Dr. Laura offers essential insights for leadership teams aiming to create successful hybrid work environments. She starts by reflecting on the evolution of remote work, from the early days of teleconferencing and email to the widespread use of video calls. She also examines how leadership attitudes have shifted over time and why. Drawing on her doctoral research in Organizational Psychology, where she focused on virtual team leadership, Dr. Laura shares her deep passion for hybrid work. She also discusses the pushback employees experience when asked to return to the office without consultation, emphasizing that flexibility, autonomy, and trust are what drives employees to want to continue hybrid work.

As she explores the challenges of leading hybrid teams, Dr. Laura highlights the importance of clear objectives, adaptable policies, and unified team norms. She warns that rigid approaches can harm talent retention and advocates for leadership training specifically tailored to managing hybrid workforces, pointing out that many leaders haven’t received formal training in this area. Looking ahead, Dr. Laura calls for a balanced approach, urging leaders to prioritize trust, collaboration, and adaptability to meet the evolving demands of the workplace and tackle larger global challenges.

“Flexibility is a gift, and it’s a way of saying that I trust you and work still needs to get done. There's no doubt about it, and a lot of research has shown, that people who are working remotely are 10% to 20% more productive; but again, they need to have clear outcomes and goals and great leadership.” —Dr. Laura

About Dr. Laura:

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett is a work and career psychologist and thought leader on the evolution of work. She has always been fascinated by how work intersects with life and loves to use her expertise to improve organizations and help people thrive. Her passion for taking creative ideas and launching them into successful business strategies led her to start three counselling psychology practices (Calgary Career Counselling, Canada Career Counselling, and Synthesis Psychology), as well as six different business brands offering organizational assessment and consulting services.

Dr. Laura is honoured to have been selected as a Woman of Distinction in Canada in 2014 and received a Canadian Woman of Inspiration Award as a Global Influencer in 2018.

Resources

Dr. Laura on LinkedIn

Where Work Meets Life™ on YouTube

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

The Smarter Working Manifesto by Philip Vanhoutte 

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Pre-order Dr. Laura’s new book today: I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating a Toxic Boss

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