Working remotely is yesterday's news – what hybrid leadership requires today

You probably never intended to manage your team entirely remotely – and suddenly that's exactly what everyday life has become. What began as a stopgap solution has permanently changed the world of work. But now a much more difficult question arises: What's next?

Many companies are currently stuck between the kitchen table and the conference room – somewhere in an attempt to combine remote structures with a culture of presence. Returning to the office feels like a step backwards. But working completely remotely often lacks the critical connection. So the middle ground is chosen: hybrid working. Sounds logical – but it's anything but easy.

Hybrid teams bring new challenges. How do you motivate colleagues who hardly ever see each other? How do you build trust when your team is spread out? And which tools really help you lead efficiently and approachably?

This article provides answers and shows you how, as an executive, you can not only manage the transition from remote to hybrid, but also help shape it. To ensure your team stays together and delivers results.

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The transition: what hybrid work really means

Hybrid is not a mode. It is a mindset.

Many teams are now well versed in remote working – but that is precisely what becomes a challenge when you take the next step. The transition to hybrid is not simply a matter of ‘a few days in the office, a few at home’. It is a cultural change.
Suddenly, you are managing two realities at once: people who are physically present and people who are only visible virtually. This harbours risks: information gaps, unequal participation, a lack of team spirit. If you don't steer the process, a two-tier culture will emerge (Bitkom 2023).
That's why you need clarity. For yourself – and for your team. What does hybrid work mean for you in concrete terms? Who decides when and how often people come to the office? Which tasks belong in the office, and which are better done remotely? Without clear rules, flexibility quickly turns into frustration.

And hybrid work only works if it is voluntary. If your team understands the reasoning behind the structure – and you as an executive lead by example (Haufe 2023).

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Rethinking leadership: from the control room to a culture of trust

Hybrid leadership does not work like it does in the office. Nor does it work purely remotely. It requires a new way of thinking – and sometimes the courage to let go of old beliefs.

This is because control only works to a limited extent in distributed teams. You can no longer see whether someone starts early or finishes late. But you will sense whether your team is in flow – or just waiting for instructions.

Trust is the new currency. And as an executive, you are the first to spend it. Those who are trusted take responsibility. Those who are constantly monitored create a divide. That's why you need an understanding of leadership that emphasises personal responsibility while also providing guidance (Deloitte 2023).

Clarity becomes the most important leadership tool. What are the expectations? Who is responsible for what? What does ‘good work’ mean to you – and how can we tell when things are going wrong?

Leadership at a distance requires presence – not physical, but communicative. Good hybrid leadership is evident in many small things: regular check-ins, one-on-one conversations, open questions, active listening.

Another point that is often overlooked: you need clarity yourself. Hybrid leadership brings with it new role models. You will be more of a moderator, more of a coach and less of a manager. And that's a good thing – if you are aware of your impact.

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Technology meets team spirit: successful hybrid setups

Technology is not the problem. But it is often not the solution either.

Too many hybrid teams struggle with a jungle of tools. Project management on one platform, feedback on the next, spontaneous discussions via chat, important information buried in emails. This costs energy – and trust.

Your goal as an executive: a setup that connects. That doesn't overwhelm.

Hybrid teams need digital tools that make contributions visible, not locations. It must be clear to everyone: Where is what happening? Who is available when? What rules apply to collaboration?

Three questions you should ask yourself:

1. How do you work together to share knowledge?
2. How do you communicate – synchronously or asynchronously?
3. How do you conduct hybrid meetings without disadvantaging remote colleagues?

Good tools are a means to an end. What really counts is your attitude towards them. Technology must create access, not reinforce differences (t3n 2025). And it needs rules – to ensure that it reduces your workload, not increases it.

But tools alone do not create team spirit. For that, you need digital rituals. Shared formats that allow room for humanity. An open channel for off-topic discussions. A virtual after-work beer. Or simply regular one-on-one meetings where you don't talk about deadlines – but listen (Deloitte 2023).

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From challenge to strategic strength

Hybrid working is not a transitional phase. It is here to stay (in fact, hybrid work has been around longer than most people thought).

What looked like Plan B after the pandemic has become the new standard. And that's a good thing – if you don't just allow the model, but actively shape it (FR 2023).

You will always have to deal with tensions. Some colleagues miss the office, others no longer see the point of it. Some projects work excellently remotely, others require proximity. The solution is rarely binary – but it does require decisions.

Those who take hybrid work seriously gain three things: better results, higher satisfaction and a stronger position in the IT job market (BCG 2022). Leadership in a hybrid space is therefore a strategy. And if you design it courageously, you will build a working model that both works and is effective.

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Conclusion: Think ahead about leadership – don't back down

Hybrid work calls many things into question: old routines, traditional leadership, well-established processes. But that is precisely where its strength lies: it forces you to lead more clearly, communicate better and rethink trust.

If you actively shape the transition from remote to hybrid, you will create a working environment that enables performance – without losing humanity. You will make your team more independent, but not more distant. More flexible, but not arbitrary.

Because hybrid work is not a compromise. It is a decision – for more freedom, more responsibility and leadership that is results-oriented, not visibility-oriented.

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Sources

• BCG (2022): Leading in a Time of Remote Working. https://www.bcg.com/publications/2022/leading-time-remote-working
• Bitkom (2023): Kaffeeküche statt Küchentisch – Die Büros füllen sich wieder. https://www.bitkom.org/Presse/Presseinformation/Kaffeekueche-statt-Kuechentisch-Bueros-fuellen-sich-wieder
• Deloitte (2023): Flexible Zusammenarbeit in hybriden Teams. https://www.deloitte.com/de/de/services/consulting/perspectives/flexible-zusammenarbeit-in-hybriden-teams.html
• Frankfurter Rundschau (2023): Homeoffice: So regeln die Dax-Konzerne das Mobile Arbeiten. https://www.fr.de/wirtschaft/frax/homeoffice-deutsche-regeln-unternehmen-dax-konzerne-das-mobile-arbeiten-hybrid-job-92056800.html
• Haufe (2023): Hybride Führung: Strategien für Remote- & Präsenzteams. https://www.haufe-akademie.de/blog/themen/fuehrung-und-leadership/hybride-fuehrung-strategien-fuer-remote-praesenzteams‍
• t3n (2025): Hybrides Arbeiten neu denken – So wird dein Büro zum Magnet der Zukunft. https://t3n.de/news/office-hybrid-work-remote-work-huus-1669431