The return-to-office debate has worn thin. People on one side or the other will find data that supports their perspectives and refutes others. These arguments might drag on for another few years, leaving some companies feeling vindicated they made the right decision, while others will regret the choices they made, or didn’t make.
I’ve been following these debates since way before COVID hit – since September 11, 2001, in fact. That’s when my biggest clients suddenly put a stop to all air travel, forcing many of their employees to work remotely. What started as a temporary experiment born of necessity became a permanent workplace structure that reaped unforeseen benefits. Most of my clients have never looked back.
Fast-forward to 2025, when employers and industry pundits are still arguing whether people can be more engaged, collaborative and productive when they’re in the office or work from wherever. Really? We have to debate this all over again?
What doesn’t get talked about nearly enough is how work will get done in a hybrid world, and the important role leaders can play.
Trouble is that most leaders of hybrid teams need special skills and knowledge many simply haven’t developed yet. It’s not that managers don’t know they need these skills or that they don’t want them. “Our managers are completely overwhelmed,” said one HR VP I interviewed. “They don’t have a chance to take on anything new unless it’s something that helps them put out the fire that’s right in front of them that very minute.” Others I interviewed shared the same sentiments.
Today’s managers confront a unique combination of challenges such as:
⚡️Assessing the impact of AI on the work of their teams
⚡️Feeling pressured to enforce directives from senior leaders while rationalizing them to disgruntled employees
⚡️ Reworking business processes to adapt to new technologies
⚡️ Preventing top employees from heading for the exits
⚡️ Assisting employees in maintaining sound mental health
⚡️ Providing meaningful learning and growth opportunities
⚡️ Maintaining equity and inclusivity across the team in an inherently asymmetrical world
⚡️ And many more…
The right attitudes, mindsets, beliefs and behaviors are just as important as specialized knowledge and skills:
- Recognizes that hybrid is here to stay
- Trusts what can’t be seen
- Tolerates ambiguity
- Sees culture as how we work vs. where we work
- Regards inclusivity as non-negotiable
- Appreciates what it takes to create an accessible workplace
- Respects boundaries both for themselves and their teams
- Believes there’s no such thing as over-communicating
Most “best hybrid leadership practices” cannot be applied universally. Organizations that began hybrid work since COVID simply don’t have enough experience yet to declare unequivocal success. Add to that, leadership practices need to reflect the values and culture of their organizations as well as their industry and client base, so trying to force-fit a set of leadership practices that work equally well for a fast-growing high-tech company and a small regional nonprofit can be a costly exercise in futility.
Essential ingredients for success – The “secret sauce”
How can senior leaders help managers lead their teams during a time of tumult and transition while meeting performance goals and keeping employees happy enough to stay?
- Cut them some slack. Sure, performance metrics are important, but only if they make sense in today’s workplace. Ask your managers what metrics would make the most sense today, six months from now, a year from now, etc. What kind of output should be assessed, vs. examining the number and location of hours worked?
- Revisit your business processes across the board. Take a step back and consider which can be modified, stopped, added, or made more efficient, especially with the advent of generative AI and the opportunity for people to work in different locations and flexible hours.
- Be a role model. Demonstrate behaviors most needed by effective leaders of hybrid teams, such as empathic listening, effective communications, curiosity, group facilitation, building trust, running productive meetings and providing helpful feedback.
- Don’t expect them to be superhuman. Check in frequently. Ask managers what kind of support they need for their teams and for their own well-being. Make sure they have a plan for taking care of themselves, analogous to putting their oxygen masks on first. Encourage them to ask for help as soon as they need it and be on the lookout for signs of burnout.
- Give them opportunities to learn and practice new skills. If all employees are entitled to two weeks of training each year, for example, it’s meaningless if managers feel tethered to their day-to-day work. Find ways to help managers make it possible for the work of the team to get done in their absence.
Rather than continuing to debate the pros and cons of remote vs. onsite work, focus instead on what it will take to help create effective leaders in this new world of work. Managers who felt confident and competent in a pre-COVID workplace may need more help than you think. Don’t assume your managers are okay if you don’t hear from them. They may not admit they’re floundering, especially if everyone else – including you – insists they’re doing fine.
I work with teams of all types, sizes and locations to help their managers become successful leaders in a hybrid world. If you could use some help, please mail nancy@guidedinsights.com to set up time to talk, or visit my website to find out more.
Links
Downloadable resources from Guided Insights
- When should teams prioritize meeting in person? Our checklist suggests criteria to consider.
- Managing Conflict – Guidelines for success
- Communicating in times of change – Guidelines and checklist
- Essential Skills for Today’s Hybrid Leaders – downloadable PDF summary report of my interviews with HR, talent management, learning and development, and other business leaders
Past Communiques from Guided Insights:
