Aligning hybrid work with employee and leadership expectations

As organizations embrace long-term hybrid work models, the command-and-control leadership styles of the past have become obsolete. Leading a distributed team where employees split time between the office and remote locations requires a fundamental shift in mindset—one focused on trust, equity, and outcomes. This new approach, known as hybrid leadership, is less about oversight and more about empowerment, connection, and purposeful guidance.

Effective hybrid leadership is the cornerstone of a thriving workplace, directly impacting everything from employee engagement and productivity to talent retention. But how can leaders cultivate the skills needed to navigate this complex environment and build a cohesive, high-performing team, regardless of where individuals are working? 

What are hybrid work challenges for leaders?

Hybrid work is more than picking a workplace model and setting up remote collaboration tools and communication channels. It also requires business leaders to track metrics and engage in initiatives that facilitate more productive workflows and a better employee experience.

Hybrid work arrangements bring along new communication challenges. A remote team still needs the same effective and collaborative work environment. Here are a few challenges employees may face in a hybrid work model:

Lack of trust and guidance

Employees want autonomy, which means leaders should trust hybrid workers to contribute just as much as in-office employees. Clear communication and guidelines on expectations will help improve employee engagement.

Lack of inclusivity and connection 

Remote employees may not feel as recognized as in-office employees, which can result in low talent retention or poor work culture. It can also create a power imbalance between in-person and remote employees. Power differences can lead to weak collaboration and performance.

Lack of trained management

Leaders need training on how to manage a hybrid team. Managers need different skills and mindsets to empower and manage hybrid employees. Without trained hybrid leaders, cohesion, and informed decision-making, the workplace will suffer.

When employees face these challenges, it’s up to the leaders to make changes to ensure a successful workplace. It may sound like it’s more work for leaders. In reality, it’s about acquiring new skills and best practices.

Lack of objectivity leading to proximity bias

One of the most significant risks in a hybrid model is the unintentional creation of a two-tier system. Employees who are physically present in the office often have greater visibility and more spontaneous interactions with leaders, which can lead to better opportunities—a phenomenon known as proximity bias. Leaders must actively create a level playing field, ensuring that career growth, project assignments, and feedback are distributed based on merit, not location.

Lack of employee excitement about digital-first work

The lines between work and home are perpetually blurred in a hybrid model. Without clear boundaries, employees can feel pressured to be “always on,” leading to digital exhaustion and burnout. Leaders are challenged with promoting a healthy work-life balance, encouraging asynchronous work where possible, and modeling sustainable work habits for their teams.

Actionable strategies for effective hybrid leadership

Leading a hybrid team successfully requires moving from abstract skills to concrete strategies. Here are the essential practices that differentiate effective hybrid leaders:

Shift from managing activity to measuring outcomes

In a hybrid environment, visibility into *how* work gets done is limited. Instead of tracking hours or monitoring online status, focus on what truly matters: results. Empower your team by setting clear goals and deadlines, and then grant them the autonomy to decide when and where they work to achieve those objectives. This outcome-based approach builds a culture of accountability and trust, proving you value their contributions over their physical presence.

Practice intentional communication and collaboration

Don’t leave communication to chance. Proactively design a communication strategy that works for everyone. This includes establishing clear guidelines for which tools to use for different purposes (e.g., Slack for quick updates, email for formal announcements, video calls for brainstorming). Schedule regular, inclusive meetings that ensure remote participants can contribute equally. To foster the spontaneous collaboration that happens in an office, use technology to your advantage. A tool like OfficeSpace’s Who’s In & Favorites allows team members to coordinate their in-office days, turning the office into a purposeful hub for teamwork on projects that benefit most from face-to-face interaction.

Champion radical flexibility and empathy

Flexibility is the currency of the modern workplace. Acknowledging that your employees are juggling professional and personal responsibilities is key to supporting their well-being. Lead with empathy by being adaptable to individual needs where possible and creating policies that support a healthy work-life integration. This human-centric approach not only reduces burnout but also boosts loyalty and engagement across the entire team.

Gartner also established 4 types of hybrid workplace leaders:

• Champions: Open mindset and right skills
• Strivers: Open mindset but lacks skills
• Resistors: Closed mindset but right skills
• Laggards: Closed mindset and lack of skills

Evaluating your current leadership can help you pinpoint where you may need development and training. Showing leaders a different perspective can make them more supportive. Likewise, helping them develop a skill will help companies build a better hybrid workplace.

How do you engage employees in a hybrid workplace?

Hybrid leaders are responsible for engaging employees. Beyond just productivity, hybrid leaders also need to build an employee-centric culture. There are a few ways that can promote healthy and productive team members. Hybrid leaders may want to:

Establish clear expectations

Companies need to create guidelines for managing their hybrid workforce. Employees can’t meet your expectations if you don’t set them. Clear expectations can improve performance and engagement. You could compile guidelines into a formal guide or send regular, ongoing emails. 

The most important goal is to ensure guidelines reduce confusion among employees. Specific guidelines on actions like cameras being on or off on video calls can ensure transparency.

Frequent opportunities to meet with management

All professional development opportunities should be accessible to in-person and remote employees. A hybrid manager needs to ensure all employees receive feedback, guidance, and support.

Regardless of work location, employees should feel like they have a connection with their managers. Leaders can provide this by offering feedback, scheduling check-ins, and recognizing notable performance.

Offer training on communication

Hybrid workplaces bring different types of communication problems. Since many interactions happen online, it’s easy to misinterpret what is happening. There may even be a slight delay compared to simply walking over to someone’s cubicle to ask a question.

With this different communication style, employees may want training on how to interact in a hybrid environment. Employees can learn how to effectively communicate and avoid conflict. It’s also a good time to discuss expectations regarding online availability and acceptable behavior.

On the other hand, some actions could damage your hybrid work environment. You want to avoid these common mistakes:

• Micromanaging employees: There is usually no need to track your employees’ keystrokes or use other invasive monitoring tools. Instead of micromanaging to ensure remote employees are working, you can try trusting them. Using a value-based approach makes employees feel empowered in their work.
• Only recognizing in-person employees: If it’s a hybrid meeting, don’t only talk to people in the physical room with you. Engage with your remote employees who are tuning in on video conferencing software. Likewise, if you have a social event in-office, consider having a virtual event for your remote employees. It will help them feel included and part of the team. 
• Making conflict personal: Did your colleague not immediately respond to your Slack message? It doesn’t mean that they are out shopping instead of working. Try to assume positive intent and don’t make small problems into big issues.

Engaging employees in a hybrid workplace starts with changing your perspective on how work is accomplished. Many individual tasks can happen remotely. However, some collaborative work may require face-to-face interactions. 

Knowing the difference can help you determine when employees should be on-site or can stay remote. Some other ways to increase hybrid employee engagement include:

• Ensure team members are building relationships with each other. Team-building activities are still crucial for a virtual team. Some ideas include virtual games, happy hours, or non-work Slack channels.
• Provide employees with all the technological tools and apps they need to succeed. Beyond digital tools, check if your employees need office supplies to work remotely.
• There is no one-size-fits-all solution for hybrid teams. A hybrid leader will need a willingness to experiment in order to find the best hybrid model for their team. Staying agile, testing solutions, and constantly learning will help you find a solution that works. Just make sure you don’t accidentally foster an unstable work environment for your team with too much testing.

Making the office a magnet, not a mandate

In a hybrid model, the office must earn the commute. Its role has evolved from a place for individual work to a central hub for collaboration, connection, and culture-building. Effective leaders use data to transform their real estate from an obligation into a destination that employees *want* to visit.

• Use data to understand how your workplace works. Leaders need real-time, accurate data on how their spaces are being used. Are collaboration zones buzzing on Tuesdays but empty on Thursdays? Are employees booking desks near their team members, or are they spread thin? By integrating presence data from sources like WiFi, sensors, and badge systems, you gain a clear picture of peak usage days, popular neighborhoods, and underutilized areas.
• Design for the “moments that matter”. Once you understand the “what” and “when” of office usage, you can design for the “why.” Use your workplace data to create environments tailored to specific activities. If your data shows teams are coming in for project kick-offs, ensure you have ample tech-enabled meeting rooms and whiteboarding spaces. If connection is a key driver, invest in comfortable social lounges and coffee areas.

Using tools like OfficeSpace Software can help you manage your workspace efficiently. You can make informed decisions about whether you need to downsize or acquire additional office spaces. But just as importantly, you can create a safe and productive workplace for your teams.

OfficeSpace collects and analyzes a variety of metrics that provide real-time insights on how your employees use the office space. Armed with this information, you can create an effective workplace strategy that meets everyone’s needs.