Leaders as orchestrators of relationships in hybrid workplaces

As hybrid work arrangements, a combination of remote and onsite work, are becoming pervasive in the current business environment, their impact on workplace social dynamics requires further investigation. Despite the contributions provided by prior research on virtual collaborations, hybrid work differs from earlier approaches like telework and fully remote work since it implies dynamic switches across three interrelated dimensions, namely modality, space, and temporality of work. The present research aims to contribute to this debate, understanding how informal communication and networks in a hybrid work context are cultivated, focusing the attention on leaders and delineating the different facets of the role of orchestrators of such interpersonal relationships. The study relies on a single-case study, analysing the interventions implemented by the company in a ten-year period, deepening the understanding of how leaders facilitate the social connections within their team after the introduction of hybrid work arrangements. The findings highlight the role of leaders in supporting the activation of meaningful connections, fostering collaboration through both synchronous (realtime meetings) and asynchronous (written or recorded exchanges) communication methods. Moreover, the study describes the interventions leaders promoted to prevent the erosion of social capital in the workplace.