How to: leading hybrid teams

There is not much we gained from the pandemic, but one thing we have to admit: It has drastically digitalized the way we work. Working from home became the standard overnight - with no alternative. Of course, this radical change also brought with it a few hurdles. Be it a reasonably ergonomic setup, the blur of private and professional space or also, and above all, the reconciliation of family and work. Not to mention the psychological strain.

At the same time, however, one of the biggest prejudices against home office days was settled: Employees are not less productive when they are not in the office. Quite the opposite! The productivity curve has even increased. One of the main reasons for this is the possibility of a more flexible alignment of work and private life. The phenomenon of staycation - working from vacation locations - also makes a major contribution. Accordingly, even after the end of the official home office obligation, it is clear that employees no longer want to give up on hybrid work structures. But how can hybrid teams be managed efficiently in the long term?

OKRs instead of classic goal management

While, especially before the pandemic, classic target agreements were usually made on an annual basis, a more agile target management method is now required. OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) offer just that: an agile and dynamic adjustment and realignment of objectives at three-month intervals. There are numerous benefits of this approach:

• You are forced to specify your company vision and goals at regular intervals and make them measurable.
• Employees are actively involved in shaping goals. This not only promotes employee loyalty, but also ownership.
• The achievement of goals represents a continuous process and is tangible. Measured goals or changed priorities can be adjusted flexibly.
• Responsibilities are distributed transparently. This avoids overburdening individuals.
• Automated progress technology ensures that everyone stays informed in real time. Even when in home office or on a staycation.
• Collaborative editing and commenting features allow everyone to get involved. This improves internal communication and collaboration.
• In addition to higher-level departmental and team goals, individual goals can also be included. Employees thus feel heard and supported.

Definition of OKRs

Objectives stand for jointly defined goals that are closely aligned with the company's overall vision. They should be worded as precisely and comprehensibly as possible so that everyone involved has a clear understanding of what they are working towards. Also important: be bold! Objectives are ambitious and almost a bit of a stretch without being completely unrealistic.

Key Results define the individual key outcomes needed for you and your team members to achieve the set goals. To do this, they must be measurable and quantifiable. The more precise, the better. We can summarize: By achieving our "Key Results" we move towards our "Objectives".

As a rule of thumb, up to 5 objectives are defined for a quarter. Each objective becomes tangible through respective key results, or sub-objectives, and its achievement becomes measurable. At regular intervals, you then meet as a team to discuss progress and provide support in the event of potential complications. At least as important: recognize performance and celebrate successes!