Cultivating Virtual Leadership in remote or hybrid work environments

One of our team has recently been in discussions with an Executive Leader who is struggling to understand why most of the workforce isn’t excited about the prospect of returning to the office. Whereas he has been going into the office most days during this latest lockdown.

Remote work is here to stay, and as a new generation of workers come to embrace work from home (WFH), leaders and managers need to adapt their management styles to meet employees where they are. Trust, more than anything, will be essential to building successful teams now and in the future.

Whether remote work is a benefit or a challenge to businesses is one of the most relevant organisational debates today. The COVID-19 pandemic made WFH common across numerous industries. Research undertaken by Pew (https://www.pewresearch.org/) estimates that 20 percent of working adults in nonessential jobs worked from home before the pandemic; now, 71 percent of nonessential employees work from home. However, as vaccination rates increase and more industries are planning a return to normal operations (maybe from December 1st in NSW)), businesses are beginning to discuss with employee's expectations about returning to the office.

Those in favour of returning to offices suggest that it promotes productivity, encourages socialization, and helps management more effectively lead employees. Some Leaders and Managers who work closely with their employees, sometimes assume that without continual supervision employees may become less productive. This is an issue of trust—if managers can’t supervise their employees, how can they trust them to complete the objectives of their jobs?

But many workers see WFH in another light. Pew Research also recorded that 54 percent of nonessential workers would like to continue working from home after lockdowns or restrictions. Employees who have had to WFH have seen the pitfalls of working in the office illuminated including long commutes, expensive real-estate if living closer to the CBD where the larger corporate offices are located, the added costs of childcare, and the distractions and time-drains that office work entails. Harvard Business Review also recently published results from a study that show some workers are more productive working from home—largely because they can manage their own time and cut out disturbances.

A new generation of workers has emerged who feel entitled to work from home because they know they can reliably accomplish their job responsibilities using the available technology (Zoom. MS Teams at the like). For companies that insist employees return to the office, this may mean an increase in resignations from employees who are confident they can find remote work elsewhere. Giving employees the option of remote or hybrid work may be essential to retaining talent, but what does this mean for leadership? Is it possible to lead a successful team over Zoom?

Considering the successes some workers have had working from home and the likelihood that remote work will continue to be commonplace even after the pandemic, cultivating remote leadership should be a priority for businesses. According to a recent article in Harvard Business Review, the biggest obstacles managers face when leading remote teams are trust and lack of confidence. Many managers struggle to trust their employees from a distance, and they also struggle to see themselves as effective leaders when their leadership is mediated over a screen. This may be because some prevailing models of leadership, such as authoritarian leadership, teach managers to assume that employees need intensive guidance and supervision to complete tasks.

However, there is another style of leadership that may be better suited for remote work. This requires flexibility in leading and adjusting one’s style to adapt to different contexts. Being flexible leader means accepting that employees can successfully navigate change. It that trust is the key ever present glue that keeps sticky the relationship between a manager and employee. Without trust, adapting to change is impossible.

The Executive leader is now on a journey to examine not only his level of trust but his willingness and ability to be flexible.