Leading Hybrid Work – How to Build Community When Your Team Is Scattered

Remote work has become a permanent part of everyday life, and many organizations have shifted to hybrid models. But one question remains unsolved: how do you lead for community when your team is physically apart?

Many organizations have learned that hybrid work doesn’t automatically erode community – but it doesn’t appear on its own either. Leaders must make conscious choices to ensure that trust and appreciation extend across the screen as well.

Hybrid meetings have become the new normal.

Why is community the Achilles’ heel of hybrid work?

When some people are in the office and others are remote, a two-tier system easily

emerges. Those onsite engage in informal conversations and influence decisions, while remote colleagues are left out. This erodes trust and creates a sense of exclusion.

Hybrid work also fragments information. Discussions may scatter across email threads, instant messages, and hallway chats. When information doesn’t flow evenly, the feeling of being valued weakens: “If I don’t get the news at the same time as everyone else, I guess I’m not as important.”

Practical tools for leaders

Community doesn’t grow out of big speeches but out of daily routines. Here are a few practices you can start using right away:

1. Silent first round before meetings

   Before the meeting, each team member writes a brief response to one key question. This ensures everyone’s voice is heard – including introverts and remote participants.

2. Make decisions visible

   Every decision is assigned an owner and a deadline, then logged in a shared channel so everyone stays aligned, regardless of location.

3. Routines that build trust

   Leaders can model trust deliberately: admit their own mistakes, share unfinished thoughts, and consistently follow up on promises. This encourages team members to do the same.

4. Show appreciation digitally too

   Thanks and recognition shouldn’t stay in hallway conversations. In hybrid teams, appreciation should be voiced explicitly and shared visibly in digital channels.

5. Regular “campfire sessions

   ”Short, informal gatherings without an agenda strengthen social bonds. When intentionally brought to Teams or Zoom, social capital is not reserved only for those in the office.

Case: Sami and his team

Sami led a team of experts where hybrid work had brought silence. Remote members kept their cameras off during meetings, and conversations remained shallow. A 360-feedback assessment in Deep Lead Academy revealed that remote employees didn’t feel appreciated – their opinions weren’t considered as equally as those of onsite colleagues.

Through coaching, Sami introduced a silent first round in meetings, began recording decisions visibly, and systematically thanked remote colleagues for their insights. After three months, participation had increased, meetings became livelier, and the team’s results improved. Community wasn’t a coincidence but the outcome of conscious leadership.

Digital tools as support

Community can also be measured and strengthened digitally. Deep Lead Academy provides:

• 360-feedback, revealing where trust and appreciation are leaking.

• A virtual coach, prompting reflection after meetings: “Whose voice wasn’t heard today?”

• Tracking, making progress visible and motivating teams to keep going.

In conclusion

Hybrid work isn’t a threat to community if it’s led well. When trust and appreciation are made visible, a culture emerges that unites the team, regardless of location.

👉 Deep Lead Academy offers practical tools for leading hybrid work. Discover how you can strengthen trust and appreciation – and turn community into a competitive advantage, even in a distributed workplace.