The team is the core of a company’s activities. But the very notion of a team was put under assault during the home office period. Do teams exist in the same way they did before the pandemic, or have they degraded to a collection of individual employees? If not, how can the team be revitalised in a new, hybrid context?
3. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Introduction
The team is the core of a company’s activities. But the very notion of a team was put under
assault during the home office period. Do teams exist in the same way they did before the
pandemic, or have they degraded to a collection of individual employees? If not, how can the
team be revitalised in a new, hybrid context?
This unit aims at fostering the ability to plan and allocate work, based on metrics and goals in an
optimal way so that a balance between wellbeing and productivity is maintained. It focuses on
the role of middle management, as well as the technical tools and skills they require to make
the most of leading teams in a hybrid setting.
4. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
01 Training the managers
02 Digital tools for workload management
03
Effective hybrid meetings
04
Communication and feedback
Table of Contents
05 Self-Assessment
06 Transition to next unite
5. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
KNOWLEDGE:
Learning Outcomes
SKILLS:
BEHAVIOURS: Seeking to acquire new skills, competences and tools; fostering the effective
participation of all team members in the communication process
ATTITUDES: Openness to employee feedback, readiness for a dialogue
Planning and allocating work, based on metrics and goals in an optimal way
CPD for middle managers, tools for workload management, effective strategies for
communication
7. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
The role of leadership
When considering the effective management of teams under hybrid work conditions, no organisation could
rely alone on its top management. Any new policies and measures must be understood and adopted by
the middle managers to become part of the daily routines of all staff. That is why measures for training
middle managers are needed.
The middle managers, having access to the organisation's leadership and employees, function as
intermediaries between the organisation’s overall strategy and its daily activities. They are involved both
in strategic planning and in managing people. Their role includes managing two-way exchanges
between top managers and employees, and receiving guidance from top management while actively
using their leadership skills to guide their colleagues. They are subject to constant change and therefore
must themselves act as agents of change to their employees.
Even before the outbreak of the pandemic, it was becoming quite clear that middle managers have some
key functions holding their teams together and assisting colleagues maintain a healthy work-life balance.
In particular, a key role they could fulfil within the team was identified as compassionate leadership
capable of recognising employees’ concerns, reducing their stress and generating positive emotions.
1. Training the middle managers
8. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
The JDR model
According to the Job Demand/Resource model, managers have a decisive role in helping employees
balance the groups of factors affecting both their performance and wellbeing:
Job demands: the organisational and psychosocial aspects of work:
● they require a cognitive and emotional effort on the side of the employees
● they incur social and emotional costs
Job resources: the physical, psychosocial and organisational aspects of work:
● they enable achieving work goals, stimulate growth, learning and personal development
● they reduce the work demands and the associated costs
Source: MDPI, 2021 “The Good, the Bad and the Blend: The Strategic Role of the “Middle Leadership” in
Work-Family/Life Dynamics during Remote Working”:
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/11/8/112
1. Training the middle managers
9. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Middle managers’ new challenges
In addition to their traditional role as communication agents and a source of support for the employees,
middle managers need to consider several topics which gained enormous importance in the post-
pandemic period:
● strategic rethinking of the meaning and importance of work-life balance;
● the ability to prevent extreme forms of excessive work investment (self-incurred over hours of
employees leading to a loss of productivity and burnout);
● appropriate use of new technologies benefitting the organisational goals;
● fostering a healthy organisational culture with positive relationships focused on a common goal.
1. Training the middle managers
10. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Organisational culture
Adopting new goals or ways of working is not necessarily embraced by employees. It could reasonably
often encounter significant resistance. The best way to foster organisational change is a deeply rooted
organisational culture, which the managers need to first understand, then unify and finally, transmit.
Participating in the organisational culture for the employees means they are aware they share common
meanings and patterns of behaviour, gilded by a common vision for the future.
Middle managers:
● assist in creating a compelling vision of the present and future;
● communicate the vision to employees;
● provide positive feedback;
● act as a positive role model demonstrating behavioural change.
1. Training the middle managers
11. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Leadership models
When it comes to adopting new organisational policies, Burn’s concept of transformational leadership has
gained widespread recognition. A transformational leader recognises the needs of employees and knows
how to transform followers into new leaders. While this is hardly news for trainers, the concept has
increased relevance in an environment where managers have much less direct oversight over their
employees, such as hybrid work, where employee autonomy is paramount.
What matters for a transformational leader is:
● symbolic behaviour;
● visionary messages acting as an inspiration for the team;
● appeal to values;
● nonverbal communication;
● Intellectual and emotional motivation.
This framework is sometimes cross-referenced with the model of authentic leadership, which combines
work with moral qualities such as integrity, transparency, courage and optimism.
Source: MDPI, 2021 “The Good, the Bad and the Blend: The Strategic Role of the “Middle Leadership” in
Work-Family/Life Dynamics during Remote Working”:
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/11/8/112
1. Training the middle managers
12. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
E-leadership
The concept of electronic leadership, or e-leadership, began emerging in the late 90-ies. It is defined as a
process of influence mediated through advanced information technologies (the Internet, email, video
conferencing, chat, virtual teams and learning platforms) to bring about a change in attitude, behaviour or
performance.
Managers in a hybrid work environment must be equipped with the right skill set to perform several
functions ensuring their teams can operate effectively. When a new challenge arises, they will be the first
ones to address it. This is why they must be trained in the various aspects of e-leadership. In particular, they
need to be able to:
● enhance communication and collaboration through digital communication methods;
● define and adopt new behaviours that can be observed by all team members;
● be proactive in communication with their teams and in discovering the challenges they face;
● be available to offer support and guidance;
● act as role models in setting healthy work-life boundaries;
● find new approaches to create social interaction, leading to a sense of belonging and trust.
1. Training the middle managers
13. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Self Reflection
How to train your middle managers?
How would you approach training the middle
management of your company in new modes
of cooperation? Can you afford to bring them
away from their responsibilities for face-to-
face training?
If you had to prioritise one aspect, would it be
the technical aspects of the new software, the
processes it serves, or the goals it aims at?
What part of training would the managers be
able to complete on their own, and for which
aspect is a group a more powerful
environment?
How can you embed this in a culture of lifelong
learning and continuing professional
development?
15. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
What is workload management about?
Workload management is the process of estimating, planning, distributing, scheduling, and monitoring the
workload of teams and individual employees.
It aims at:
• achieving the set company goals practicable;
• ensuring enough physical and human resources have been allocated to the project;
• delivering products on time and with sufficient quality;
• distributing the planned tasks evenly and fairly between employees;
• making the planned workload manageable;
• taking care of employees’ needs and stimulating their motivation.
Source: Runn, 2022 “Everything You Need to Know About Workload Management”:
https://www.runn.io/blog/workload-management
2. Digital tools for workload management
16. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
The pitfalls of workload management
• A mismatch between goals and capabilities – it is difficult to let go of a promising prospect, but taking on
responsibilities can have disastrous long-term consequences
• Unrealistic expectations – tasks might be more difficult than anticipated, or the capabilities of employees
may be overestimated
• Employee overload – a company culture of workaholism could easily result in employees willingly taking on
over hours
• Uneven workload distribution – it could be due to poor information flow, or overreliance on key highly
capable team members
• Lack of management skills – sometimes managers are pushed beyond their capabilities or struggle with
certain personality traits
• Unexpected issues – not all problems can be accounted for in advance, and sometimes that leads to the
team entering crisis mode
2. Digital tools for workload management
17. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Improving workload management
To manage the workload effectively, it pays to consider the following aspects:
• Proper planning – what are the main goals of the team at the moment, and are there sufficient resources
available to achieve them?
• Prioritising – if some resources are lacking, which are the activities to focus upon to create the biggest
impact? Can certain administrative tasks, for example, be dispensed with or automated?
• Realistic deadlines – is it possible for the team members to complete the tasks assigned to them without
overworking? Has the work-life balance of employees been considered?
• Managing resources strategically – how can employees’ workload be aligned with the organisation’s and
their own goals? Will they require some new skills, so that training may be planned?
• Ensuring an even spread of tasks – both within a team and within a given period
• Minimising multi-tasking – it is a productivity-killer
• Collecting regular feedback on the development of planned tasks
2. Digital tools for workload management
18. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Workload management tools
There are many digital tools available for workload management. They aim to improve the overall
effectiveness of teams by collecting one place information about staff calendars, resource allocation,
project management tracking tools, staff utilisation and workforce planning.
Some of the functions of typical workload management tools include:
● employee overview – what is their role, qualification, and experience;
● capacity overview - many hours employees have assigned;
● individual utilisation of employee’s time on specific tasks;
● employee development – how have their earnings in the company increased, and what is the level of
absenteeism;
● matching tasks with capability;
● projecting the impact of different projects on business outputs.
2. Digital tools for workload management
19. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Workload management tools: a comparison
Source: https://teamhood.com/project-management/workload-management-tools/
Asana ClickUp Jira Monday MS Project Open Project Teamwork Zoho Projects Wrlike
Free version
available
V V V V X V V V V
Workload
view
V V X V X X X V V
Dependencies V V V V V V V V V
Projects and
Portfolio
V X V X V V X V V
Nested tasks V V V V V V V X X
Repeating
tasks
X V X V X X X V V
Gantt chart V V X X V V V V V
Time tracking X V V X X X X X X
Cost tracking X V X X V V X V V
20. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Self Reflection
Improving workload management
What kind of information do you need regularly
to ensure adequate management of the
workload within the team? Are the tools
currently employed sufficient to collect and
analyse that information?
Would switching to a new tool be a reasonable
investment of time and resources? What
would the benefits be?
22. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Time to work and time to rest
One of the most important factors regulating communication
in the company is the definition of time of availability.
When are employees expected to respond to
communication, and when can they rest and feel free from
pressure?
It pays to define the same rules for the whole team. A few
workaholics exchanging a succession of emails on Sunday
evening could create the impression that employees who
do not respond immediately are slacking.
Even worse, a manager doing the same can be seen as setting
expectations for the whole team. That is why it makes
sense to define times of rest, where employees are
strongly encouraged NOT to contact each other - and to
pay special attention to the ones who are inclined not to
respect the privacy of their colleagues.
3. Communication and feedback
23. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Transparent information flow
Some of the biggest challenges of hybrid work are
related to the information flow - in the office,
informal communication does much to mitigate the
effects of poorly organised information flow, but for
online employees, this is not the case.
All decisions, goals, and actions taken so far, must be
recorded and made available to all employees
involved in a way which is clear to understand. A
few ways to do that could be:
● setting rules for the length of all meetings;
● using of software tools to review all work
processes so everybody is aware on what stage
the work is done;
● the recap of key points during regular team
meetings.
3. Communication and feedback
24. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Clearly defined responsibilities
Because communication could suffer in the hybrid reality,
responsibilities need to be defined much more strictly
than otherwise. Who is taking care of which part of the
task and by when? Will there be a follow-up meeting?
Who can be contacted if support is needed?
Managers themselves could lose oversight of their teams
because the progress of colleagues working from the
office is so much easier to follow than the ones from the
home office. But a manager cannot be turned into an
enforcer, constantly calling upon team members to see
how they are doing.
Clear rules and procedures for all are a way to solve this
issue without making employees feel singled out. At
best, the responsibilities should be defined transparently,
so that everyone knows what is expected of them and
how much their colleagues are contributing.
3. Communication and feedback
25. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Proactivity
In many meetings with virtual participants, the latter tend
to report quickly that all tasks are done, and that they
require no further support. Even if this is true, the lack of
participation is affecting the team, employees’
engagement and sense of belonging.
A wise manager knows when to be proactive. This means
initiating communication activities at regular time
intervals and ensuring the participation of all team
members.
Proactivity could also take the form of initiating new team
activities, and new ways of bringing the employees
together.
Proactivity does not mean that more is better. Too frequent
managerial initiatives could be seen by employees as a
sign of mistrust, micro-management, or a waste of their
precious time. The initiatives should be taken up at the
right moment, and their purpose communicated.
3. Communication and feedback
26. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Feedback
The employment of many virtual tools appears to make
the task of exchanging feedback easier. If everything
is available in writing at any time, is there any need
to meet at all?
Live communication, be it in a face-to-face meeting, or
an online call, remains critical for effective feedback,
though. Only during a live conversation can team
members ask and answer open questions. These
conversations encourage self-reflection and have
direct implications for productivity.
As always, a precondition for the giving and integration
of feedback is the ability to do so in a constructive
manner - a skill which does not come naturally and
might require dedicated training.
3. Communication and feedback
27. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Rescuing informal communication / small talks
In a hybrid setting, informal communication is the first victim. Even
employees who are present in person might be forced to spend the
whole day in front of a screen in online meetings. How to keep the
vital informal exchange of information, and the feeling of
commitment and belonging that comes with it?
Some companies resort to having mandatory office attendance at
least one day of the week so that employees have a chance to meet.
If the often reduced premises do not allow for that, others organise
more frequent informal events for the whole team. These could be
work-related - for example, brainstorming sessions or knowledge
exchange.
Lastly, events focused on informal topics can be held even in a purely
online setting, though this is seen as an exceptional measure, as it
increases the already considerable screen time.
3. Communication and feedback
28. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Good Practice: Slack
A digital HQ
Slack presents itself as a digital HQ - a single,
virtual space to connect an organisation’s
people, tools, customers and partners. It
means to do so by:
● enabling asynchronous cooperation
● streamlining communication across the
entire organisation by using channels -
public, private or external
● enabling teams to instantly chat over audio
or video
● integration with the organisation’s existing
tech stack
● automating routine processes in a non-
technical manner
● creating short videos to keep teams up to
date
A simpler, if less fancy way of looking at it, is that
it is a messaging app for businesses that connects
people to the information that they need.
The product’s main success has been chosen as a
partner by IBM.
You can learn more about it here.
29. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Self Reflection
Improving communication
Where do you see the biggest gaps in
communication in your company? How did
they occur? Is it a limitation of time, the
software used, or a lack of skills?
What kind of intervention could have the biggest
impact on improving employee
communication? A new initiative? A set of
processes? A new tool? Or is a dedicated
training workshop required?
On a personal level, how can you improve your
communication with your colleagues?
Examples: Communication challenges
● Employees may be reluctant to approach a
superior with questions, but also a peer
because they are afraid they might be
perceived as incompetent.
● A strict non-disclosure policy may discourage
employees from discussing work-related
problems.
● Differences in body language or the lack
thereof in hybrid meetings might lead to
misunderstandings.
● Overly expressive employees might dominate
team meetings.
● Time pressures might lead to reduced
feedback exchange.
● Poorly timed messages might be ignored.
● Using the wrong communication channel
might lead to clogging the vital information
flow with unnecessary data.
31. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
The new norm?
As the routine of teams changes and more flexibility is introduced, inevitably some employees cannot be
present in a meeting. Maybe they are in a home office, or travelling, or based in a different location - but
chances are that online participants will be present for most future meetings. But how to make those
meetings effective? Two obvious dangers loom ahead - concentrating on the participants who are physically
present at the expense of the online ones or treating the entire meeting as an online affair, to the
registration of the team members who put the effort to show up in person.
How to make meetings accessible for all and yet not borrow the worst of both worlds?
Let’s look at the experience of the online participants first. On one hand, they enjoy the benefits of more
flexibility, but, on the other, they participate in a decidedly one-sided manner - have a limited field of view,
cannot engage in small talk, and cannot take part in hands-on activities. The worst of all, however, is the
zoom fatigue.
4. Effective hybrid meetings
32. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Zoom fatigue
Zoom fatigue describes the fatigue that occurs after
numerous virtual meetings during the day and over
the week. Frequent participants in online meetings
often complain of the following:
● reduced concentration;
● impatience;
● feeling irritable;
● lack of balance;
● headache;
● back pain.
The lack of non-verbal cues is widely recognised as a
stressed driver, as well as the missing small talk and the
lack of networking. Additional stressors include the lack
of breaks, as well as the timing of the meetings.
4. Effective hybrid meetings
33. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
How to make hybrid meetings better
The German Institute for Employment and Employability carried out a survey identifying some of the most
effective measures for holding better online meetings. The top three responses included:
● limiting the meeting time;
● breaks (approx. 10 minutes) between virtual meetings;
● humorous moderation of virtual meetings.
Additional suggestions included:
● artificial breaks (5-10 minutes) in virtual meetings;
● moderation of virtual meetings involving all participants;
● time slots for topic items in the virtual meeting;
● tools creating a perception that everyone is sitting in the same room;
● tools that correct the direction of a person’s gaze.
Source: Rump, J.; Brandt, M. IBE-Studie: "Zoom-Fatigue" Ludwigshafen, September 2020
4. Effective hybrid meetings
34. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
The hybrid component
If a meeting includes both in-person and online participants, the natural reflex of most people is to focus on
the ones present. How to enable better participation for people who are online?
The best way of making meetings more effective is eliminating the ones that are not strictly necessary.
Virtual collaboration tools enable asynchronous modes of cooperation that can effectively solve many issues.
Because distant participants are unlikely to be available on a whim, proper scheduling and planning become
more important. Meetings should have a clear, pre-planned agenda, and the participation of team members
should be considered ahead of time.
In addition, many software solutions enable easy access to necessary work documents.
4. Effective hybrid meetings
35. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Enabling the participation of online employees
To take the hybrid nature of meetings into account, the physical space must be a point of special attention.
New models of ceiling- or desk-mounted microphones can eliminate background noise and distinguish who
is speaking. A central screen in the meeting hall could provide the alternative of every employee hiding
behind a screen.
Written materials used should be readable on a small screen, so a large font is advisable. Also, careful
moderation can stimulate online participants to be active and could make use of informal communication
and humour to get them to become more emotionally involved.
If collaboration is required, it pays to get all of the participants to use the same software tools, so that
everyone is on the same footing. This should be done only when required, as it transfers the focus of the
meeting to the online environment.
4. Effective hybrid meetings
36. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Good practice: Better meetings
Technical measures
● investing in better quality audio equipment,
like microphones;
● using a handheld microphone;
● introducing new forms of videoconference
technology optimised for the hybrid
experience;
● using large screens to make virtual
participants look full-sized;
● pre-testing all tools and activities before the
start of the meetings;
● using audio-based feedback tools to put all
participants on an equal footing;
● use online whiteboards to make the notes
available to everyone.
Organisational measures
● enabling virtual participants to “move
around” the physical room and observe
wallcharts without restricting live
participants to their laptops;
● having a staff member act as a physical
representation of the virtual participant -
moving items when necessary, making sure
that the camera is always pointed where
needed, that people speak up etc.
● having the facilitator engage virtual
participants actively, helping their voices are
heard
Source: What It Takes to Run a Great Hybrid Meeting by Bob Frisch and Cary Greene. Harvard Business Review 2021.
37. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Self Reflection
Better meetings
What have you done so far to improve the
meetings in your company? What worked and
what wasn’t so effective? How would you take
things further?
Do you think an overall restructuring of meetings
in your company will be beneficial,
reevaluating the possibility to switch some
forms of cooperating to an asynchronous
mode?
Should you invest in improved technical
capabilities?
Is there a need to introduce new rules and make
them known to the whole team?
38. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Enabling the effective cooperation
of hybrid teams is rooted in the
company culture, of which middle
managers are key agents. Once
the correct processes are set in
place, it comes to the selection of
suitable workload management
tools, ensuring effective
communication, and respecting
employees'’ needs in meetings.
SUMMARY OF UNIT 4
39. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
We offer you a short questionnaire
for self-assessment of the extent to
which you have understood the
content.
The goal is to check and reinforce
what you have learned.
You can take the quiz as many times
as you want. Remember, the quiz is
just part of the process of learning
new things!
SELF-ASSESSMENT
QUESTIONNAIRE
40. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Question 1:
What is not a primary
responsibility of a middle
manager?
Answers:
1. Communicating the company
vision to the employees
2. Leading by personal example
3. Stepping in to assist team
members in reaching their
goals
4. Providing positive feedback
Question 2:
What kind of challenges has not
risen in importance for middle
management in the post-
pandemic period?
Answers:
1. Excessive work investment of
team members
2. Improper use of digital tools
3. Stagnant organisational culture
4. Inability of team members to
reach KPIs.
41. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Question 3:
Which of the challenges to
workload management is the
responsibility of employees
themselves, not the
management?
Answers:
1. Unrealistic goals
2. Insufficient company
resources
3. Poor time-management skills
4. Uneven team distribution
Question 4:
Should employees respond to
emails in out-of-office hours?
Answers:
1. The company should have
strictly defined hours of rest
from work communication
2. It is up to individual employees
to decide.
3. Managers can initiate contact
with employees, but not vice
versa.
4. Employees can initiate contact
with managers.
42. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Question 5:
What measure is not
recommended for keeping lively
team communication?
Answers:
1. Calling employees regularly to
update them on the latest
developments.
2. Recapping key points during
team meetings.
3. Keeping meeting minutes
4. Using workload management
tools
Question 6:
What is an effective way of
stimulating team member
participation during hybrid
meetings?
Answers:
1. Turning cameras off so team
members don’t feel pressured
2. Moderating the meeting in a
humorous way
3. Having fixed speaking slots for
all team members
4. Using software tools to create
the impression that everyone is
in the same room
43. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
● Leadex. “The Ultimate Guide to Middle Management Training Programs”:
https://leadx.org/articles/middle-management-training/
● Epilogue Systems, 2022 “How Can You Choose Your Best Workload
Management Tools?”: https://www.epiloguesystems.com/blog/how-can-you-
choose-your-best-workload-management-tools/
● Timeular, 2022 “How to improve team communication: A step-by-step guide”:
https://timeular.com/blog/how-improve-team-communication/
● Harvard Business Review, 2021 “What It Takes to Run a Great Hybrid Meeting”:
https://hbr.org/2021/06/what-it-takes-to-run-a-great-hybrid-meeting
Further Reading / Watching /
Listening
44. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
● Topic 1: MDPI, 2021 “The Good, the Bad and the Blend: The Strategic Role of the “Middle
Leadership” in Work-Family/Life Dynamics during Remote Working”:
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/11/8/112
● Topic 2: Runn, 2022 “Everything You Need to Know About Workload Management”:
https://www.runn.io/blog/workload-management
● Topic 3: Kompetenznetz Public Health COVID-19, 2020 “Gesundheitsfördernde Führung
von Teams im Homeoffice”:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342381004_Gesundheitsfordernde_Fuhrung
_von_Teams_im_Homeoffice
● Topic 4: IBE-Ludwigshafen, 2020 “Zoom-Fatigue”: https://www.ibe-
ludwigshafen.de/zoom_fatigue/
● Kadence “5 steps to make your hybrid meetings more inclusive”:
https://kadence.co/news/hybrid-meetings/
The pictures used in this unit have been downloaded from Pexels.com
References
46. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Digital tools offer many ways of
improving the cooperation of
digital teams, but also hide a
number of pitfalls. They can
compromise the company’s
valuable data. How to protect
against that – you will learn in the
next unit.
TRANSITION TO UNIT 5
47. post
pandemic
empowerment
programme
Thank you for learning with us!
www.prosper-project.eu
You can find us:
● https://prosper-project.eu/
● https://www.facebook.com/Workplace.SMEs.EU
● https://www.linkedin.com/company/workplace-smes/
