In an exclusive interview with Higher Education Review, Abhishek Mehrotra, CHRO, Yubi shares the role played by team collaboration tools in an era defined by flexible working policies and how they have bridged the communication gap between those present in the workplace and those who aren’t, he also underscores the duty of the company to stand by the employee when they really need it. He is an HR leader with more than two decades' worth of experience under his belt spanning numerous industries. He aims to foster a culture of innovation through simplified work practices.

As hybrid work environments become more common, How can performance management systems be adapted to effectively measure and support employees in both in-office and remote settings?

Performance management is fundamentally reliant on a clear description of goals and objectives. Communication must be delivered with utmost clarity across all levels of management. KPIs must be clearly defined and elucidated on how it is linked to the overall organizational objective. Irrespective of the mode of work (Work from office/ Work from Home/ Hybrid mode), regular conversations with the manager are essential. In hybrid mode, the use of relevant technology can make it seamless and practical.

Given the number of tools in the market, collaboration is more straightforward to execute while maintaining documentation of said activities. The end goal is to leverage technology as required to create suitable goalposts and measure effectiveness in attaining them. Contact frequency has to be higher in the hybrid mode compared to office mode. It is important to focus on the outcomes rather than efforts, majority of the times, performance management doesn’t work well, if the conversation is centered on the effort someone has to put into delivering an outcome.

Feedback culture is something that cannot be overlooked as it is a gateway to improving the organization. Conversations between employees and managers must have a two-way feedback discussion, which can create avenues to improve the ways they work. This is even more so in hybrid, as people at home are unaware of what is happening in the workplace. The focus must be cast on promoting team collaboration. Performance management is not an individual effort; it’s always a team effort.

Technology plays a crucial role in evaluating performance in a hybrid work model. What technological tools or platforms have proven effective for monitoring and managing employee performance in hybrid work environments?

There are numerous tools in this space, each pertaining to single/multiple functions of performance management, ranging from check-in to conversation tools. Asana is excellent as a project management collaboration tool. Microsoft Teams and Slack allow one to reach other people instantaneously. Collaboration tools are present in surplus, and a lot of tools must be opted for based on the operations undertaken by your organization.

There are also engagement and reward recognition platforms like Infido. There have been abundant tools even before COVID, but the onslaught of COVID has hastened the adoption rate, and now these tools, clubbed with the versatility of generative AI, have helped users to operate with higher efficiency, especially in a hybrid setup.

Time zone differences can complicate scheduling and coordination. What are the challenges of managing performance across different time zones, and how can they addressed?

A conundrum that can be seen here is co-coordinating when the team is scattered across time zones, finding a suitable time to conduct meetings, and the delay in communication, which makes it impossible to gather the entire team together on common ground due to physical barriers. Team cohesion takes a blow. There is an added layer of complexity if different cultures and varying holiday schedules are added to this mix.

These problems have persisted for a long time. Organizations have evolved and have built around existing technologies to bridge this gap, albeit not completely. There are collaboration tools that will help one pick up a task where the other party may have paused, conversation threads are followed instead of a conferencing style of communication. These methods have proven to allow everyone to stay in the loop. Technology h as smoothened the 24/7 work style.

While it is impossible to have everyone under the same roof at any given time, the onus falls on the leadership team to make sure everyone are brought together at every possible opportunity. While this may sound like a daunting task, it’s a responsibility that must be undertaken by the leaders.

Employee well-being impacts performance, particularly in hybrid work environments where work-life balance can be challenging. What measures can organizations take to support employees ‘mental health and well-being while managing their performance?

There is no such a thing as a work-life balance, but work-life integration. There are enough tools to ensure work is carried out irrespective of the physical obstructions. Depending on the career one wishes to pursue, they have to integrate their aspirations with their lifestyle.

The responsibility of drawing the line falls solely on the employee; there will be times when the office demands your time, and when your family needs you, this is an individual call. Organizations cannot solve this, but they have the responsibility to make sure that employees are allowed to make these calls. In times of need, organizations must provide flexibility, people must be allowed to work from home when their family needs them and will enable them to rejoin the office when everything is stable at home.

But with regards to mental wellness, organizations have to continue to invest. If an employee is giving 10-12 hours of their day to the organization, it’s the duty of the company to give them support when they need it the most. Investing in wellness programs will go a long way.