As companies adapt to a return to office, managers should know that it's okay if their employees view them as "other," and remember — there's no one-size-fits-all solution to hybrid work
In a traditional in-person workplace, managers can exercise greater power and control over staff. He warns that power and control aren’t very effective motivators in any setting, but are especially ineffective in a remote environment
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Organizations experimenting with new modes of flexible work must acknowledge, respect and cater to new and different group identities, according to a recent study published in Organizational Dynamics, titled “Lessons from a Crisis: Identity as a Means of Leading Remote Workforces Effectively.”
According to the paper, written by Geoffrey Leonardelli — a professor of organizational behaviour and HR management at the Rotman School of Management — understanding identity is key to voluntary compliance in a remote setting. Leonardelli explains that people have a tendency to define themselves and others by categories, often in terms of “us” versus “them,” such as leadership versus staff, remote versus in-office or colleagues versus the competition.
“Identity is often particularly impoverished in a remote workspace,” he says. “By calling attention to it, we're able to build greater connections.”
Leonardelli explains that in a traditional in-person workplace, managers can exercise greater power and control over staff. He warns that power and control aren’t very effective motivators in any setting, but are especially ineffective in a remote environment, as they can drive an emotional wedge between individuals and the organization that employs them.
[This article has been reprinted, with permission, from Rotman Management, the magazine of the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management]