How Are Leaders Experiencing Remote Work?

We’ve been writing and publishing Buffer’s State of Distant Work report for six years now, and we’ve discovered so much in regards to the developments, advantages, and struggles of distant employees alongside the way in which. This yr, after releasing the report, we had a number of folks remark that they questioned what the outcomes can be like for under people who find themselves managers — and it’s query!

We weren’t clear sufficient when publishing the report that the State of Distant Work already contains folks managers and distant work leaders. Nonetheless, it felt like a chance to dive deeper into the information to tug out extra information particular to leaders.

Whereas we didn’t ask if somebody was a folks supervisor once they accomplished the State of Distant Work survey (don’t fear, it’s already on the checklist for subsequent yr), we did ask in regards to the type of position that somebody has, and one choice was “management.” So, right here’s what we discovered wanting on the outcomes from the State of Distant Work and evaluating those that work in management to those that don’t — the solutions may shock you.

Leaders nonetheless overwhelmingly wish to work remotely

To begin, leaders nonetheless wish to work remotely for the remainder of their careers (99 % chosen this feature) and would suggest distant work to others (one other 99 % chosen this feature). That is solely barely increased than non-leaders, who have been at 98 % for each questions. In the end, no large distinction between leaders and non-leaders right here.

We additionally requested respondents to explain their expertise with distant work — and apparently, leaders have been extra more likely to choose that they’d a optimistic expertise. Ninety-six % of leaders chosen that their expertise was very optimistic or considerably optimistic in comparison with 90 % of non-leaders.

The distinction between how leaders and non-leaders expertise distant work is not drastic, although leaders usually tend to have a optimistic expertise than non-leaders.

Leaders do work in another way

In relation to how distant leaders work, there are some variations between non-leaders and leaders who work remotely of their preferences for working in a hybrid setup, their work location, and being on digicam.

The largest distinction is that whereas leaders nonetheless primarily choose working absolutely remotely (65 % chosen absolutely distant as their most well-liked work construction), there’s a higher quantity who would favor a hybrid however distant first arrange, with 27 % of leaders deciding on that choice in comparison with 20 % of non-leaders.

Leaders are additionally extra more likely to have expertise with the hybrid setup. Forty-two % of leaders labored in a hybrid setup in comparison with 35 % of non-leaders.

Equally, leaders have been much less more likely to do business from home than non-leaders, although the bulk nonetheless did; 75 % of leaders chosen they labored from dwelling in comparison with 83 % of non-leaders.

The ultimate query we checked out was about being on digicam — 76 % of leaders choose to have their digicam on for video calls in comparison with 62 % of non-leaders.

General, the responses from leaders have been pretty much like non-leaders right here, however with sufficient variation that it’s clear there’s a distinction between how these two teams get work executed.

The struggles of distant leaders

Regardless of the various advantages of distant work, leaders nonetheless face the identical struggles as non-leaders, with a number of variations.

The dearth of construction and routine that comes with distant work generally is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it permits for higher flexibility and autonomy. Alternatively, it may be straightforward to turn into remoted. It is a wrestle that many distant employees share, and leaders are not any exception. The highest wrestle for distant employees was the identical for each leaders and non-leaders — staying dwelling too actually because they don’t have a motive to depart.

One other problem that distant leaders face is the temptation to work exterior of conventional workplace hours. With out the constraints of a bodily workplace, it may be straightforward to let work bleed into different components of life, which may result in burnout and a scarcity of work-life stability. Leaders, particularly, usually tend to fall into this lure than non-leaders.

The ultimate wrestle that many leaders face is creating boundaries between work and life. In comparison with non-leaders, leaders usually tend to discover it tough to separate the 2, with 40 % of leaders scuffling with this in comparison with 30 % of non-leaders.

Although the highest wrestle stays the identical, leaders total usually tend to discover it difficult to disconnect from work and to work exterior of normal hours.

Leaders are extra impartial on careers and distant work

Over the previous couple of years, the subject of profession development for distant employees has surfaced many instances, with some questioning if the transfer to distant work might negatively affect their profession trajectory. The subject of distant profession development continues to be considerably cut up. In our 2023 State of Distant Work report, respondents have been more likely to pick out that profession development was simpler whereas working remotely than the prior yr, with 36 % of respondents deciding on that choice. One other 36 % mentioned distant work had no affect on their profession development.

Leaders fall into the class of being extra impartial in regards to the affect of distant work on profession development. Forty-two % of leaders consider that distant work has no affect on profession development in comparison with 36 % of non-leaders. Leaders are additionally extra more likely to say that distant work has no affect on promotions (58 % chosen this) in comparison with non-leaders (56 %).

On the similar time, distant work as a requirement for future roles is much less necessary to leaders than to non-leaders, which is according to leaders being extra seemingly to decide on hybrid choices. General, leaders have a extra nuanced stance towards distant work in relation to profession development and the significance of distant work for his or her subsequent position.

What’s going effectively for distant leaders

The panorama of distant work is totally different for leaders in relation to what goes effectively for them, too. Leaders are barely extra more likely to be considerably or very engaged with their job — 65 % of them chosen this feature in comparison with 58 % of non-leaders. Leaders are additionally much less more likely to be in search of a brand new job.

Associated to feeling engaged of their roles, leaders additionally really feel barely extra related to their colleagues (80 % in comparison with 75 % of non-leaders). A part of that may very well be that leaders are additionally extra more likely to have attended in-person work occasions previously yr. Seventy-seven % of leaders chosen they’d met up in particular person for work in comparison with 69 % of non-leaders.

General, not all leaders need folks again within the workplace, though leaders usually tend to desire a hybrid setup.

Leaders have some very particular distant work struggles round boundaries. On the similar time, they have to be conscious that due to their place, they may really feel extra related than their direct stories or non-leader colleagues.

We’d love to listen to from you if you happen to’re a folks supervisor and you’re employed remotely — does this resonate? Send us a tweet!