The Case for Team-Level Agreements in your Return-to-Office Strategy

Flex Index

Many organizations are exploring company-wide return-to-office mandates as a way to ensure employees spend more time in the office. In our recent Q2 Flex Report, we highlighted the growth in companies moving toward a Structured Hybrid model, where companies set specific expectations on when or how often employees come into the office.

While it may seem easiest to set a company-wide mandate, Brian Elliott, the Founder of Future Forum and former SVP at Slack, suggests there is a better way. We sat down with Brian for our Flex Perspectives podcast to learn why team-level agreements may be a better approach to maximize employee satisfaction, productivity, and retention. Here are four critical insights from the discussion:

Key Insight #1: Company-wide mandates risk missing the nuance in how different teams within a company operate.

At the highest level, Brian Elliott feels that company-wide top-down mandates “don’t show a lot of trust in the organization,” particularly in front-line and functional leadership.
The “one-size-fits-all” approach assumes that functions such Engineering and Product operate the same as the Sales and Finance functions. Teams in these functions often have meaningful differences in work style, job responsibilities, and operating cadence. Enforcing a rigid approach can limit the ability for these teams to optimize their productivity and work-life balance.

To address this, organizations should consider adopting a more flexible approach that acknowledges and respects these functional and individual differences. Rather than imposing a single solution, by recognizing that different employee groups have different needs, organizations can create a more effective and customized flexible work approach. Some teams and roles may thrive in a collaborative office setting, while others may need more quiet focus time available remotely. Functional leaders and front-line managers have the best visibility into the specific needs and practices of their teams.

Key Insight #2: Team-level agreements allow for flexibility and autonomy, leading to greater buy-in and accountability from team members.

Brian Elliott is a big proponent of “team-level agreements” as a more effective approach to alignment around flexibility. Brian describes team-level agreements as “a way of codifying and articulating how we work together in a much more detailed fashion to make it clear to people what the expectations are.”

Creating team-level agreements can foster collaboration and empower team members to operate the way that is most effective for them. These shared norms and expectations guide the team's work and decision-making processes. Team-level agreements don’t just codify when to be in the office, but why we get together in the office. By engaging team members in the development of these agreements, managers cultivate a sense of shared ownership and accountability which greatly enhance team dynamics.

Further, when team members actively participate in shaping team-level agreements, they feel a greater sense of autonomy and responsibility for team outcomes. Team members express a greater sense of motivation and desire to give their best efforts. This collective accountability helps build a culture of trust, where team members support and hold each other to a high standard.

Key Insight #3: Managing by monitoring isn’t effective in the age of remote work.

In a flexible work environment, relying on monitoring and observing an employee's physical presence in the office is no longer a viable management strategy. Brian Elliott puts it best: “management by walking around or by monitoring humans sitting inside of a space is a vestige of the industrial age birth of the office,” far outdated for our current ways of working.

“Managing by monitoring” undermines trust and fails to recognize the diverse work styles and preferences of employees. To implement team-level agreements effectively, managers have to shift their style to “management by outcomes.”

Managing by outcomes is a shift away from measuring inputs – like time spent in the office – to the outputs and results a team generates. This approach acknowledges that individuals have different working styles and preferences, while holding them accountable to their core responsibilities of their job. Managers should focus on setting clear expectations and providing the necessary resources and support for employees to achieve the desired outcomes.

Adopting an outcome-based management approach encourages employees to take ownership of their work and make decisions based on their expertise and judgment. Managers can shift their role from monitoring every aspect of the work process to providing guidance, feedback, and support as needed to achieve business outcomes. This not only enhances employee autonomy and job satisfaction, but also promotes a results-driven work environment that values outcomes over mere presence or activity.

Key Insight #4: Managers need training and support to learn how to manage by outcomes.

To successfully navigate the transition toward managing by outcomes, it is imperative that organizations provide managers with proper training and resources. This training should encompass several key components:

1. How to set clear expectations from your team. This includes defining desired outcomes and performance measures.
2. How to measure progress toward outcomes. This includes providing meaningful feedback along the way to help employees stay on track.
3. Best practices for managing remote or hybrid teams. This includes how to leverage technology and communications platforms to facilitate collaboration and foster engagement.

By investing in comprehensive training for managers, organizations can ensure their front-line leaders are enabled to lead teams effectively in a flexible work environment. Ultimately, this approach not only contributes to better organizational success, but also enhances employee satisfaction and engagement.

Final Thoughts

As organizations navigate their respective approaches to flexible work, it is crucial to balance the overall desires of the organization with the flexibility to customize implementation at the functional and team level. Instead of relying purely on company-wide mandates, adopting team-level agreements that promote flexibility and autonomy can foster greater buy-in and accountability among team members.

Moreover, shifting management focus from inputs to outcomes contributes to improved organizational success and higher employee engagement. It is critical to provide managers with appropriate training to enable them to effectively manage to outcomes and lead remote or hybrid teams.