Trust Is Everything
For Microsoft, trust is everything, and its cuttingedge solutions are helping teams to build solid bonds, wherever they choose to work.
Why is trust important in remote working?
Trust within teams has always been important and it will remain so in the world of remote or hybrid working. It helps nurture a sense of support and security within the workplace, something that people need now more than ever, in the face of unpredictable change.
Trust helps employees feel empowered to make decisions and speak their minds. In our Work Reworked study, we compared these traits among innovative and less innovative companies, and found the former to be better at nurturing an environment that gives employees freedom in how they approach their roles.
How can organizations encourage a culture of trust within a remote workforce?
The drive to encourage trust should come from an organization’s leaders and managers. In a hybrid world of work, effective managers give people the space they need to get their jobs done and make their own decisions, while also ensuring people get regular coaching and the feedback necessary to support development.
However, our Work Reworked research highlighted a significant concern for managers who felt that they weren’t prepared to delegate and empower their teams remotely. This presents an opportunity for business leaders to revisit coaching and training initiatives for managers.
Why is building trust in virtual teams so hard?
It’s the little interactions at work that help teams to bond, and these interactions have been harder to replicate in the world of remote work. Our Work Trend Index found there was an increase in work being done in silos with many people feeling isolated. However, the Work Trend Index also tracked a trend where isolation increases during lockdowns but decreases when restrictions are eased. With the help of hybrid working tools, it will be up to organizations to manage team interactions to foster social capital and collaboration.
How do we embrace flexibility and engage team members? Establishing policies that empower people and encourage flexibility are important for hybrid work. Be clear and transparent with your teams about how you plan to move forward. With policies in place, this will help guide your organization’s transition back to the office. The hybrid workplace will need to bridge the physical and digital worlds, and meet the unique needs of individuals and teams. Finally, the right technology will enable teamwork and create a new digital employee experience. Microsoft Teams is a solution that combines meet, chat, call, and collaboration in one place, and is integrated with Office apps and business process automation tools. The recent introduction of Microsoft Viva complements Teams as the first integrated employee experience platform for hybrid work. Together, these tools will help nurture the connections people need to help them thrive in the world of hybrid work.