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imagine it. You assemble a bit of furniture from the box, however the handbook is missing. You’ve gotten all of the tools, all of the parts, but you do not know where to start out. That is what a hybrid working model looks like without proper documentation. It’s like being in a spaceship and not using a navigation system.
Last tests conducted by McKinsey showed that as many as 68% of companies shouldn’t have a structured “handbook” that can guide their hybrid work model. I used to be surprised to see this because I at all times work with clients whom I help to develop a hybrid working model on a transparent and transparent manual for future use, which later became the idea of my best-selling book on hybrid work.
With the Covid-19 pandemic leading to an unprecedented shift to distant and hybrid working environments, it’s critical that companies fine-tune their approach. The old saying, “If you happen to don’t plan, you propose to fail” holds true greater than ever.
Survey evaluation
The McKinsey survey assessed how well companies implemented 12 identified key practices for an efficient and sustainable hybrid work model. Interestingly, the primary pitfall for many companies is making a balance between working onsite and dealing remotely – a “true hybrid” model should you will.
In a way, it’s like attempting to play a symphony with a missing note. The performers have their instruments, they’re willing, talented, but without the guidance of the conductor they’re unable to synchronize their efforts. This can be a clear lack of efficiency improvement and efficient use of real estate, just like leaving money on the table while playing poker.
Related: Why Forcing Employers to Return to the Office Results in More Employee Power and Unionization
The worth of documentation in a hybrid model
Think of your hybrid workflow documentation as a secret recipe, blueprint, and even your organization’s unique fingerprint. It represents your organization’s approach to work – who does what, where and when. More importantly, it creates a unified vision of how work is finished, facilitating seamless communication and transparency in any respect levels.
In keeping with a McKinsey study, failure to implement a well-documented process stumbled even probably the most progressive companies. It’s like attempting to construct a skyscraper without foundations. Result? A wobbly structure that may disintegrate on the slightest tremble.
A step towards a more efficient hybrid model
Documentation is the pillar that holds the entire system together. It allows for a more thoughtful approach to designing effective workplaces, leading to higher capital allocation and ultimately improved productivity. Documentation facilitates flexibility and dynamism, enabling companies to simply adapt to changing work patterns and trends. It’s like having a high-quality GPS system that redirects you when there is a recent path.
Probably the most compelling evidence of the impact of proper documentation might be seen within the steps taken by distant organizations and start-ups after the pandemic. The documentation enabled these entities to efficiently navigate the complex maze of the hybrid model, creating structures that support efficient workflows and powerful channels of communication.
The impact of cognitive biases on the documentation of the hybrid model of work
As we grapple with the realities of the hybrid working model and the crucial documentation to support its successful implementation, it is amazingly necessary to acknowledge how cognitive biases can influence this process. Particularly, we are going to explore the impact of establishment biases and anchoring biases and the way they could skew our understanding and handling of hybrid work model documentation.
The establishment bias is a cognitive bias that promotes a preference for the establishment. That is as a result of our reluctance to alter and the discomfort of unfamiliar scenarios. Within the context of a hybrid working model, the bias of the establishment could be a significant obstacle.
In keeping with the McKinsey study, many companies struggle to create an efficient hybrid model. This difficulty is compounded by the bias of the establishment, where each employees and management can resist change by sticking to traditional methods of working and documenting work processes.
For instance, the thought of documenting specific processes or distant work protocols could also be discarded in favor of existing office-centric methods. Bias can result in incorrect decisions, resembling maintaining ineffective processes simply because they’re known, causing inefficiencies and communication failures.
Overcoming the prejudices of the establishment requires a conscious effort by the whole organization. Encouraging open discussion of changes, providing training on recent protocols and processes, and highlighting the advantages of the brand new system might help neutralize this bias.
The anchor bias refers to our tendency to rely heavily on the primary piece of information (the “anchor”) we receive when making decisions. Within the context of the hybrid work model, this can present itself in several ways.
One of such scenarios would be the initial development of documentation for a hybrid work model. If the primary draft is created with an undue emphasis on working remotely or within the office, it will possibly function an “anchor” that influences all subsequent modifications. This might potentially result in an unbalanced hybrid model, one that doesn’t make optimal use of the advantages of each working environments.
Similarly, organizations may anchor themselves to pre-pandemic norms, expecting employees to adapt their home environments to reflect traditional office setups. Such anchoring can result in overlooking revolutionary solutions that make the most of the unique advantages of distant work, resembling flexible schedules or individualized workspaces.
Counter-anchoring involves encouraging differentiated input in decision-making processes and difficult assumptions based on first information. Creating multiple drafts of documentation and collecting extensive feedback can provide help to avoid being anchored in an unbalanced or sub-optimal hybrid model.
Recognizing and mitigating the consequences of the establishment and anchoring bias can dramatically improve the documentation process of a hybrid working model. It allows for a more sustainable, efficient and future-proof approach that maximizes the advantages of each in-office and distant working. As we navigate a changing work landscape, being aware of these cognitive biases is a crucial step towards making a successful hybrid work model.
Related: Busting 5 Hybrid Work Myths
Practical steps to an efficient documentation strategy
An efficient documentation strategy starts with identifying and understanding the several elements of your organization’s work model. It’s like designing a posh puzzle – each bit has its own unique place and purpose.
First, organizations have to discover critical “moments that matter” within the work process. This will include identifying key stages of project development in addition to determining which activities are higher done in person. A transparent, well-documented outline of these moments provides a roadmap to assist employees make smart decisions about their work.
Then advanced technologies are implemented within the workplace. Tools resembling video conferencing, digital whiteboards, and even augmented and virtual reality technologies should be seamlessly integrated into the system. The goal is to create a virtual workspace that matches – and even surpasses – its physical counterpart.
Finally, it’s important for organizations to understand that their documentation will not be a set-and-forget manual. It’s a living, evolving guide that needs to be periodically updated to reflect changes in work processes and recent technological developments. It’s like taking care of a garden, requiring constant care and adaptation to the changing seasons.
Application
If there’s one thing we will take from the McKinsey study, it’s this: The long run of work is hybrid, and its success relies heavily on our ability to develop a well-documented approach to this model. The trail to a thriving hybrid work model is comparable to a symphonic performance. This requires well-organized efforts by all players, each playing their part at the suitable time and in the suitable place. As we navigate this recent terrain, let’s make sure we’re armed with a well-documented plan – our conductor’s rating, should you will – to assist us hit all the suitable notes.