Mastering hybrid leadership
Mastering hybrid leadership
5 minutes
Hybrid leadership isn’t about managing separate “remote” and “on-site” teams – it’s about ensuring true connectivity across both, despite physical separation. It’s the ability to build inclusion, trust and cohesion when some people are in the room and others are on screen.
In practice, this means using language that reinforces equality (“on-site” vs “remote” rather than “in the office” vs “working from home”), creating consistent communication rhythms, and building moments of genuine connection that transcend location.
Since emerging from pandemic lockdowns, leaders have been navigating a workforce that looks and feels fundamentally different. Hybrid work is no longer a temporary fix – it’s an expectation. Headlines have declared that the five-day office week is “dead” and that flexibility is now a driver of attraction and retention.
However, many organisations still treat hybrid as a logistical issue rather than a cultural one. When hybrid leadership isn’t intentional, employees working remotely can feel excluded or undervalued. Over time, this erodes trust, engagement, and team cohesion.
Leaders must consciously “show up” differently – ensuring everyone feels seen, heard, and connected. Hybrid success is not about location; it’s about inclusion, clarity, and consistency.
How leaders describe hybrid work shapes perception. Referring to people as “in the office” can imply greater legitimacy; “working from home” can sound less serious. By using “on-site” and “remote,” leaders signal that every team member contributes equally, regardless of location.
McKinsey’s research describes the rise of the “hybrid virtual model”. When implemented well, this model has been shown to lift both individual and team productivity, increase flexibility, and enhance the overall employee experience.
Importantly, it’s not just about where people work, but how leaders lead. McKinsey’s findings emphasise that hybrid leadership requires a deliberate shift in behaviour. Leaders need to create intentional moments for informal connection, make space for virtual voices to be heard, and ensure that every team member – regardless of location – feels equally included. This is what builds the cohesion and trust that truly define successful hybrid teams.
Hybrid leadership is not a passing trend or retention tactic; it’s a new skillset.
It’s about creating equitable experiences, using inclusive language, and building trust through intentional connectivity, wherever your people are.
Dowling, B.; Goldstein, D.; Park, M.; Price, H. (2022). Hybrid work: Making it fit with your diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy. McKinsey & Company.
