Cross-Team Collaboration in the Hybrid Workplace

Since the global pandemic in 2020, hybrid working has emerged as a game-changer for many organizations, offering a flexible approach that combines remote and in-office work, and giving employees the freedom to choose where, when and how they work.

It has gained popularity due to its potential to enhance work-life balance, increase productivity, and reduce commuting stress. [1]

But, while hybrid working offers many benefits, it also presents unique challenges for both managers and their teams. Team members may struggle with feelings of isolation, communication barriers, and difficulty in separating work and personal life. And for managers, maintaining team cohesion and ensuring effective collaboration can be daunting tasks.

Cross-team collaboration is one of the biggest challenges currently facing hybrid teams. According to research from Gallup, 32 percent of workers feel that hybrid working arrangements make them feel less connected to their organization, and 30 percent say it's led to less collaboration. [2]

In this article we’re going to explore some of the key challenges of cross-team collaboration in hybrid workplaces – and what organizations and managers can do to overcome them.

The Challenge of Hybrid Cross-Team Collaboration

Identifying and addressing common collaboration challenges is essential for the success of hybrid teams. For example, overcoming distance and time zone differences requires innovative solutions to ensure seamless communication and coordination.

Strategies such as scheduling regular check-ins, utilizing collaboration tools, and fostering a sense of belonging can help to bridge the gap between remote and in-office employees. Moreover, cultural differences and varying work styles within teams can create additional hurdles, necessitating a nuanced approach to collaboration and communication.

How to Enhance Hybrid Team Communication

Effective communication lies at the heart of successful collaboration in hybrid teams. Regular check-ins, virtual team-building activities, and encouraging feedback can foster a sense of camaraderie and promote collaboration among team members.

Communication can be tough for cross-functional and hybrid teams. Not everyone works the same hours; they’re often in different places, and performing different functions. Even fully remote teams can find things easier than hybrid teams – because everyone's working at home, rather than some people being at home and others in the office. Remote workers are also more likely to have specific equipment and processes in place that enable good communication.

Cross-functional teams have their own communication challenges. Team members may be used to having a particular way of doing things. They may have their own technical jargon or processes, for example, which can exclude others.

Managers need to coach team members to think about the language they use, to avoid excluding collaborators. They also need to build a team culture where members feel psychologically safe to share opinions and flag problems. Asking questions to gain insight into the specific challenges people experience when collaborating in hybrid teams is essential. However, having a solid communication plan in place can also be helpful to teams.

You can set up your own team communication plan by including the following information:

• Who to ask about key technical issues.
• When to use messaging software, and when to use email.
• In what circumstances virtual meetings are and are not required.
• What's a satisfactory response time for messages – taking into account that not everyone is around or in the same location at the same time.

How to Build Relationships in Hybrid Workplaces

Managers play a key role in fostering the relationships that teams need in order to collaborate effectively. Cultivating a culture of trust, transparency, and open communication is fundamental for fostering collaboration and innovation.

Encouraging regular feedback, recognizing achievements, and addressing concerns proactively can help to create a positive and inclusive work environment, where all team members feel valued and empowered to contribute.

Team meetings and one-on-one check-ins are valuable for getting people "on the same page," but also for exploring problems or challenges together. Video conferencing has its technical drawbacks, but it can help you to pick up on the visual cues that email or instant messaging can’t always provide.

Hybrid work means you have to make intentional plans to connect, even for relatively casual conversations. This extra effort is needed by managers so they can check in with team members and add a human touch – which may otherwise go missing in a hybrid workplace.

Organizing remote team-building activities, such as virtual coffee breaks, online games, or collaborative projects, can help to build rapport and strengthen relationships among team members.

Setting Goals and Expectations for Hybrid Teams

Setting clear goals and expectations for collaborative projects ensures alignment and accountability among team members, and between teams. It’s particularly important in hybrid teams.

Managers should communicate expectations clearly and ensure that each team member understands their responsibilities and contributions to collaborative projects. Establishing measurable objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) enables teams to track progress and evaluate success effectively.

Regular check-ins and progress reviews provide opportunities for feedback and course correction, ensuring that people stay on track and achieve their goals.

Fostering a culture of accountability and ownership encourages hybrid team members to work with autonomy, take initiative, and drive results, contributing to the overall success of the company.

Clarifying Roles and Responsibilities

Hybrid and cross-team projects can be tricky to navigate. So, before a project starts, having a clear statement or summary of who will be required to do what can be helpful. Who is project leader, for example? Who will have technical oversight? Will one person track progress or will this be everyone's responsibility? And who will have final sign-off? Clarity benefits productivity and helps to break down silos.

If you don’t already have a specialized project-management system, set up a responsibility-assignment matrix for each project. You can use this framework to assign involvement in a project, delegate tasks, and establish key roles. If everyone knows what they’re meant to be doing, and when, collaboration becomes much easier.

How to Avoid Silos

Silos happen when people or teams work in isolation from others, and don’t share information or communicate properly with other colleagues. Hybrid workplaces are often prone to silos. But if teams continue to become more distant from one another, it can end up damaging productivity, trust, and even relationships.

Encourage team members to share knowledge and data as widely as they need to. To do this, provide people with organizational charts. Encourage them to find out who’s in each department, what the department does, why it exists, where it’s located, when you should involve it in your own team's work, and how it operates.

When you receive assistance or resources from another department, offer your help and support in return. This builds trust and increases the sense that you're all working toward a shared purpose.

Top Tools for Hybrid Workplace Collaboration

Technology to facilitate real-time communication and collaboration, such as video conferencing and instant-messaging platforms, can help to overcome the challenges of hybrid team collaboration.

There are plenty of tools and platforms to make remote collaboration easier. These include:

• Project-management tools. Asana and Trello are good examples. These enable collaborators to see a project's status at a glance, and to update it appropriately.
• Communication platforms. These include Slack, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. They make both real-time and asynchronous communication easy.
• Shared-document platforms. Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 and others allow team members to work on the same documents at the same time.
• Virtual whiteboards. Miro and Mural are good examples. These allow teams to brainstorm outcomes and plan workflows.