The hybrid working world has now become the norm for many companies. However, this flexible way of working, in which employees switch between office and home work, also poses challenges, particularly with regard to the flow of information. In this article, we discuss strategies to improve the flow of information in a hybrid work environment, thus promoting productivity, employee engagement, and team collaboration.
Key facts
- In a hybrid work environment, it can quickly happen that information is not passed on correctly within your company.
- By shifting communication to virtual space, corporate culture and the flow of information can suffer.
- It is important for managers & employees to counteract this effect through regular meetings, team events or joint office days.
- Collaboration tools like Seatti can help you break down existing silos and isolated teams & promote more collaboration.
Information flow in the company: A definition
The flow of information in companies often means knowledge management. This is the process by which information and knowledge are exchanged, disseminated, and communicated within your organization.
This includes how data, knowledge, updates, and insights are transferred between different levels, departments, and individuals of the organization. And this process takes place at different levels and communication channels and usually includes the following topics:
- How is knowledge passed on within your company?
- How are management decisions communicated?
- How are they communicated?
- What options are there for employees to help each other and share knowledge?
- How are new employees integrated into the flow of information?
- What channels are there to transfer knowledge asynchronously?
Why is a smooth flow of information so important?
An efficient flow of information in your company is decisive for how hybrid collaboration designed. In a hybrid work environment, it is essential that asynchronous communication runs efficiently and smoothly. Information and files must be easy for the respective team members to find — only then does it work hybrid work really!
Examples of a successful flow of information
In order to pass on knowledge within your company, there are numerous examples of a successful flow of information. It is important to stress that it can be formal and informal in nature.
Examples of the informal flow of information include informal conversations such as coffee chats, Team events for the respective department or even meetings. It is important that your hybrid corporate culture leaves room for this exchange.
Formal flow of information is rather a work-related knowledge management process. It concludes reports Meetings, emails, or a hybrid onboarding new employees with a. At these points, communication must be made clear and clear so that everyone can take away the appropriate information that is relevant to him or her.
A well-structured flow of information promotes transparency, minimizes misunderstandings, supports strategic direction and helps create a coherent and effective work environment.
Improve the flow of information from managers
The flow of information from managers plays a central role in the dynamics and effectiveness of an organization. Executives act as main nodes in the information-sharing network as they set strategic directions, communicate decisions, and integrate feedback from various areas of the company.
The effective Management at a distance promotes transparent and efficient knowledge management. That in turn ensures that. That employees at all levels receive clear, consistent and timely information. An open feedback culture also promotes an understanding of corporate goals, strategies, or changes.
To improve the flow of information at work, managers must pay attention to the following:
- Get feedback: Regular feedback rounds within the team help to understand work processes and identify potential problems with the flow of information. Open communication regarding work processes in knowledge management is essential to make information accessible across teams.
- Optimize work processes: If you, as a team or as a manager, discover that some processes are not working because information is not being passed on correctly across departments or internally, adjust the processes. Actively question how knowledge can be recorded after meetings or asynchronously so that everyone has access to the necessary data or documents.
- Create structures: Organizational structures are important to improve the flow of information within a company. Hybrid meetings, for example, can be significantly simplified with a clear distribution of roles. Minutes or agendas help to record decisions. This can also be reflected in tools such as project management tools or online whiteboards.
Facilitate the flow of information within the team
However, an improved flow of information is not just the task of managers. Rather, the entire team must work together to achieve the goal. Here are a few tips for you:
Set clear communication guidelines
In a hybrid work environment, it is crucial to have clear communication guidelines. This includes which communication channels should be used for which types of messages. For example, email could be used for formal communications, instant messaging for quick questions, and video calls for team meetings.
The availability of your team should also be clarified in advance. For example, determines that direct messages via messengers such as MS Teams are allowed during core working hours, but emails are preferred afterwards.
Regular updates & meetings
Regular meetings are essential to keep everyone in the know, especially in a team that isn't always physically together. These should be offered both in person and via video conferences to ensure that team members working remotely are included.
Using collaboration tools
The use of Collaboration tools such as Slack, Microsoft Tems, or Asana, can significantly improve the flow of information in hybrid teams. These tools not only enable efficient communication, but also provide task management and file sharing features.
Creating a culture of open exchange
One corporate culture, which promotes open communication and knowledge sharing, is critical to the success of a hybrid team. Employees should be encouraged to share information and ideas proactively.
Improve information flow with Seatti
To make knowledge management work significantly better in your company, we at Seatti are working to break down these silos of isolated teams and promote collaboration. With our Hybrid Collaboration Module Do you promote office presence in a natural way. As a result, our customers were able to increase an average of 32% more presence in the office thanks to our software solution.
Unser Meetup dashboard For example, tell your employees at a glance who is planning to come to the office on which days. Optionally, you can specify what you're going to work on so that project planning is easier. This promotes cross-departmental exchange and promotes the flow of information within your team.
And so that the team days aren't neglected, you can join our Team booking function Make suggestions for your colleagues as to when you agree to work together. Easy, intuitive and smart via MS Teams.
