Performance Management in Hybrid Teams: A Practical Guide for HR Leaders in Ireland
“ Once productivity is defined, how do you manage performance effectively, fairly and consistently in hybrid teams?”
In our recent article on measuring productivity in hybrid and remote teams, we explored how Irish organisations are redefining performance beyond visibility and hours worked.
The next question for HR leaders is more complex.
Once productivity is defined, how do you manage performance effectively, fairly and consistently in hybrid teams?
With hybrid working now firmly embedded across Ireland, and with the statutory Right to Request Remote Working in place, performance management must evolve. It cannot rely on informal observation or proximity to managers. It must be structured, documented and capability-led.
This article outlines practical tools and processes HR professionals can use to manage performance confidently in hybrid environments.
Enabling Strong Performance in Hybrid Teams
Before addressing underperformance, HR leaders must ensure the right foundations are in place.
Many performance issues in hybrid teams stem not from remote working itself, but from unclear expectations and inconsistent management capability.
1. Redefine Performance Expectations Clearly
Hybrid working requires explicit clarity.
HR should ensure that every role has:
Documented responsibilities
Defined outputs and success measures
Agreed priorities aligned to business goals
Clear behavioural expectations
This level of clarity also supports fair decision-making if remote working arrangements are reviewed or challenged.
Practical tool:
Introduce quarterly objective-setting frameworks using SMART goals or OKRs.
Ensure objectives are outcome-based rather than task-based.
Link individual goals to team and organisational strategy.
2. Train Managers in Hybrid Performance Capability
Hybrid performance management is a leadership capability issue.
Managers must be able to:
Set expectations clearly
Provide structured feedback
Conduct meaningful one-to-ones virtually
Identify early signs of disengagement
HR can support this through:
Manager toolkits for hybrid performance conversations
Structured monthly check-in templates
Training on coaching skills for remote teams
Guidance on documentation standards
From experience, organisations that invest in manager capability see fewer formal performance escalations later.
3. Standardise Hybrid Performance Reviews
Annual reviews are not sufficient in a hybrid model.
HR leaders in Ireland are increasingly implementing:
Quarterly performance conversations
Mid-year calibration sessions
Peer or 360 feedback in remote environments
Digital performance tracking dashboards
Consistency is critical. Without it, hybrid working can unintentionally create perceived bias between remote and on-site employees.
Managing Underperformance in Hybrid
and Remote Teams
A substantial share of the Irish workforce is already in flexible working arrangements. In 2025, data indicates that approximately 36 % of the Irish workforce were working in either hybrid or remote roles, showing how embedded flexible work models have become in the labour market.
One of the most searched HR queries in Ireland currently is how to manage underperformance in remote teams. Avoiding this topic does not reduce risk. Clear process reduces it.
4. Address Underperformance Early and Informally
Hybrid environments can delay intervention if managers rely solely on output metrics.
Encourage managers to:
Document concerns factually
Schedule structured conversations promptly
Focus on impact, not personality
Agree measurable improvement actions
A simple three-step structure works well:
Clarify expectations
Identify gaps
Agree timelines and supports
This protects both the employee and the organisation.
5. Use Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) Professionally
Where informal measures fail, a formal Performance Improvement Plan may be required.
In Ireland, this should align with:
The organisation’s disciplinary procedures
Natural justice principles
Fair documentation standards
A strong hybrid PIP should include:
Clear performance concerns
Objective evidence
Specific improvement targets
Defined review dates
Available supports (training, mentoring, workload adjustment)
Remote working does not change the legal requirements for fairness. If anything, it increases the need for clarity and documentation.
6. Separate Performance from Presence
One recurring risk in hybrid teams is conflating visibility with effectiveness.
HR leaders should ensure:
Remote employees are not penalised for reduced visibility
On-site employees are not over-rewarded for presence alone
Decisions on promotion and progression are evidence-based
Calibration sessions across managers can reduce bias and ensure equity.
Legal and Governance Considerations
in Ireland
With the Right to Request Remote Working now in place, performance frameworks must be:
Transparent
Consistently applied
Documented
Defensible
If an employer refuses or revokes remote working based on performance concerns, there must be clear evidence supporting that decision.
Performance management and remote working policies must align.
A Reflection from Working with Irish Organisations
What we consistently see is that hybrid working does not create underperformance.
It exposes gaps in:
Goal clarity
Management confidence
Feedback culture
Documentation discipline
Organisations with strong performance frameworks adapt seamlessly to hybrid models. Those without structure often default to reactive processes.
For HR leaders, hybrid performance management is an opportunity to elevate standards, not lower them.
Strategic Takeaway for HR Leaders
Performance management in hybrid teams is not about tighter control. It is about stronger systems.
To manage performance effectively in Ireland’s hybrid workplaces, HR leaders should:
Clarify expectations and outcomes
Invest in manager capability
Standardise review processes
Address underperformance early
Ensure compliance with Irish employment law
Align performance frameworks with remote working policies
Ultimately, hybrid working is here to stay.
