When COVID-19 began nearly a billion employees shifted from working in an office to working from home, or in a hybrid capacity. This was a monumental shift and things are just beginning to return back to normal. However, there is a belief that a lot of workers will never return to the office and many positions that were once considered to be solely in-office will now be either work from home positions or some sort of hybrid. As the business world adjusts to this new paradigm so must employees adjust to a hybrid lifestyle. There are a few key abilities every hybrid worker should have so they can thrive in this new world.
A Self Motivator
One type of employee who’s likely to flourish in a hybrid workplace is a self-motivator. Someone who doesn’t need a boss idly passing by their desk in order to get a day’s work done. On top of the lack of a constant eye over your shoulder, there are also the general distractions of home that can take you away from your responsibilities. You have to learn to manage your own time and take authority over your own work schedule. An employee who is able to keep themselves focused and on task will be greatly sought after in a work from home or hybrid environment.
A Prioritizer
Someone who knows how to prioritize when and where they do certain tasks will also thrive in a hybrid environment. For example, if you are going into an office 3 days a week and at home 2 days a week you need to be able to prioritize what needs to get done at the office and what you can work on at home. The obvious division here is figuring out what tasks are best accomplished in the same room as your team and what is best to work on solo. While digital meetings have connected us, nothing can really replace personal in room discussion. It’s also helpful to think about what resources you have at your office that you don’t have at home. Maybe there are programs and technological resources at your office that you won’t have access to remotely, what tasks need to be done with this equipment and how can you prioritize your work day so this all gets done before you leave?
A Corporate Culture Wiz
One of the worries of the work from home movement is that a company will lose their corporate culture which could lead to low employee morale and a disconnect from the business. Someone who knows the corporate culture well and can maintain it in their remote or hybrid position will stand out in this new environment. Supervisors will be working overtime to keep the corporate culture alive and will be thankful for any employee from whom they don’t need to put in the extra time. Any employee who can not only maintain this culture for themselves but help spread it amongst their co-workers will be highly valued and celebrated.
The last key element is flexibility. With all this we as a workforce must remain flexible and open to new ideas and new ways of doing things. While things may never fully get back to the way they were before there will be a new normal and those who can adjust to it will thrive.
This article was written by Sam Rogal.
Sam Rogal is a writer and professional living in New York City. He has worked in the film and theater industry and graduated top of his class with a degree in Communications.