CODAC Management Manual

• Use Cisco Jabber or Microsoft Teams, to facilitate seamless, real-time communication among team members, as well as throughout the overall organization. Make it the norm for everyone to be logged in any time they are working. • CODAC has an organizational directory in Paycom and Microsoft Outlook that lists each employee's name, job title, department, email address and other contact information. • Ensure that all employee Outlook calendars are up to date with their activities in a way that others will be able to see when they are available for meetings or conversations versus when their time is otherwise booked, or when they will be out of the office. • Use MS Teams for department meetings. Encourage the use of webcams, both for those who log in individually and those who gather in a conference room, while maintaining flexibility for individuals who are unable to use video due to bandwidth issues or other reasons. This helps build visual connections and fosters engagement in meetings. • Record department meetings so that those who are not able to attend due to differences in time zones or scheduling conflicts have an opportunity to listen at a later time. • When employees are in different time zones, schedule meetings so that meetings fall within ordinary work hours for everyone who needs to attend. If this is not possible, vary the meeting times so that everyone shares in out-of-the-ordinary meeting times rather than the same few people. • Provide a way for employees to submit questions to management in advance of department meetings, then address those items when everyone is gathered for the meeting. If employees identify themselves when submitting, follow up individually if necessary. BUILDING A UNIFIED AND COHESIVE HYBRID TEAM When you are tasked with leading a hybrid team, avoid allowing an "us vs. them" mindset to develop among hybrid teams and within the overall organization. Leaders must be mindful to find ways to build a united team that does not require physical presence in the same location at the same time (or ever). • Start building a sense of teamwork from the very beginning of onboarding. Calling a new hire, the week prior to their start date. Once onboarding begins, send an email introducing the new hire to everyone. Encourage team members to reply with a personal welcome message. • Incorporate icebreakers into team meetings periodically, setting aside a short period of time at the beginning of some gatherings for a brief yet fun getting-to-know-you activity. Encourage employees to suggest icebreakers or even to volunteer to lead one. • Encourage employees to connect through virtual coffee chats, lunches or other appropriate event held on MS Teams or Zoom. • Shared experiences are critical for team building. Options include collaborating on projects or starting a virtual book group that discusses themes related to organizational or team goals. • In a hybrid workplace, eligibility for promotions should not depend on whether someone works remotely or on-site. Avoid designating certain roles as being only for in-house or remote employees unless there is truly a business reason, as this will reinforce an "us vs. them" mindset rather than a team focus. • Celebrate team successes in an inclusive way. ENCOURAGING EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT IN A HYBRID TEAM The steps that you take to build a unified and cohesive hybrid team can have a positive impact on employee engagement. Employee engagement is not something that can be taught; it is an emotional connection. Consider what you can do to help employees develop an emotional connection to their job and the organization. • Share organizational goals with individual employees. This will provide them with a clear understanding of exactly how their work and individual work objectives contribute to the overall success of their team and the greater organization.

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