Establishing and maintaining strong relationships between leaders and employees is vital for organizational success. However, with the rise of remote and hybrid work arrangements, the challenge of nurturing these relationships has become more complex. The shift away from traditional face-to-face interactions can lead to misunderstandings and a decline in confidence. To address these issues, a recent study conducted by Golden and Ford in 2025 explores how the remote work habits of leaders impact employee relationships and trust, specifically affect-based trust rooted in emotional connections and dependability.
Building Trust with Remote Leaders
Through a series of studies involving working professionals, the research revealed that leaders who predominantly work remotely are linked to lower levels of trust among employees. This is largely attributed to the perception that remote leaders are more detached and less accessible. Furthermore, the study found that excessive monitoring of remote leaders further diminishes trust, indicating that over-supervision exacerbates the negative effects of remote leadership.
Practical Strategies
These findings underscore the importance of striking a balance between remote flexibility and trust-building to foster strong leader-employee relationships. To mitigate the detrimental impact of remote leadership, organizations should consider implementing the following strategies:
- Encourage regular in-person meetings or check-ins to maintain a sense of connection and visibility. Exclusively online communication between employees and their leaders can erode trust.
- Provide training on effective remote leadership practices, emphasizing autonomy and outcome-focused management over micromanagement. Leaders who attempt to compensate for their physical absence through excessive supervision may inadvertently undermine employee trust.
Golden, TD, & Ford, MT (2025). How much do we trust in distance managers? Investigating follower trust, construction and performance. Personnel Psychology. Advance Online Publication.
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