MICROSOFT OPERATIONS-HYBRID QUICK START GUIDE

Key decisions

Which activities and processes should be automated?
Of those that can't, which must be performed on-site and which can be made remotize? 
What expectations will you set for upstream (e.g., suppliers, vendors, contractors) and downstream counterparts (e.g., channels) in hybrid work?
What incentives, if any, should you provide to those who don't have the flexibility to work remotely, given the nature of their job?

Checklist of key actions

1. Identify operational processes that can be automated.
*Evaluate and determine which operational processes can be automated to eliminate on-site working needs.
*Improve automated diagnostics to send more specific error logs such that more can be diagnosed remotely. 

2. Evaluate non-automated processes to identify which must be done on-site.
*Lean on lessons learned from remote working during pandemic to push yourself to reexamine on-site requirements of non-automated processes.

3. Empower your people with the resources and training for hybrid work.
*Set up frameworks to allow employees to work flexibly with guardrails to satisfy their unique requirements without compromising business needs.
*Recognize that this will be different for different roles. Be respectful of the personal sacrifices this entails.

*In addition to prioritizing physical safety, consider mental wellbeing.

4. Explicitly define your team engagement / collaboration model.
*Define team norms – e.g., when your team needs to be physically co-located.

5. Manage to outcomes instead of inputs.
*Rethink your outcome-oriented KPIs in hybrid work (e.g., how to measure outputs, how to balance hard criteria with your employee's wellbeing) to enable sustainable performance.

6. Build in leading indicators and warning mechanisms.
*Introduce predictive maintenance mechanisms for your operations to minimize down time
*Provide "preventive wellness" programs for your employees using workspace analytics tools (e.g., monitoring employee sentiment, email traffic, meeting intensity). 

7. Set clear expectations for vendors and partners.
*Define the norms and expectations of your engagements with partners (e.g., contractors, suppliers, vendors) to shift to hybrid work.
*Use remote engaging as a basis for improving data-driven sourcing decisions.
*Adjust your communications strategy with vendors and suppliers, including sharing best practices with supplier communities and communicating in groups.