Rehumanising the workplace for hybrid teams
Hybrid work has given many people the freedom they dreamed of – less commuting, more flexibility, better work–life balance. At the same time, research is showing a more complex picture: hybrid can boost engagement and wellbeing when it’s well designed, but it can also increase isolation, miscommunication and quiet burnout if leaders leave connection to chance.
This article is part of the Health and wellbeing in the corporate world: The Human Leader playbook series and focuses on one big question:
How do we make hybrid work feel human again?
A quick invitation before we dive in
If you are reading this because your hybrid teams are tired, fragmented or quietly disengaged, you do not have to untangle it all alone. The Human Leader Workshop is a practical, embodied programme to help managers lead with calm, clarity and connection in a hybrid, AI-shaped world.
1. Why hybrid teams feel more “remote” than ever
On paper, hybrid looks like the perfect compromise: a blend of home focus days and office connection days. In reality, many organisations are seeing something more complicated:
People love flexibility – surveys across the UK and Europe report strong links between hybrid work, better work–life balance and perceived wellbeing.
At the same time, workplace loneliness has become a serious concern. A 2023–2024 mixed-method systematic review found workplace loneliness is associated with higher burnout, lower job performance and reduced job satisfaction.
Younger employees and those new to the workforce can feel particularly isolated in hybrid or remote setups, with studies showing that social connection and quality communication are key buffers against isolation.
So hybrid isn’t automatically human. It is neutral infrastructure. Whether it supports health and performance or drains them depends on how we design it.
Rehumanising hybrid teams means shifting from “Where are people working?” to “How are people connecting, learning and feeling where they are?”
2. From default to deliberate: what “rehumanising” really means
When people say hybrid is “not working”, they often mean:
Relationships feel transactional and task-based.
Cameras are off, contributions are low, and meetings feel like “broadcasts”.
New starters and quieter people feel invisible.
Leaders are stretched and firefighting, with little space to build culture.
Rehumanising the workplace for hybrid teams is about three big moves:
Make connection intentional, not accidental.
Design hybrid rhythms that protect energy and focus.
Build psychological safety across distance, not just logistics.
We explore each of these in depth in related guides like Micro rituals for human connection: Daily practices for hybrid teams and Psychological safety in meetings: From silent screens to real dialogue – this article gives you the overview and starting points.
3. Make connection intentional, not accidental
In pre-pandemic offices, a lot of connection was ambient – corridor chats, quick check-ins after meetings, shared lunches. Hybrid strips most of that out. If we don’t consciously replace it, loneliness grows.
A major review of workplace loneliness found that inadequate social interactions, weak relationships with managers and lack of peer connection were key drivers of burnout and disengagement.
3.1 Build “connection scaffolding” into the week
Practical ideas:
Start-of-week huddle (30 minutes): One hybrid call where the focus is connection and alignment, not status.
Quick personal check-in: “How are you arriving today – one word?”
One win, one challenge, one ask.
Revisit priorities – what really matters this week?
Buddy or circle system: Pair people across locations or create small triads that meet briefly every fortnight. This is particularly helpful for new starters and quieter team members.
No-meeting connection windows: Protect 15–20 minutes after key hybrid meetings purely for lingering questions and informal chat, the way people might hang back after an in-person meeting.
We go much deeper into daily practices and templates in Micro rituals for human connection: Daily practices for hybrid teams.
3.2 Make your one-to-ones more human
In hybrid teams, one-to-ones are often the only truly private space people have with their manager. Small changes help:
Always start with “How are you really doing?” before diving into tasks.
Ask about energy and workload, not just deadlines.
Invite feedback on hybrid practices: “What’s helping you most? What’s draining you?”
These tiny shifts signal that the person, not just their output, matters.
A moment to pause: do your leaders have the tools they need?
Most managers didn’t sign up to be culture designers or emotional anchors – yet that’s exactly what hybrid expects of them.
If your leaders are juggling logistics and KPIs but feel under-equipped to handle the human side of hybrid (loneliness, tension, low trust), The Human Leader Workshop is designed for them.
We combine:
Somatic tools (breathwork and gentle movement) to regulate stress.
Live practice of psychological safety conversations.
Simple hybrid design tools for rhythms, rituals and boundaries.
4. Design hybrid rhythms that protect energy and focus
Hybrid can enhance wellbeing and engagement – but only when it is thoughtfully designed. Studies of hybrid models note benefits like better work–life balance and reduced commuting stress, but also risks such as blurred boundaries and communication strain if expectations are unclear.
4.1 Agree the “why” of the office
Bring your team into a simple conversation:
What is the office for in our world?
Deep collaboration?
Relationship building and mentoring?
Access to specialist kit or spaces?
Once you agree the “why”, design your office days around those high-value activities, not silent solo work that people could do at home.
We explore this in more detail in Hybrid teams without burnout: Designing sustainable work rhythms.
4.2 Protect focus and recovery
Use meeting-free blocks on both office and home days so people can do deep work.
Encourage micro-breaks – 5 minutes to stretch, breathe or step away from the screen – especially between back-to-back online calls.
Have clear norms about messaging out of hours, so hybrid doesn’t become “always on”.
4.3 Watch the invisible load
Hybrid can add invisible labour:
Extra coordination (“Who is in when?”).
Emotional labour (managing different preferences and comfort levels).
Tech labour (fixing access, audio, cameras).
Human-centred leaders name this and share the load, rather than leaving it to the same few “good citizens”.
We connect this with broader leadership behaviours in Human-centred leadership in the age of AI.
5. Build psychological safety across distance
You can have beautiful hybrid policies, but if people don’t feel safe to speak up, ask for help or disagree, the culture will still feel cold.
Meta-analyses show psychological safety has a strong positive relationship with team performance, learning and innovation.
5.1 Simple behaviours for hybrid psychological safety
In hybrid settings, Human Leaders:
Frame work as learning: “We’re testing this – your feedback will help us improve.”
Invite voice explicitly: “Before we move on, I’d like to hear from those we haven’t heard from yet.”
Respond well to risk: When someone shares bad news or a concern, they are met with curiosity, not blame.
These practices are at the heart of Trust as your competitive edge: The science of psychological safety and Psychological safety in meetings: From silent screens to real dialogue.
5.2 Mini “meeting reset” you can use tomorrow
Before your next hybrid meeting:
Start with a short grounding: “Let’s all take two slow breaths together before we begin.”
Share a purpose slide or sentence: “By the end of this meeting, we want X decision/Y next step.”
Name your intent: “I’m genuinely interested in what’s not working as well as what is.”
These micro-signals add up over time; people slowly learn that it’s safe to be honest with you.
6. Bring the body back into hybrid work
Rehumanising is not just about better agendas – it is also about how people feel in their bodies while they work.
Hours of static screen time create:
Tight necks and shoulders.
Shallow breathing.
A chronic, low-level fight/flight state.
Short somatic practices – breath, gentle movement, posture changes – help people shift into a calmer, more connected state.
We explore the evidence and practices more fully in Breath, movement and focus: A somatic toolkit for corporate wellbeing champions, but here is a simple starting point.
6.1 A 2-minute hybrid “human reset” for teams
You can use this at the start of a hybrid call:
Feet and seat (30 seconds):
“Feel your feet on the floor or your weight in the chair. Let your shoulders drop away from your ears.”
Breath (1 minute):
Inhale through the nose for four.
Exhale softly through the mouth for six.
Repeat for 6–8 breaths.
Reach and soften (30 seconds):
Raise your arms gently overhead as you inhale.
Exhale and let them float down, softening your jaw.
Done regularly, this resets the “tone” of hybrid time together – from rushed and anxious to calmer and more present.
We also bring in simple Qi Gong-inspired movements in Qi Gong in the boardroom: Ancient practice for modern resilience.
FAQs: Rehumanising the workplace for hybrid teams
1. Isn’t this just “soft stuff” – do we really have time for it?
The research on loneliness, psychological safety and hybrid work is clear: teams that feel connected and safe perform better, innovate more and are less likely to burn out or leave. Rehumanising hybrid is not an extra – it is a direct investment in performance, retention and risk reduction.
2. How much of this should be driven centrally versus by individual teams?
You need both. Central HR and leadership should set clear principles (for example, what the office is for, minimum standards for one-to-ones and meetings). Individual teams then co-design their own rhythms and rituals within that framework so the practices feel real, not imposed.
3. What if our senior leaders prefer everyone back in the office?
Many leaders are understandably worried about collaboration, culture and learning. Rehumanising hybrid gives them a third way: rather than an all-or-nothing “home vs office” argument, you design office time for high-value connection and use hybrid intentionally. Sharing evidence about wellbeing, engagement and turnover can help shift the conversation.
4. How do we support people who genuinely prefer full remote?
Aim for choice within clear boundaries. Some roles can support full remote; others can’t. Wherever people are based, you can still apply these principles – regular check-ins, clear rhythms, somatic resets and psychological safety – so remote colleagues aren’t treated as an afterthought.
5. How does this link to our duty of care and ISO 45003?
Loneliness, chronic stress and poor support are all psychosocial risks. By designing human-centred hybrid practices and training Human Leaders, you are actively managing those risks, not just documenting them. This strengthens your position under frameworks like ISO 45003 and shows regulators, boards and unions that you take psychological health seriously.
Final invitation: make your hybrid teams human again
Hybrid work is here to stay – but the quality of hybrid is up for negotiation.
Rehumanising the workplace for hybrid teams is not about endless away days or forced fun. It is about:
Intentional connection and check-ins.
Clear rhythms that protect focus and energy.
Everyday psychological safety behaviours.
Simple somatic tools to bring people back into their bodies.
If you would like your managers to practise these skills in a safe, guided environment – not just read about them – I would love to support you through The Human Leader Workshop.
Together, we can help your hybrid teams feel less like scattered usernames on a screen, and more like what they truly are:
Human beings, working together on something that matters.
I look forward to connecting with you in my next post.
Until then, be well and keep shining.
Peter. :)
