Give Your Employees Autonomy in the Hybrid Workplace

 
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Wed 03 Nov 2021

Give Your Employees Autonomy in the Hybrid Workplace

You're probably hearing a lot about the importance of providing employees with flexibility when it comes to hybrid work. But that can mean different things to different people. Keep in mind that being “flexible” is less about the exact number of days in the office and more about giving employees autonomy.

 So develop a hybrid-work approach that prioritizes people’s ability to make their own decisions about where and when to work. 

Start by establishing principles, not policies. 

 

For instance, rather than stating “everyone needs to spend a minimum of three days in the office per week,” you might say something like “there is inherent value in both the physical office and remote locations — we strongly encourage employees to consider which locations best enable them to most effectively carry out certain tasks.”

 

  You want to set a guideline for best practices without dictating where people work. Then support people’s ability to work autonomously, by investing in learning and skills development and making sure everyone has the right tools and technologies to be effective from anywhere.
This tip is adapted from “Forget Flexibility. Your Employees Want Autonomy,” by Holger Reisinger and Dane Fetterer

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