By Jane Cox
Hybrid working – some of us love it and some of us hate it. As a leader of a hybrid team, you’ll probably experience both reactions.
If you are finding it challenging to engage team members to take that first step back into the office, to love office time or even just stick to the rules of your company's flexible work policy – breathe! You are not alone - many leaders are grappling with similar issues as they try to balance flexibility with the need for in-person collaboration.
If you're noticing reluctance from your team, it may be time to rethink your approach. Adopting a coaching-led leadership style can help you foster deeper engagement, build trust, and create an environment where team members are excited to participate, whether in the office or remotely. Here are five coaching strategies you can implement to change the dynamic and better align your team with your company’s goals.
1. Listen First, Then Lead
One of the key principles of coaching is active listening. Instead of focusing on enforcing policies, take time to understand your team’s concerns, preferences, and challenges. Why are they hesitant to return to the office? Is it the increased costs? the commute? the school run? wanting to avoid toxicity in the workplace? or to increase their personal efficiency? Seek to understand what would make hybrid work more appealing to them? Regular 121 conversations can give you valuable insights into their motivations and personal circumstances. By actively listening and showing empathy, you’ll build trust and be in a stronger position to co-create solutions that work for both the team and the business.
Coaching Tip: Hold regular 121s. Have open, non-judgmental conversations to uncover hidden concerns or frustrations that might be holding your team back from engaging fully.
2. Co-create Solutions, Don’t Dictate
Rather than simply telling your team what they need to do, collaborate with them to develop solutions. Coaching-led leadership is about enabling your team and building their ability to think things through for themselves. So, ask your employees for their input on how the team can meet both individual needs and organisational goals. By involving them in the process, you create buy-in and foster a sense of ownership over the solution.
Coaching Tip: Try asking questions like, “What changes would make coming to the office more valuable for you?” or “How can we get the most out of our in-office days?” These questions encourage joint problem-solving and lead to more sustainable outcomes.
3. Promote Purpose Over Policy
A common mistake leaders make is focusing too much on enforcing the policy itself, rather than helping the team see the bigger picture. If you’re asking your team to come into the office, they need to understand why it matters. Use a coaching approach to reframe the narrative. Instead of, “We need you here two days a week,” Or “Look, you know the policy says everyone has to do two days!” try something like, “Our time together in the office is valuable for collaboration and innovation, it's going to help us reach our goals faster.” Highlight the personal and team benefits, rather than making it feel like a rule to be followed.
Coaching Tip: Link the company’s hybrid policy to larger business outcomes and individual growth opportunities. This gives your team a clear reason to engage.
4. Stay Open Minded to Alternative Proposals
Every employee is different, and hybrid work gives you the opportunity to tailor your approach to meet individual needs. By offering flexible solutions within the broader framework, you can help your team feel more supported and engaged. For example, some employees may prefer to come in earlier, while others work better in the afternoon. As a coaching-led leader, embrace these differences and work with your team to create a structure that allows flexibility while still achieving team goals.
Coaching Tip: Keep an open mind and be prepared to be flexible yourself. Ask team members what they need to work more effectively within the hybrid model and adjust where possible. Personalisation helps drive commitment.
5. Celebrate Your Wins!
Everyone likes to know they are doing a good job and progressing in the right direction. We also know recognition is a powerful lever to pull if we want to re-inforce desired behavioural change. So, if you want your team feeling great about coming into the office to work together then let them know what a difference it is making. Make time to recognise and celebrate the team’s successes - It builds morale and reinforces the value of every team member’s contribution. Celebrate not just the end results but also the small wins along the way—like a successful collaboration during an in-office day or a team milestone met from home.
Coaching Tip: Make recognition a regular part of your leadership approach. Use Recognition to reinforce the behavioural change you are seeking. Ask your team how they like to be recognised and tailor your methods to individual preferences.
By adopting a coaching-led approach, you can transform how your hybrid team views in-office collaboration and flexible work policies. Rather than focusing on compliance, you’ll create a culture where engagement, trust, and productivity thrive—both in the office and remotely. Your role as a leader is to guide, support, and empower your team to find the balance that works for everyone.
Shifting to a Coaching Led Leadership approach is at the heart of our Coaching Skills for Leaders programme. If you want to learn more about how our coaching skills programmes could support your people and organisation please get in touch here.
Author: Jane Cox
Jane is one our Work Stories founders and resident executive coach. To find out more about Jane click HERE
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