10 Ways to Be a Better Boss to Remote and Hybrid Employees

Do you wish you had a “remote boss” Magic 8-Ball that would give you all the answers about managing folks you rarely see in 3D? You’ve got burning questions on everything from collaborating as a team to building a good culture to selecting the right tools to setting goals.

Keep reading. You won’t have to “Ask again later.” Promise.

For the better part of a decade, I’ve run a fully distributed content team, and before that, I was a remote employee. When I first began writing about remote work back in 2015, I couldn’t have dreamed that those nascent topics—rocking your remote interview, how to fully unplug, working at home with your partner, body language on video calls!—would be beyond well-trodden today. Now the internet is chock full of advice. Since a lot of folks came into remote work unexpectedly and out of necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an urgent need to get up to speed.

As some workers settle into a less office-bound life for the long haul or take on new roles, you might find yourself managing one or more remote or hybrid employees and in need of some guidance. And even if you’re a seasoned manager, you might need some new tips to ensure your off-site direct reports are set up for success, have a fair chance to learn and grow, and feel like part of a team.

I spoke with four fellow experts based in New York, Spain, and Singapore to get their insights. Here’s what they said.