This is Your Brain on Hybrid

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” – Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

It’s amazing that though this quote was written in the mid 1800’s, its still quite applicable today.

Especially when examining what’s happening the workplace today. The hybrid work model is introducing diametrically opposed opinions at the same time.

Employees want remote work. Some executive leaders prefer employees in the office at least three days a week. Employees want flexibility. Their leaders want structure. Employees want to be seen and heard regardless of location. And their leaders struggle with how to manage people they can’t physically see.

Over time all these needs and concerns will be fleshed out. A year from now, all these concerns will be non-issue.

But how do we ensure that during this “fleshing out” period, the motivation, morale and engagement of our employees and leaders stay elevated?

How do we help combat the fear that’s clearly evident that is resulting in trends like the “Great Resignation?”

How do we help leaders with their anxiety about how to manage their remote workers?

When we clearly understand how our brains are experiencing and processing all of these changes, it opens up the door to better handling and dealing with the unknowns.

Here are some facts we know about the brain. Firstly, its sole purpose is to protect us. Secondly, it hates uncertainty. And thirdly, it doesn’t like things it can’t predict.

So when the uncertainty and the unpredictability of what the new workplace will look and feel like, it triggers fear. That sets our brains in motion to protect us. Amygdala’s get hijacked – and when that happens, the ability to stay focused and make good decisions vanishes.

In an effort to create predictability and certainty and minimize the feeling of being out of control, we make rash decisions are made. Declarative demands that all work will be in person or all workers will be remote occur.

But there are other facts we also know about the brain: it is a social creature. In fact, for the brain to continue to grow in its neuroplasticity and mindset, it requires connection. So asking employees to be in the office in person actually will help our brains to better function for key activities.

We need to examine the true purpose of being in the office. Since work can essentially get done from anywhere, what are the purposes of our brick and mortar office spaces now? It has more to do more to do with creating cohesion. To build team culture. To have space for dedicated think tank working sessions to generate innovation, key insights and share important information.

And to have that sense of belonging. Productivity goes up when we feel like we belong and we matter. Like we have a home. So while our reconfigured office spaces in the hybrid workplace may have dedicated collaboration areas or long work tables with multiple work areas, it will be important to have dedicated spots for employees to create their “home away from home”. Think “lockers”!

Hybrid work is here to stay. And it will work – the bumps will even out. We just have to be intentional about what work we need to be “skin-to-skin” for and what work we don’t need to be together to accomplish.

About Transformation Strategies

Founded by Tricia Steege in 2001, Transformation Strategies is a trusted consulting firm that assists our clients to realize their desired futures by partnering with them to create comprehensive change strategies and implementation plans that accomplish real results. We specialize in shifting whole systems at one time by helping our clients think the way the whole system thinks. Contact us today to get started.