What's the Role of the CEO in a Hybrid Environment?

In the past 20 years, there’s been a massive shift in the way that many companies operate.

Thanks to widespread and superfast internet connectivity and improving software technology, there's less perceived need for people to meet in physical locations. And, in some cases, there's resistance toward even meeting at all. [1]

This cultural change accelerated rapidly during the COVID pandemic lockdowns. And, as a result, organizations of all sizes have adopted a hybrid model of working, with staff going into the office an average of three days per week in 2023. [2]

As a senior leader, whose work involves the careful and nuanced management of people, where does this leave you? How can you continue to inspire, nurture and lead your team with such drastically reduced in-person interaction?

In this article and video, we’ll explore three ways in which you can adapt to make the most of hybrid working for both you and your organization. They are:

1. How to stay visible.
2. How to drive your organization's vision and mission.
3. How to inspire and motivate a hybrid organization.

First, let's look at the distinctions between more traditional ways of working, and today's hybrid working.

How Has Hybrid Working Changed the Role of the CEO?

It wasn't that long ago when it was completely normal to have direct access to your team. OK, you didn't meet everyone every day, but your people would likely be on-site daily from nine to five, and available for meetings or one-off discussions when you needed them.

This default way of working has been turned on its head. In particular, younger people now generally expect a high degree of flexibility when it comes to when and where they work. [3]

These can be trying times for CEOs accustomed to being the big beasts in busy offices! It's a situation eloquently described in a 2024 Forbes magazine article by hybrid working specialist and consultant, Andrew Mawson.

He said, "Your charm and charisma in the office got you to where you are today, allowing you to impose your influence and inspire others.

"To get a decision you’d go for a coffee with people, get them lined up, do deals and handle the politics. The office was your theater, your home, a place where you were a star – but no longer...

"What you learned at business school never equipped you to manage a hybrid organisation where people exist mostly on Zoom." [4]

How to Thrive as a Leader or CEO in a Hybrid Environment

As a leader, it may feel disconcerting to realize that your people might not be sitting just a short stroll across the office.

Even arranging meetings is trickier in a hybrid environment, and you might simply feel less in control than you'd like. Sometimes, you might even feel like a spare part, with little influence over how your team works.

But hybrid working doesn't mean that you need to hang up your hat. In fact, the need for strong, effective leadership has never been greater. Let's look at those three ways you can adapt to make the most of hybrid working.

1. How to Stay Visible

A lack of visibility in a hybrid environment is a significant concern shared by many managers, directors and CEOs.

Visibility relates to authority and direction, but it also speaks to the availability of leaders to provide support and build rapport with their teams. Without it, teams can feel lost, and leaders can feel out of the loop.

To counter this sense of invisibility, it can be helpful to introduce policies around regular remote team meetings, as well as in-person events such as workshops and team-building exercises.

Research shows that even though people appreciate autonomy, they don’t want to be left out of how the future of their role and company is being shaped. [5]

That’s why a core approach to adapting to hybrid working is to make the most of the time you do get together as a team. This is fundamentally how you stay visible to your staff, and they remain visible to you.

2. How to Drive Your Organization's Vision and Mission

Another core component to your leadership that might be compromised through remote working is your mission and vision.

Regular remote working, combined with fewer meetings, can leave employees feeling like they’re on their own, and not really a part of a bigger operation. As a leader, it is your vision that can influence this most directly.

Consider running quarterly or biannual events where you share company-wide updates. Share information about your successes, areas for improvement and future plans openly with your teams. Welcome them into this conversation.

Reconnect them with your company’s reason for being, and affirm their role in it. On a more granular level, you may wish to share a weekly or monthly email update, looping your team in with the latest happenings in the business.

These activities both increase visibility and provide an opportunity to reinstate your overall vision for the business.

3. How to Inspire and Motivate a Hybrid Organization

There are numerous models and theories about motivation in the workplace. And while it's not unreasonable to expect that your people and teams have a healthy degree of self-motivation, team members and their managers and department heads will also look to you, their CEO, for motivation.

In the world of hybrid and remote work, you may be out of sight, but you don't want to be out of mind. You can still be a positive influence and effective motivator, even at a distance.

Your people may be dispersed, but much of what they want from their work holds true regardless of location.

They want to be part of an organization that supports cooperation, encourages interpersonal relationships as much as possible, and that communicates with them effectively. In short, people want to feel a sense of camaraderie and community.

You can embed this type of positive culture by encouraging and modeling the following behaviors:

• Demonstrate empathy and respect, and expect it from your people. In other words, hone or adapt your people skills!
• Encourage cross-functional interactions and teamwork.
• Encourage and support initiatives that provide opportunities for mentorship, personal and professional development, and growth. If you can, make time to connect with the younger or less-experienced people in your company – they are likely to be part of a generation of workers that have missed out on the in-office, in-person environments and may feel the most isolated.
• Foster a culture of autonomy and accountability. Research has shown that this leads to high-performing teams and increased team cohesion. [6]

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a hybrid work environment?

In short, a hybrid work environment is one where employees work some days at home, and other days on location in the company’s office or workplace.

Why should leaders change their policies and attitudes to respond to the demands of hybrid working?

From an employee retention and acquisition perspective, companies should move with the times. Moreover, when integrated well, the hybrid model can deliver greater productivity than an all-remote or all-office based team.

How can a company continue to effectively engage their staff in a remote or hybrid environment?

By using a combination of in-person events, scheduled online meetings and team collaboration software, leaders can retain oversight of their team while keeping them engaged.