??‍? Hybrid work arrangements continue to show faults, but not all is lost. Concerns over productivity, collaboration, and communication are on the rise, according to a recent Harvard Business Review study. Despite the recent push for a return to office, it may not be the main issue — specific work practices are to blame.

It’s true, offices may indeed foster better relationships. Struggling new hires and weakened collaboration emerge as major challenges to hybrid and remote work, with employees shown to be less likely to ask for help in a virtual setting. Online communications have also taken a hit, with fewer employees responding to their peers’ requests for help — evidence of a fading sense of community.

It’s every man for himself. With collaboration affected, promotions are now based on individual performance — and nothing else for the most part. Why? It’s what is being tracked. The result is that “the wrong people are being promoted,” according to HBR. Relevant leadership skills required for managerial positions have become difficult to observe in a virtual environment, leading to slumps in team performance.

Hybrid work sounds like the perfect balance, but in practice, it’s not always the case. Without consistent in-office schedules across teams, productivity may plummet. To set things back on track, HBR suggests establishing “anchor days” — where all employees are available in the office, and thus reestablishing a consistent model for in-person communication.

What else can employers do to restore productivity? The first step wouldn’t be to completely rule out a hybrid work model, but rather tackle its hurdles. Virtual meetings are one such hurdle, often ineffective on account of the large number of attendees and unclear objectives. Defined meetings with a limited number of employees where engagement is encouraged may be the way to improve their effectiveness.

For a more collaborative virtual work environment, HBR suggests evaluating response time to requests for help as part of an employee’s KPIs, while also monitoring cooperation through peer assessments. Virtual-first onboarding programs and a “buddy system” where new hires are paired with experienced veterans may also prove fruitful, strengthening communication and establishing a professional support network.

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