Guidance for Managers: Hybrid Working
This guidance is not prescriptive but aims to support Managers in adapting their approach to meet local business needs.
Managing by Outputs or Outcomes
Definitions
For example: the output of a project might be a new process for responding to student queries. The outcomes of that project may be shorter waiting times and increased student satisfaction. There may be many different outputs which could result in a particular outcome.
Outcomes or outputs?
In many cases, the aim is to manage by outcomes. Just because a certain output has been achieved, it doesn’t mean it will have the outcome that is required. Managing by outcomes allows staff to decide how to achieve those outcomes; they decide on the outputs, and the steps necessary to reach them.
However, sometimes outcomes can be difficult to measure, or will take a long time to become measurable, in which case shorter term management via outputs may be needed – although the longer term aim is always to seek to measure and evaluate outcomes.
It is recognised that Managers and team members will not have as much face-to-face time in the hybrid working model and as a result, managing by outputs/outcomes is imperative. Managing by outputs/outcomes allows individuals the independence to decide how they will carry out their work and avoids ‘micro-management’ of the entire process.
Managing in this way needs trust and confidence in the staff member’s ability to achieve the agreed output or outcome.
This approach doesn’t mean that the manager can’t or shouldn’t have any input into how outcomes/outputs are reached. For example, there may be University processes that need to be considered, or suggestions from stakeholders. This is something that the manager and staff member might want to discuss and agree on, with the staff member taking the lead in that discussion.
It is advisable to discuss outcome, or output-based objectives in the context of the SMART objective model:
Developing a culture of established regular 1:1 meetings with team members will enable managers to establish the mechanism to review work outcomes and outputs as required and provide the necessary support to ensure agreed objectives are achieved.
If there are performance issues e.g., a member of staff is not meeting expected objectives, these should be addressed through setting expectations, regular reviewing of objectives, and giving feedback in regular one to one meetings.
Wellbeing in a Hybrid Working Model
While Queen Mary has many resources to support colleagues’ wellbeing, Managers may want to consider how these ideas apply in a hybrid working environment :
Supporting New Employees to Embed and Engage in a Hybrid Working Mode:-Helpful Tips
The first few days and weeks for a new employee are vital to ensuring that they have a positive experience, engage and are effectively onboarded.
Being Inclusive in a Hybrid Working Model
Ensuring an inclusive working environment is particularly important within the hybrid working model, where team members will be working from a wide range of locations, and will prefer different ways of working.
Consider these recommendations to support fairness and inclusion: