When I took on the role of Junior Account Manager, we were already in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, managing remote workers was not a new concept for us. Here at ThoughtSpark we pride ourselves on being flexible working pioneers – we rolled it out well before the Covid-19 pandemic forced the majority of businesses to reshape their working patterns (dealing with remote workers) entirely and grapple with the effects.

In fact, one of my Account Directors has been based in Berlin ever since I joined the company. We also collaborate on a daily basis with language support staff who have always worked remotely, whether it is from Germany, Spain, Portugal or even further afield in Sweden.

When Christian and Kieran joined as our newest Account Executives, I was approaching hybrid onboarding for the first time. With the first few months being crucial for a new hire, it was imperative that I as their line manager made the process as smooth as possible for them.

Fast forward a few months and it’s been a win-win result (I can vouch for them!). So, I’d like to share some of my key learnings for successful hybrid working. Here is what I have learnt:

• Get yourself a good platform management tool. According to the 2021 Wellington report on the state of project management, 25% of the surveyed organisations said they spend 4 hours to a day manually collating info on project status. Timing is everything in public relations and marketing, so you want to make sure the team is in the loop, and everyone knows what’s on their plate, especially when collaborating remotely. A while ago, we transitioned to a new management tool and that’s been a real game changer! We’re able to monitor campaign progress in real-time, regardless of whether we’re working all together in the office or from home.
• Have a daily check-in, whether a one-to-one or a team session. I’m a big fan of daily catch-ups as they help to keep the entire team on the same page. They are a great chance to stay connected on ongoing projects and discuss updates, while also giving feedback or asking for clarifications.
• Make the most of your office days. Being all together in the office certainly has its perks (we currently meet up twice a week in a co-working space) – enjoying tea breaks with your colleagues is high up on the list! Physically turning towards your colleagues when asking a question or trying to explain something can make it easier to communicate and collaborate, particularly when you’re working to a tight deadline. However, it’s also the perfect time to take stock of current projects and discuss upcoming priorities – all while sipping a cuppa of course.

I’d love to hear more about your experience with hybrid working and what has worked for you. Drop me a line on LinkedIn.