Offices all over the world look very different than they used to pre-pandemic. Hybrid workplaces and flexible hours are the norm.
Though the hybrid workplace has its benefits, the traditional 9-5 is quite different than it was in the past, making setting boundaries in the workplace difficult. The flexibility of hybrid environments aims to make life easier but is blurring the lines between people’s personal and work lives.
However, it is possible to set boundaries even when juggling parental duties and work responsibilities. Here are the best practices for setting hybrid workplace boundaries.
Boundaries are personal rules or limits you set that allow you to be more productive and healthy by protecting your energy and time. There are three different types of boundaries - physical, mental and emotional.
They are critical in maintaining a better work-life balance and mental and physical well-being. Establishing boundaries comes with many benefits, such as:
Working remotely means a shorter commute, but it also means that work is always with you, even when spending time with family. Boundaries provide clarity and certainty and are essential for combating burnout at work.
A recent study from the American Psychological Association found that only 35% of employees worked for places with a culture that recommended and encouraged breaks. Only 40% said they worked somewhere where their employer respected their time off.
A strong hybrid workplace culture that respects boundaries and takes measures to help workers is necessary. Burnout and unhealthy mental or physical well-being don’t just affect employees; they affect the organization, too.
Clear communication is essential in boundary setting because if no one knows them, they can’t abide by them. But communication in a hybrid work environment can be murky as it's hard to understand the meaning behind what someone says without context in the online world.
HR managers should try to help employees create a clear work schedule and make sure everyone on the team knows it. So, if someone emails them after the cutoff time, they're not obligated to answer.
Defining expectations for response times and deadlines is also important so that everyone understands them. Additionally, explaining what is an emergency and how to contact someone if there is one can help maintain boundaries.
Regular check-ins can help keep an open line of communication; you can make adjustments as necessary. Using collaboration tools like video conferencing or project management software can help facilitate communication and increase productivity.
The best thing about flexible schedules is your employees can usually work during their most productive hours and work around parental duties. But structure is still important for getting things done and to prevent overworking. Encouraging employees to set specific times for checking email will remind everyone of their availability and will also help them focus on work tasks.
Defining clear start and end times for their day and setting specific times for check-ins helps to create structure and keeps them in the loop. A set schedule also provides a clear indicator for the beginning and end of their work day to avoid working excessively. Overworking is one of the biggest drawbacks to working from home, as work life can bleed into personal life.
This sense of structure helps draw a line between work and home life when employees work from home.
Maintaining team collaboration in a hybrid work environment is one of the biggest challenges for organizations. There’s often an imbalance between remote workers and those in person, making the remote team members feel left out.
This situation can lead to decreased productivity and engagement for hybrid teams and make it difficult for them to meet goals. Effective collaboration in a hybrid workplace requires rethinking the whole work environment from physical to digital to interpersonal.
Successful collaboration in this unique environment requires the right tools and maximizing the time you have together. Set designated collaboration hours during the work day when people aren’t absent on breaks. Scheduling collaboration times and clear communication can avoid boundary crossing while making sure everyone feels involved and supported.
Determine the right tools for collaboration in advance to avoid bottlenecks. Software and technology can facilitate collaboration, but it won’t solve all the hybrid workplace problems.
Luckily, technology is great at helping hybrid teams set and maintain professional boundaries. Communication, project and time management tools can help employees communicate status updates like when they’re available and what they’re doing. They can even add an away message in a tool like Slack or email to help reinforce those boundaries.
Tools like Toggl and ClickUp can help employees set their working hours. Some can even notify managers and coworkers when they can contact a team member to let them know if they're working. Toggl is also great for time tracking and allows supervisors to see if employees are working when they’re supposed to or staying on task.
These tools can help streamline the hybrid workplace for increased productivity while helping employees maintain a work-life balance and manage boundaries.
While the traditional workday and place have changed and hybrid work environments are the new normal, the whole process is still evolving. Organizations can use technology to help manage team collaboration, communication with team members and performance management.
HR leaders should encourage employees to define boundaries, take breaks and vacations, and have a clear start and end time to their day for a healthy work-life balance.
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