Leadership Engaging Employees in Hybrid or Remote Workplace: A Scoping Review

Abstract: The rise of hybrid and remote work arrangements, accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, has redefined the modern workplace. While these setups offer flexibility and autonomy, they also pose challenges related to employee disconnection and isolation. In this evolving landscape, the role of leaders in engaging employees has gained paramount significance. Although the literature has provided substantial evidence of the importance of leadership in fostering employee engagement in traditional settings, where leaders have the power and immediate physical access to influence and motivate their subordinates, the discussion of leadership in hybrid and remote work settings to engage employees seems largely anecdotal and propositional. In addition, there is a need to understand the process of influence (i.e., leadership on employee engagement) and determine whether there are similarities or differences in mechanisms or factors between traditional and non-traditional work environments. Thus, this study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the leader's role in engaging employees in hybrid or remote work environments through a scoping review. Among the 24 articles selected for this review, we examined leadership styles and mechanisms that have been emphasized or newly introduced in the context of employee engagement in hybrid or remote work. In addition, we identified research gaps within the existing literature and proposed opportunities for future research.