Catching Up with Your Hybrid-Remote Team

‍Understanding the Hybrid-Remote Setup

In-office, Remote, Hybrid, or all of the above? Use team catch-ups to coordinate updates, questions and decisions across working locations. 

The idea of a hybrid-remote setup is different from all-remote, which is when there is no physical office and everyone works remotely. The hybrid-remote setup combines a physical workspace (i.e. the office) with the option to work remotely under agreed arrangements. 

Importance of Effective Team Catch-Ups 

Agree the purpose and frequency of catch-ups. Use live discussion when interaction or a decision is needed, and an agreed written channel for routine updates. In its UK management guidance, Acas recommends balanced, purposeful contact rather than constant check-ins.

A team catch-up is an informal meeting for team members to get together and discuss recent happenings and share updates. Effective team catch-ups can help build rapport and trust, facilitate communication and surface questions or blockers. 

For a team to be successful, it only makes sense if the people in the team are openly communicating and allowing for personal connections. The goal is to create a space where everyone’s contributions and efforts are heard and valued. 

Tips for A Successful Team Catch-Up (Hybrid-Remote Environment)

Although a catch-up is usually informal and casual, it still calls for careful planning and execution, especially in a hybrid-remote environment. A successful team catch-up starts with a clear agenda and is structured for optimal efficiency. 

To ensure your catch-ups are productive and engaging, consider:

• Meeting frequency: how often is your team meeting? 
• Participation: is the team engaged and actively participating in the conversation?
• Soliciting feedback: are you allowing room for feedback and open discussions?
• Accessibility: are your meetings accessible and inclusive to all team members? Agree workable timing within agreed working arrangements, allow written input when live attendance is difficult, and share decisions in notes everyone can access. 

Try this three-stage agenda as an adaptable example:

1. Open: invite an optional brief update.
2. Discuss: focus on one coordination blocker. For example, a teammate lacks access to a shared file; agree that the facilitator will request access by Friday.
3. Close: record the decision or next action, its owner and due date in notes available to the whole team.

8 Questions to Ask in a Team Catch-Up 

(To foster open communication and avoid the simple “it’s going good” answer.)

1. Are there any tools or resources you need to perform your tasks more efficiently?
2. How are our current communication channels working for you?
3. Are there any virtual team-building activities you’d like to see us implement? 
4. Do you have a preference for certain meeting times and/or formats?
5. How do you prefer to receive feedback and recognition for your contributions?
6. What aspects of our hybrid work arrangement are working well for you?
7. Are there any opportunities for growth or development you’re interested in pursuing?
8. Are there any changes you’d like to make to your workspace?

These questions are great starting points for keeping the conversation going and encouraging team engagement, but they should be tailored according to your team’s specific dynamics! Choose a small, relevant subset. Personal sharing is optional: people can pass or respond privately, especially on development or recognition.

The goal of a team catch-up is to create open conversations and foster transparency. In a hybrid-remote setup, it is important that you are considering accessibility and inclusivity to ensure all team members share equal opportunities. 

Quick Recap

Before your next catch-up, choose a purpose, plan how everyone can contribute and record the next steps.

An effective team catch-up is so much more than just life updates and work progress. It aims to:

• Build rapport and trust
• Facilitate communication
• Surface questions or blockers

To ensure your team catch-up is productive and successful, consider:

• Meeting frequency
• Level of engagement and participation
• Soliciting feedback and open discussion
• Accessibility and inclusivity

So, in your next team catch-up, remember the connections that are being made, topics that are being discussed, and ideas that are exchanged. Take these tips into consideration and together we can bridge the gaps of communication in the hybrid-remote workplace.