Hybrid Teams Are Here to Stay. Is Your Culture Keeping Up?
Hybrid teams are no longer the "future of work" they are work. But here's the kicker... if you're not intentionally maintaining your culture across both remote and in-office teams, it will default to the loudest, most visible voices. And that is rarely good news for everyone involved.
Middle managers are the glue in any organisation. In hybrid environments, you are the cultural custodians. You set the tone, maintain the pulse, and connect the dots. But it is not always easy when half the team is in hoodies at home and the other half is suited up at HQ. The challenge is real, but so is the opportunity to lead in a way that transcends location.
Hybrid work can be a breeding ground for miscommunication, disconnection, and fragmented culture. But it can also be an environment where trust deepens, performance soars, and collaboration feels effortless, if you have the right strategy.
Long before COVID and long before Zoom and Teams, when I was a senior leader, I had a large geographically dispersed team. From day one I used the platforms available to showcase the team's progresses and wins, I would invest time on calls to be as equally present with the team the furthest away from me as the team sitting in the next room. Having lived and worked in the Australian outback taught me this valuable lesson.
It’s critical to be aware of the proximity of power: those closest to the epicentre of decision making and influence tend to feel more connected, may even have more influence, and can be seen as more favoured compared to those who are geographically located further away from the epicentre.
Here are three strategies to build real connection, reduce isolation, and boost collaboration:
Make visibility a strategy, not a reward. In too many workplaces, the people who are seen the most get the most recognition. As mentioned above, that is proximity bias in action. In hybrid teams, this leads to remote staff feeling overlooked or undervalued. Managers must create systems that highlight everyone's contributions equally. Use collaboration tools to share wins. Open meetings with team updates. Encourage team members to celebrate each other’s efforts on shared channels. Culture is strengthened when everyone feels seen.
Lead with purpose-driven rituals. Culture thrives in consistent habits. Whether it is a Monday morning huddle, a virtual coffee chat on Wednesdays, or a 15-minute Friday wrap-up, regular team rituals provide a sense of rhythm and belonging. They give your team anchors that make workdays feel cohesive, no matter where people are logging in from. Be intentional about the rituals you start and keep them human-focused, not just task-driven.
Train for connection, not just communication. It is easy to assume that because we have the tech, we are communicating well. But communication is more than information exchange. It is about clarity, empathy, and timing. And connection goes deeper, it is about shared understanding and trust. That means your managers need more than technical skills. They need training in emotional intelligence, feedback delivery, and relationship building. Equip your leaders to create those human moments that technology alone cannot provide.
And here is a bonus tip: check your assumptions. If you think your team is connected and engaged, when was the last time you actually asked them? Pulse surveys, open forums, and one-on-ones give you the insight to make smarter leadership decisions. Don’t just complete the survey, analyse the data that comes in.
Hybrid culture does not happen by accident. It is curated, cultivated and constantly nudged in the right direction. Strong culture is the result of conscious leadership. And in hybrid environments, that responsibility lands squarely with the middle managers.
If your team feels disconnected or productivity is slipping, it might be time to refresh your leadership toolkit. Let's have a chat about what support can look like for your managers and how we can turn them into confident culture leaders.
Because confident middle managers get the work done.
