How to equip leaders to manage a hybrid workforce effectively

According to recent research by The Adecco Group on the Australian workplace,¹ Australian workers enjoy much greater workforce flexibility than their global peers.

A remarkable 67% of Australian workers have at least some flexibility work arrangements, compared to 59% of workers in other countries. Hybrid work – a model that combines both on-site and remote work in Australia – has become the dominant form of flexibility.

Notedly, a sky-high 78% of Australian workers believe it’s their employer’s responsibility to provide workplace flexibility that meets their needs – sharply up from 55% in 2023² and 10% higher than global peers. For 38% of Australian workers, achieving work-life balance is a top reason to stay with their employer, ranking equally with ‘being happy in my job’. Among the 17% of workers planning to leave their employer within 12 months, lack of remote work opportunities is a key reason for 21% of them. These figures underscore the hybrid work and workplace flexibility benefits are essential for both employee retention and talent attraction.

In fact, 65% of Australian workers believe that if their workplace flexibility were reduced, it would negatively impact their health and well-being. There’s no going back – despite some employer concern, hybrid work is here to stay.

The flexible work practices that really matter

Flexibility takes many forms, and figure 1 outlines the types of flexible work arrangements Australian workers value most. The most appreciated options include:

• The ability to take time off during the day (36%)
• Choosing start and finish times (35%)
• Remote work option (34%)

Interestingly, the most sought-after form of workplace flexibility is the ability to take holidays when employees choose (41%) – a sharp increase from 26% in 2023. This may be a reaction to employers requiring staff to take leave during the Christmas/New Year period. 

Managing hybrid work presents challenges for leaders

Although demands for hybrid work is increasing, business must still focus on workforce management, productivity, and employee engagement. Frontline leaders, in particular, bear the responsibility for ensuring workplace culture remains strong while delivering organisational goals. Some common hybrid work challenges include:

1. Limited visibility – Leaders can’t observe how work is being done, making it harder to monitor progress and provide support.
2. Communication barriers – Fewer spontaneous, in-person interactions can hinder feedback and lead to misunderstandings.
3. Maintaining workplace culture – Without regular in-person interaction, fostering a sense of belonging and shared values is more difficult.
4. Trust issues – Managing remote teams requires trust. Without it, micromanagement can take over, leading to disengagement.
5. Collaboration and training – New hires, particularly younger employees, may struggle with networking and integrating into the team.
6. Excessive flexibility requests – Employees seeking extreme flexibility may strain team cohesion and workforce management.
7. Performance measurement – Leaders must rely on outcome-based metrics, which can be difficult to define.
8. Employee engagement – Hybrid work can lead to isolation, reducing motivation and connection to the organisation.
9. Change management – Policy shifts must be clearly communicated across both remote and on-site team.
10. Proximity bias – Leaders may unconsciously favour in-office employees, leading to inequities in career progression opportunities.

How Australian organisations can equip leaders

Australian businesses must empower their leaders with the skills and tools to effectively manage hybrid work. Here are five best practices to support leadership success:

1. Provide training and development – Offer programs focused on hybrid work best practices, including communication, performance evaluation and team building skills.
2. Encourage culture-building activities – Allocate budget and time for in-person team-building days and celebration to maintain a strong workplace culture.
3. Invest in reliable technology – Equip leaders and teams with robust digital tools to enhance collaboration and workforce management.
4. Establish clear workplace policies – Define expectations around flexible work arrangements, ensuring fairness and consistency across teams.
5. Offer flexibility as a reward – Use additional workplace flexibility benefits as incentives for meeting organisational goals, such as attendance-based perks.

LHH provides the talent solutions organisations need to transform and flourish through change. Our leadership development programs help businesses build resilient leaders who can navigate future of work in Australia challenges like hybrid work.

Get access to our ‘Workplace Flexibility in Australia' infographic here.

¹ All data in this article is sourced from this report unless otherwise referenced

² Australian respondents

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LHH offers leadership development programs to build the resilience leaders need for their organisations to succeed. Discover LHH’s leadership solutions such as Lead From Anywhere Workshop – equipping Australian leaders to get results from hybrid working.