Trend barometer
Results June 2021
Challenges in Leading Hybrid Teams
Many companies are currently faced with the wish of some of their employees to continue working from home even after the corona-related lockdown, and they are trying to accommodate this. Therefore, their leaders are increasingly confronted with the challenge of leading so-called hybrid teams – that is, teams where part of the employees continue to work on-site, while another part works from home or at another location of their choice.
159 leaders surveyed on the topic of “hybrid teams”
Therefore, the Institute for Leadership in the Digital Age (IFIDZ), Frankfurt, conducted its latest Leadership Trend Barometer on the following question: “What, from your perspective, are the biggest challenges in leading hybrid teams?” A total of 159 leaders participated in the online survey.
Working in “hybrid teams” does not diminish performance
Notably, the survey results indicate that the majority of leaders apparently do not fear that working in hybrid teams will harm team performance. For example, only 15 percent see the risk that employee motivation decreases as a result, and only 13 percent see the risk that goal orientation suffers. And only 9 percent fear or have experienced that this negatively affects the quality of work.
Only a few leaders fear a loss of control
Accordingly, they seem quite relaxed about the final decision regarding whether their employees will work on-site or from home in the future – at least when it comes to the performance of their area. This assessment is supported, among other things, by the fact that only 16 percent of leaders fear a loss of control when working in hybrid teams.
Fear: Team spirit may be lost in hybrid teams
At the same time, it is noticeable that – likely also due to experiences from the past year – the majority of leaders do not view working in hybrid teams through “rose-tinted glasses.” Rather, they see both sides of the coin. Only 9 percent agree with the statement “I see no dangers, only opportunities” when working in hybrid teams. For almost two-thirds of the surveyed leaders, there is a risk that individual employees may feel isolated in this form of collaboration. Additionally, 54 percent see the risk that identification with the team decreases. A third of the respondents can also imagine that a certain division might form between office and home office employees in their team. According to the leaders, these risks need to be addressed.
Leaders should reconsider their communication behavior
Here, communication and mutual information obviously play a central role, as, according to the beliefs of approximately half of the respondents, there is a possibility of “insufficient communication” (53 percent) and “insufficient flow of information” (47 percent) when working in hybrid teams. In this area, they see the greatest need for change.
The survey results in detail
We have published the specific survey results of the current Leadership Trend Barometer below for you. We are planning the next survey for autumn 2021. We would be pleased if you would participate in the online survey again then.

