the office, you’re likely to bump into a co-worker and discuss what you got up to on the weekend or what Netflix series you’ve been binge-watching. 

Breaks help you to not only give your eyes a break, but they also help re-focus your mind. If you’re working remotely, go for a short walk if possible, meet a friend for a quick coffee or an activity that takes your mind off work for a short period. 

Do you have a workstation?

Although having an exact workstation in your home or a remote location isn’t essential, it may recreate the feeling of being at work, in result, enhancing your productivity levels. By setting up a workstation in a spare room, you can also separate being “at work” and being at home in the same house. 

A good setup could help, as you’ll have all the resources you need in one place. The temptation to slouch on the sofa is appealing, but being focused does mean maintaining a good posture regularly – a desk chair could be the solution. This will all depend on your budget and if you have space to setup a workstation. 

Stick at it 

The changes to working in a hybrid environment are likely to take some time to get used to – for both employees and employers. This can lead to frustration most of the time; but by being patient, flexible and understanding will lead to eventual success in your role. 

Whether we choose to accept it or not, hybrid working has set the tone for the new way of working. Being successful in an hybrid-specific environment requires the application of soft skills for every job – more so in role where you are transitioning regularly.