The Importance of Autonomy In Remote or Hybrid Work

• Jeannie happily squeezed into a taxicab with a favorite chair her boss had loaned her for working from home.
• Miguel cleaned out a spare room, set up a desk and computer monitor, and placed potted plants near the window where he could admire them throughout the day.
• Yvonne and Frank smiled at one another as they agreed to alternate the days they worked in their home office and the days they looked after their toddler son.?
• Rex set out for the airport carrying a laptop. Called to his parents’ home for a family emergency, he was grateful that he would be able to continue working with his team.?

What do these people and their arrangements for working virtually have in common? Autonomy. Indeed, the increasing endorsement of remote work by those who praise its flexibility, along with studies that show that remote work in many cases increases productivity, is rooted in what social scientists know about the central role played by autonomy.?

What is Autonomy??

A hallmark of remote work, autonomy allows for a degree of control over one’s working conditions and processes. For remote workers this usually comes down to their ability to shape the two variables of space and time. For remote workers who have to negotiate the demands of work and family at the same time, the flexibility to control where, when, and how one gets the job done is often touted as one of virtual work’s more appealing benefits. By the way, autonomy also plays a major role in personal development, where children gradually learn to become independent in thought and action, and in politics, where autonomy is linked to self-governance and self-determination.?

Keep in mind, also, that autonomy does not mean giving employees free reign to do whatever they want. Even if they are out of sight, remote workers are still accountable to their teammates, project goals, and productivity agreements.? Nor is autonomy equivalent to isolation. Employees still need leadership, guidance, feedback, and connection.?

Why is Autonomy Important to Leading Remote and Hybrid Teams??

In successful teams, people learn and feel that other members care about their well-being or individual growth as a function of being on the team. Teamwork, whether virtual, in-person, or hybrid (a combination of the two), offers opportunities for each person to expand their knowledge, acquire new skills, and be exposed to new perspectives. Even if these opportunities don’t have a direct effect on the team’s measurable results, individual growth often leads to increased job satisfaction that in turn enhances the team’s productivity.?

For managers or leaders of remote and hybrid employees, demonstrating that you care about employees’ well-being and individual growth involves understanding the central role that autonomy plays. By recognizing and supporting team members’ autonomy, you communicate trust in their ability to get the job done, which in turn leads to increased effectiveness and productivity.?

For these same reasons, depriving remote workers of their autonomy by micromanaging or surveilling electronically sends the signal that you don’t trust them and too often can result in employee disengagement, job dissatisfaction, and decreased team performance.

Working From Home Can Have Downsides

Perhaps because autonomy can be challenging to manage, the freedom to work from home presents potential downsides.? For example, Rex, who’d planned to write a team report while staying at his parents’ house soon found it difficult to concentrate from his makeshift workspace on the living room couch.? Family members didn’t seem to realize that when he was at his computer he was working and not playing video games; they were always coming up to talk to him. Like many virtual workers, Rex found that the conditions of his remote workspace interfered with the focus he needed for sustained work. In another example, Jeannie, who felt supported by the chair she’d brought home from the company office, felt exhausted from the sheer number of hours spent sitting in that chair and working. Her phone was on and nearby even when she spent time in the apartment relaxing or hanging out with her roommates; if a message came in from one of her team members she felt obligated to stop whatever she was doing and respond immediately. In Jeannie’s case, as with many who work from home, the blurring of boundaries between her professional and her personal selves meant she was “on” and working all the time.???

How Leaders Can Support Remote or Hybrid workers’ Autonomy

By leaning into the inherent flexibility of the remote format, leaders can encourage team members’ autonomy, enabling them to gain confidence, agency, and efficiency. When assessing productivity, focus on outcome rather than process...

Equip your teams with the tools and resources they need to achieve their work goals. Because work-from-home conditions vary widely and are pivotal, provide support for optimal working conditions even if they require financial resources from your budget. Ask people what they need to create the best work conditions for them, wherever that might be. Whenever possible, assist workers with resources and planning to ensure that they are comfortable with their work situations.?

The result is a more engaged and productive team!

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