Telecommuting has become the norm for many organizations, but its impact on work outcomes has been mixed.
On the one hand, the greater flexibility and reduced travel time it offers have been linked to an improvement in workers’ well-being.
On the other hand, working remotely can lead to stresshas fatigueto the insulation and a heavier workload. Workers often report feelings of social isolation, as digital communication cannot fully replicate the depth of face-to-face interaction.
And while flexible hours can be an advantage, they have the downside of blur the boundaries between work and personal timewhich results in longer workdays and potential digital overload.
Challenges for bosses
Faced with these challenges, there are several key questions for leaders: How do you maintain strong connections with your teams when face-to-face interactions are limited? And what strategies can they use to help employees manage the pressures of remote work, stay focused and perform at high levels?
A recent investigation into the British Psychological Society and now explained by the authors, showed that, in remote contexts, the most important thing is something we called the “psychological distance” that separates workers from their leader.
By psychological distance, we mean the connection (or lack thereof) that workers have with their bosses/coordinators. Understanding and minimizing this perceived distance is essential for employee engagement and cohesion when working remotely.
The research focused on three types of behavior that can help leaders reduce psychological distance and help their employees face the challenges of remote work.
The types of behavior that were examined can be described as:
- task-centered (such as scheduling tasks or clarifying goals and objectives);
- relationship-centered (such as showing concern or friendliness and kindness);
- e visionaries (such as articulating a convincing plan for the future).
The results were based on two independent samples: one of employees who work exclusively remotely in USA; and another of employees who work in a hybrid mode in Greece.
Leaders who demonstrated concern for the well-being of their employees, as well as empathy and compassionthey managed minimize psychological distance and help your teams overcome the challenges of physical distance.
And leaders who focused on the big picture and communicated a long-term vision and a clear sense of direction helped alleviate uncertainty in remote environments.
It was also found that both relationship-focused behavior and visionary behavior helped to reduce psychological distance in exclusively remote work contexts.
Hybrid versus remote
No context hybridit was found that behavior based on relations it was the most important thing to reduce the psychological distance.
It was also found that workers who considered their managers to be less psychologically distant were able to concentrate more on their work and perform well professionally.
Furthermore, they had less likely to say goodbye discreetly and were more willing to go the extra mile and help other team members.
Since the work at distance appears to be here to stay in many organizations, the research offers insights into how to support workers as workplaces evolve.
The findings underscore the vital role leaders play in helping workers find adaptive strategies while maintaining focus and productivity in remote and hybrid environments.
Despite physical separation, leaders can still bridge the psychological gap with the help of technology, allowing workers to manage the challenges of these new work models.
And that’s where the 7 tricks that bosses should resort to appear
- Show that you care. Schedule regular, meaningful meetings, as well as consistent one-on-one and team meetings, to discuss progress, challenges, and well-being. These interactions should go beyond task updates and include personal and emotional check-ins, helping to build trust and maintain strong connections.
- Create virtual “open door” hours. Establish regular times when employees can drop in for casual chats or advice. This helps keep an open line of communication and ensures employees feel you are close and accessible.
- Offer support. Recognize the personal challenges that remote work can create and offer flexibility whenever possible. Providing support, such as mental health resources or work-life balance, can reduce psychological distance.
- Lead with empathy and compassion. Invest time in your virtual team to understand each team member’s strengths, needs, and circumstances. Empathy can significantly reduce psychological distance and strengthen bonds with employees.
- Communicate the vision and objective. Regularly outline the team’s long-term vision and how each team member contributes to that vision. This helps employees connect to a common goal, reducing uncertainty and increasing commitment.
- Make the most of technology to make connections. Use digital tools not just for work-related tasks but also for informal social interactions. Virtual coffee breaks, team-building activities, or even casual conversations can help replicate the social richness of in-person environments and reduce psychological distance.
- Develop resilience. Encourage positive work interactions and provide members with tools that help them develop adaptive work habits, such as prioritizing tasks, managing their time and energy, and minimizing distractions.
By implementing strategies like these, bosses, managers or coordinators can reduce psychological distance, improve your team cohesion and, ultimately, improve performance in remote work environments.
