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Career advancement

No career growth and cagey supervisors: 5 red flags in a hybrid workplace

ByAlyssa Place
June 7, 2021 10:57 AM
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Employers are implementing hybrid work arrangements to get their businesses back up and running, yet it can turn into a career disaster for some employees.

The majority of employees would like to work remotely at least three days per week, according to the Society of Human Resource Management. While flexibility can be beneficial, it could also create a gap between employees in a physical work environment and those who are staying home, says Sara Sutton, CEO of career search platform Flexjobs.

“Leaders [need to be] taking very conscientious efforts to consider and then thoughtfully build their company’s work environments,” Sutton said in a release. “Hybrid workplaces can be toxic on a number of levels if they’re not being carefully managed.”

Read more: Why returning to normal 'was not working' for this HR leader

While 90% of employers intend to have a hybrid workplace, just 68% have a firm plan in place, according to McKinsey. Employers need to be clear on the expectations they have for all employees and consistently communicate, regardless of where employees are logging in.

Hybrid work on such a large scale is a new concept for many employers, which means there is room to get things wrong. In an effort to combat potential mistakes, Flexjobs identified a number of red flags that can hurt an employee’s career success and advancement.

There’s no plan for when employees are expected to work in the office or remotely

Without clear expectations for all employees, remote workers can quickly fall through the cracks. Flexjobs recommends that employers consider how they plan to collaborate both remotely and in-person and build a dynamic workplace culture that includes everyone.

Senior leadership is in the office while other workers remain remote

When upper management commutes in and the rest of the employees are working from home, this is a sign that career advancement can only happen in the office, Flexjobs experts say. To avoid career stagnation, hybrid work environments should have employees of all levels working remotely.

Digital tools and communication aren’t prioritized or implemented

This is another sign that in-person communication is seen as more important to an organization. While employers have embraced remote tools during the pandemic, it’s important they continue to adapt and develop new ways of collaboration that extend beyond heading back to the conference room.

Employees need to take a pay cut in order to work remotely

Businesses that ask their employees to make financial sacrifices may be punishing them for choosing to work remotely, Flexjobs says. If employers do need to make pay cuts or think that a cost of living adjustment is appropriate, they should clearly explain to all employees the corporate policies around remote work choices.

Meetings are scheduled at odd hours

In a hybrid environment, employees might be working in different time zones from those who are working in an office. If meetings are scheduled to only accommodate these in-erson workers, that’s a warning sign that the workplace is not interested in including remote workers in important meetings and decisions.
Alyssa Place
Editor-in-chief, Employee Benefit News
Career advancement Work from home Workplace management
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