_Im really against it._

This is how Bob Pozen views organisations counting worker **hours** instead of **output.**

The productivity expert and MIT Sloan School of Management senior lecturer told Growth Facultys _Hybrid Work, Maximum Productivity_ masterclass that he asks organisations: **_Arent you a knowledge-based organisation? Isnt it more important what your output is?_**

Bob, co-author of _Remote Inc._ , says hours are easy to measure and easy to count but they give a false sense of productivity. And they're not an [effective way to build trust in the workplace.](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/buildtrustinworkplace)

His proposal is _a_**_performance system based on success metrics_**.

- Boss sets the **objectives** for the team.

- Boss asks the team At the end of month, how are we going to know when we are **successful**?

- Boss and team **negotiate success metrics**. Once agreed they are on the same page.

He says there are 3 advantages to success metrics:

1. **Clarify**  They make you clarify what objectives really mean to your team/organisation.

2. **Help**  They help the boss avoid micromanagement.

3. **Promote**  There is work/life balance for the team.

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For example, an objective might be Improve Customer Service. Asked what success might look like, team members may put forward high net promoter score (NPS), phones answered quickly or resolve customer problems promptly etc.

Bob's masterclass follows recent **study revelations** that employees who worked from home were able to yield higher productivity for short-term projects but did not perform as well on long-term projects.

Published in _Nature_ magazine, the study compiled data from more than **60,000 Microsoft employees**. A _Bioscience_ article about the study suggests this could be because there is less opportunity for **collaboration** and **interaction** , but more opportunity for **distractions** when working from home.

Regular check-ins, equipping staff with the right equipment, using team collaboration software, and encouraging the creation of a quiet and productive work space are ideas for increasing hybrid work productivity.

With that in mind, let's read on for more ideas from Bob.

Study shows hybrid work not as productive for long-term projects

When polled on _How many days per week should your employees be required to work in the companys offices?_ Bobs masterclass voted this way:

**34% said two days per week** , 31% three days, **21% zero days** , 9% one day, 3% five days, and 2% four days.

You may remember in our recent blog on [Keith Ferrazzi's masterclass on hybrid work](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/leadershiphybridworkplace), we wrote that recent U.S. survey data shows hybrid work may be worth **a 7% pay rise** to workers, and about 40% of WFH workers would seek another job if their boss required a full return to the office.

Bob said it was **up to teams** to decide what makes sense for them based on F.L.O.C.S. \(function, location, organisation, culture, and scheduling\). Each team will be different and will need to come to an agreement.

Hybrid work  number of days in the office

The volume of emails didnt quieten during the pandemic. If anything, the noise got louder and now includes Microsoft Teams, Slack and other team chat channels.

Bob Pozen says best practice behaviours on emails include:

- **Using filters** \(which sort emails by keywords into folders\) can help avoid low-value messages.

- **Skipping over 50%-70%** of emails based on the sender and subject matter.

- **Answering important messages** right away. If need for more information, mark them to come back to \(perhaps install Chrome extension Boomerang if you have Gmail\).

- **Practice OHIO**  Only Handle It Once

- **Send messages only to** those who must know.

- **Put instructions** in subject line. If action is needed, write ACTION.

- **Do not hit** the reply-to-all button.

- **After a few emails** back and forth, speak by phone **.**

He says while Slack/Teams channels are great for project teams, the wider audience in such channels could be unsuitable for confidential or proprietary information.

Hybrid work  healthy habits around emails and online collaboration tools

Since the pandemic, meetings have increased tenfold. Bob says 6-8 people in a meeting is the optimum size for all present to be engaged and not social loafing.

Best practice habits for PREPARATION include:

- **Schedule all meetings** to go for less than one hour. 45 minutes and 15 minutes break.

- **Invite only** those who need to be there.

- **Send out an agenda** along with the invite \(those invited should scrutinise to see if it fits with their own priorities\).

- **Distribute materials** 24 hours before the meeting.

Best practice habits for CONDUCTING A MEETING include:

- **Leader outline.** Leader spells out the issues in 5-20 minutes.

- **Discussion.** Most of the meeting should be used for discussion not presenting information.

- **Debate.** Encourage debate by calling on people during the meeting.

- **Hybrid buddy.** Consider pairing up in-person attendees with online attendees so there is an in-person advocate for the remote worker.

- **End with next steps.** State what has been decided and what the next steps will be.

Hybrid work  best practice for meetings

We know some jobs simply can't be done remotely. But it seems that many common tasks that can be done be done remotely may be better done in person.

McKinsey's 2020 _'What's next for remote work'_ report says employers have found that although some tasks can be done remotely in a **crisis,** they are much more effectively done in person.

These activities include coaching, counseling, and providing **advice and feedback** ; building customer and colleague relationships; bringing **new employees** into a company; negotiating and making critical decisions; teaching and training; and work that benefits from **collaboration** , such as innovation, **problem-solving** , and creativity. In the past year we've become more sophisticated in our **use of virtual tools** , so this may be less true today. But many of these tasks are required for large projects, so let's hear Bob's techniques for improving project management.

McKinsey finds some tasks better in person

Bob says teams should learn to Start with the End when tackling large projects.

By starting with the end, you spend only **two days doing research** on the subject before writing the **draft conclusion**. Instead, he says, many teams spend weeks or months gathering facts or opinions, then rushing to synthesise the data in the final week before deadline.

Heres the **Starting with the End** process:

- **Spend** two days doing research on the subject.

- **Stop and write-up** your tentative conclusions.

- **Do** more research and revise your tentative conclusions.

- **Bounce** your ideas off experts and run beta sites. Revise again. Test. Revise.

This method gets the team quickly starting to grapple with key analytic issues, and developing better conclusions through iteration. It also means final solutions are tried out through real world pilots.

Start with the End: Productivity for Large Projects

Bob is a Senior Lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management and non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution.

He is author of the best-selling book _Extreme Productivity: Boost Your Results, Reduce Your Hours_ and his newest o-authored release focuses on productivity when working remotely - **_Remote Inc.: How to Thrive at WorkWherever You Are._**

Bob works with executives and leaders of all types to not only learn about productivity but how to take instant steps to improve their work and family lives.

About Bob Pozen

Improving work culture, building trust, and making workplaces safe are all critical for any organisation to function optimally. It's how leaders can improve enjoyment, engagement, and productivity.

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