The Importance of Clear Communication
Remote and hybrid work challenge traditional ways of communicating within teams. A brief message, such as “Let’s tighten the plan. Circle back today,” sent via Slack can result in confusion without the informal context available in a physical office. In-person offices allow for quick clarifications through hallway chats or impromptu meetings. The shift to remote work places greater pressure on managers to provide explicit instructions.
Flexible work arrangements have become essential in the labor market. Gallup reports that 52 percent of U.S. workers in remote-capable jobs are in hybrid setups, while 26 percent work entirely remotely. The willingness to accept significant pay cuts for remote options highlights how much employees value flexibility. Notably, a study highlighted by the National Bureau of Economic Research revealed that tech workers would accept, on average, a 25 percent pay cut for these roles.
Improving Manager Communication
Communication remains a critical issue where many managers fall short. A Founder Reports survey reveals that while 85 percent of remote and hybrid employees value clear communication from management, only 51 percent feel they receive it. The challenge lies in recognizing that without the proximity for context, vague directives become costly.
To address this, managers must ensure direction is clear and concise. Goals, responsible parties, deadlines, and definitions of completion should be documented in shared formats. This eliminates reliance on scattered meetings or fleeting chat exchanges. Clear written expectations reduce ambiguity and empower employees.
Establishing Effective Response Rules
Managers should develop guidelines for responding to issues. Employees need clarity on which channels to use for urgent matters, what silence signifies, when escalation is necessary, and expected response times. These rules mitigate uncertainty and allow employees to continue their work without constant interruptions.
Consistent and Specific Feedback
Feedback must be disciplined and meaningful. Gallup research indicates 80 percent of employees who receive timely and substantial feedback engage fully. A brief weekly check-in focused on priorities, recent work instances, and next steps fosters engagement and clarity without introducing lengthy meetings.
Maintaining Accountability Without Micromanagement
Remote workers need clear standards, not constant status checks, as these often indicate weak standards. Managers should define outputs, deadlines, decision-making rights, and escalation paths to allow employee autonomy while maintaining oversight of work progress.
Differentiating Coordination from Physical Presence
Effective management identifies tasks requiring synchronous collaboration. Scheduling deliberate sessions for these tasks while allowing the remainder of the week for independent work enhances productivity. Office presence should align with purposeful coordination instead of attendance for attendance’s sake.
Proving the Value of Structured Hybrid Work
Evidence supports structured hybrid work models. A Stanford-led experiment at Trip.com showed employees with part-time remote arrangements quit 33 percent less, while productivity and promotions remained consistent. Success comes from pairing flexibility with a system that supports collaboration and individual work.
The decision on where employees work should factor in job and team dynamics, customer demands, and in-person collaboration benefits. The critical management question after establishing a schedule focuses on whether employees understand what is prioritized, ownership, decision timing, and success measures. Clear management practices reduce the visibility of weak management in remote setups, enhancing loyalty and performance.
Gleb Tsipursky, Ph.D., CEO of Disaster Avoidance Experts, emphasizes strong management for remote work success. He authored influential works on management in the context of AI in the workplace. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved.