What Makes a Good Leader in Remote and Hybrid Workplaces?

Remote and hybrid work have become a normal part of today’s organizations. This raises a fundamental question: what kind of leadership helps employees stay engaged, feel safe, remain connected to others, and continue contributing beyond their job requirements when work is no longer anchored to a shared physical space? Our research showed that remote work is not merely a logistical or technological shift; it is also a psychological and social one, requiring leaders to manage distance, uncertainty, and connection in new ways.

 A series of studies revealed that effective leadership can offset some of the hidden costs of remote and hybrid work. We found that leaders who communicate frequently and meaningfully from a distance help employees remain engaged, while leaders who safeguard employee health may strengthen employees’ sense of safety and well-being in uncertain work contexts. In addition, leaders who cultivate a shared sense of team identity help employees feel more connected to their colleagues in remote settings. At the same time, hybrid working may also carry less visible downsides: on remote days, employees can feel more isolated from their team and become less likely to engage in the extra-role behaviours that sustain collaboration, especially helping colleagues.

Taken together, this work highlights a central insight for the future of work: effective remote leadership is not simply about coordinating tasks at a distance, but about creating communication, safety, connection, and team spirit under conditions of physical separation.