The Hybrid Work Balancing Act

Lessons from GitHub on Navigating the Complexities of Hybrid Work

DEAR STAGE 2: I saw your post last week about remote teams and would love to get your take on hybrid. How does your advice change when you have a mix of in-office and remote employees across different time zones? Do you have any examples of companies we should learn from? ~Building a Hybrid Team

DEAR BUILDING A HYBRID TEAM: Two weeks in a row of questions on team building. And it makes sense with summer coming to an end that leaders are thinking about how to get their teams engaged and focused to close out 2024 strong. This week we’re tackling hybrid work. It's like remote work's more complicated cousin - all the challenges of remote, plus the added fun of making sure your in-office folks don't end up with all the power (and snacks). 😉

I recently chatted with Chris Wheeler, Stage 2 Limited Partner and Senior Director of Global Sales Development at GitHub, who's been navigating these choppy hybrid waters like a pro. His global team spans three regions and five countries, with a requirement of two in-office days per week, while allowing the flexibility to work remotely for the remainder of the time. Here's his breakdown on what's working and what to watch out for when you're juggling in-office and remote employees across different time zones.

The great accountability question

First up, let's talk about accountability. Chris emphasized that it's not a one-size-fits-all approach:

"For folks that are newer in career and need to build the muscle of being focused and self-driven, repeatedly, all day, every day, we bring a bigger focus to activity metrics that build to the outcomes that we expect. It’s important to take a collaborative, “guardrail” approach to this, as opposed to micro-management.  For more tenured employees that have a strong track record, we're much more outcome-oriented, giving greater autonomy en route to their targets."

The key here is to tailor your approach based on experience level, not location. Don't fall into the trap of micromanaging your remote folks just because you can't see them. Trust me, they'll feel it, and it won't end well.

Building a strong operating cadence across time zones

Now, when it comes to operating cadence, Chris had some solid advice:

"We want to ensure that people feel like they're part of the team, so we encourage managers to have daily touch points with everyone. Depending on team and rep performance, this can be more informal for high-performing teams – slack messages, texts, phone calls to see how people are doing and how we can help them. For teams or reps that are struggling, we ‘tighten the reins,' going so far as having daily AM & PM stand-ups to ensure that we're hitting milestones on a daily basis. In this scenario, it’s about providing clarity and accountability to the right tasks or motions that will get the rep to their target."

Chris focuses on the individual’s needs and encourages flexibility. Some high performers might demand your time, while others need greater autonomy. Struggling team members will need more support and structure. Just make sure you're not creating a two-tier system where your in-office folks get all the face time.

When it comes to meetings, Chris is a big believer in the "cameras on" culture:

"There's nothing more demoralizing than being attentive and engaged in a meeting where the majority of cameras are off. You miss non-verbal cues, you miss the opportunity to get those little pieces of peoples' personal lives in their background. You see who's engaged and who's working on something else."

This is crucial in a hybrid setup. Your remote folks need to feel like they're in the room, and your in-office people need to remember they're part of a larger team. Pro tip: If you're having a meeting where some folks are in a conference room and others are remote, have everyone log in individually. It levels the playing field and prevents the dreaded "remote people as disembodied voices on a speakerphone" scenario.

Time zones are another beast entirely. Chris suggests rotating meeting times so no region feels like an afterthought. They even have a smart approach to all-hands meetings:

"We have all hands/town hall meetings covering three different time zone friendly times on a rotating basis – AMER + EMEA, AMER + APAC, and APAC + EMEA."

This approach ensures everyone gets a chance to attend live at a reasonable hour. It's a small thing, but it goes a long way in making your global team feel truly global.

Recognition and celebration

When it comes to celebrating wins, Chris emphasizes the importance of understanding individual preferences: "Some people want their name in lights, while others feel a private DM from their manager or skip-level boss is more meaningful. Don't be afraid to ask!"

In a hybrid environment, it's easy for the in-office folks to get all the glory (and the impromptu celebratory lunch or happy hour). Make sure you're finding ways to celebrate your remote rockstars just as visibly. A win wire in Slack or a shoutout in the all-hands can go a long way.

The argument for IRL connection

Finally, let's talk about when to bring people together in person. Chris suggests focusing on collaboration and connection:

"If a meeting series is about collaboration and the creation of a tangible work output or artifact, it's smart to convene in person. Schedule an offsite or schedule that meeting during office days if you're hybrid."

You have to make these in-person meetups count. Go laptops-closed, build in breaks, and end with something fun. You want people to remember why it's worth the commute (or the plane ride).

Building a strong hybrid culture is all about intentionality. You can't rely on osmosis or water cooler chats to build connections. You need to create structures that give everyone equal access to information, recognition, and opportunities.

The key is to experiment, get feedback, and keep iterating until you find your hybrid sweet spot.