The pandemia of 2020 ushered in a new sense of normalcy for remote work. Although some workers are returning to the office, many employees are continuing in telework with projected levels predicted to remain high throughout 2021. As such, it’s safe to say Hybrid Teams are here to stay. Knowing how to build accountability in a hybrid team is therefore a key skill to develop to excel in the post-pandemic world.

As daunting as it can seem to maintain accountability, with a few best practices you can ensure things run smoothly and employee and company needs are met.

Implement the right tools

Using the right tools is crucial in keeping everyone on the same page. Project management tools such as Asana, Slack, or Trello are incredibly helpful in organizing and assigning tasks. Finding the right virtual meeting platform that works for your team and needs is another tool that will assist you in staying connected–the easier it is to communicate, the more your team will feel comfortable in reaching out to you when the need arises.

Define Goals and Expectations clearly

If employees are underdelivering, most of the time it is due to uncertainty. Work to establish clear goals and expectations that maintain equity among team members. Once people know what the goals are, it is easier for them to plan and allocate their time accordingly. 

Set Distinct Working Hours

It’s hard to keep a team on track when everyone has a different schedule. Establishing distinct working hours allows your team to know when they can connect with you and also aids in giving framework to the day. You can still be flexible and adjust to employee needs, but having an allocated time for work will help both the onsite and remote workers stay connected. 

Share progress

Another aid in achieving accountability is to share progress/updates throughout the workday. Here is another place where a good management platform can be very useful. By employees writing down their goals for the entire team to see, it helps keep them motivated by friendly peer pressure. Also, it is harder to accidentally forget something when it is written down.

Reflection/review

Holding an end of day/week recap is incredibly helpful in keeping everyone feeling involved. It also helps team members be aware of one another’s schedules so they don’t bother them if they have to step out for an appointment etc.  Having a review session can also help critique if necessary, to go over more smoothly and before any issue becomes too big.

Conclusion

Building accountability in a hybrid team can be a challenge, but is definitely attainable.  By establishing the correct process and utilizing available tools, you can ensure that both your onsite and teleworking employees feel fulfilled and can deliver their best work.