If your organization is sticking with remote or hybrid work, your old management playbook won’t cut it. Productivity, culture, and collaboration all suffer when you try to lead as if everyone’s still in the office full time. To adapt, start with these four steps.
Begin with data. Ask your IT team to audit patterns from your company’s collaboration software. Are meetings longer and more frequent? Are people slow to respond to pings? These are signals that remote norms are impeding performance.
Set clear, enforceable rules. Limit virtual meetings to essential participants and require cameras on. Establish norms around availability and urgency—and enforce them. Consistency is critical; when rules are ignored, accountability disappears.
Redefine performance metrics. Expand KPIs beyond individual tasks. Factor in responsiveness, collaboration, and mentorship. Make it clear these behaviors impact bonuses and promotions. And recognize contributions—publicly and in real time.
Clarify advancement paths. Use 360-degree feedback to assess leadership potential. Help employees explore growth options with detailed job descriptions, internal job markets, and project-based opportunities that build cross-team relationships.
Tune into tomorrow’s tip for four more strategies.
