Cultivating Team Cohesion in a Hybrid World

When the pandemic began, many of us assumed working remotely would only be temporary, but as weeks turned into months and months are now turning into years, we now realize that some employees may never come back into the office. Thus, hybrid teams were born. And while this way of working may be different from what many of us are accustomed to, there are ways to create cohesion among a hybrid team.

If you’re struggling to achieve this within a team you are leading or collaborating on, there are some simple ways to rectify this problem and help your hybrid team run just as smoothly, if not even smoother, than your in-person team. Take a look at some helpful tips below to thrive (not just survive) in a hybrid world. 

Clearly define your team’s vision.

In order to function effectively as a team, you must have a clear vision of what this looks like and means for each team member. Ensure you are defining the common purpose for the team as well as each member’s individual contributions. Many teams assume that everyone organically understands and supports the vision, but this isn’t always the case, so be intentional and explicit when crafting and communicating your vision. Working together toward achieving a common goal energizes and connects your team even when you’re not physically together. If you’re a leader struggling to define your vision or get your team to buy in, consider participating in a workshop to update or create that.

Leverage the strengths of your team. 

The first step here is for everyone on your team to acknowledge what their strengths are and voice them to others. So often, we are too humble to articulate what we do best, and we don’t realize this is a detriment to our team! Have your team take an assessment that creates a common language around strengths, and use these to your advantage to accelerate your vision.

Make space for fun!

Personal connections are still meaningful even if we only communicate with some people through a screen. Fostering these connections can be as simple as kicking off your staff meetings by asking a fun, low-stakes question to encourage relationship building. I love this list of quirky ice-breaker questions. Or you can plan face-to-face gatherings to reconnect periodically. These meetings could be work-related, social, or both and will jump-start your team’s ability to perform virtually.

Working in a hybrid environment has its challenges, but you will find your team collaborating more productively than ever with these helpful tips.