Work has changed forever. In a hybrid world, leadership and culture aren’t just important — they’re what hold everything together. But how do leaders replace coffee-machine chatter, build trust at a distance, and keep teams moving in the same direction?
In this interview, Jonas Angleflod speaks with leadership advisor and author Karin Zingmark about the essentials of hybrid leadership: from building strong culture to setting clear goals and creating the conditions for both performance and wellbeing.
Jonas:
What changes most when employees leave the office and work in a hybrid or remote setup?
Karin: Leadership and culture become critical. In an office you can rely on a “false sense of control” – people look busy. In a hybrid model, weak leadership and unclear culture are immediately exposed, and engagement, collaboration, and direction can fall apart.
Jonas:
Why does it become so obvious?
Karin: Because the informal stuff – hallway chats, decisions at the coffee machine – doesn’t carry anymore. You have to replace it with structured, inclusive forums: who is involved, when decisions are made, and in what format. Hybrid forces better structure.
Jonas:
During the pandemic, productivity often went up. Is that still true?
Karin: When everyone worked digitally, we became more organized. The challenge came in the “in-between stage” when some returned to the office without designing a digital-first model. If leadership says “two days at the office” but still signals the office is superior, it fails. You need to rethink how you inform, communicate, decide, and maintain social glue.
Jonas:
The social element disappears easily. How do you build relationships in hybrid?
Karin: Mix thoughtful in-person gatherings with digital routines. As a manager, I had every-other-month team days: half a day for planning, half a day for activities like padel, cooking, or nature walks. That deepens relationships so people choose to connect outside formal settings – at home, in cafés, or wherever it suits the purpose.
Jonas:
Culture is often said to “live in the walls.” How do you keep it alive with less physical presence?
Karin: Make values concrete and relevant. In a big company, we translated the corporate mission into something meaningful for our local marketing team. In a smaller company, we co-created a new set of values through surveys and workshops, rolled them out step by step, and linked them to behavior. The result: stronger alignment and a measurable boost in engagement.
Jonas:
Should even very large organizations involve everyone?
Karin: Yes. Use big meetings and interactive tools to collect feedback and show it matters. You can’t let 5,000 people write every word, but you can let them influence and feel included.
Jonas:
What about day-to-day work – goals, productivity, routines?
Karin: Roles and personalities differ. The point of hybrid is to allow for differences while trusting professionals to deliver. The key is clear goals and follow-up. When the what is clear, people can decide the how and where.
Jonas:
How should leaders set and follow up goals in hybrid?
Karin: Have regular check-ins. I like quarterly development talks and frequent 1:1s (with the employee setting the agenda). Many use OKRs: a few clear objectives, measurable key results, and freedom in how to get there. That creates ownership and fairness, regardless of location.
Jonas:
Hybrid also risks making everyone always “on.” How do you set boundaries?
Karin: Leaders must set expectations for availability. Use small habits like scheduling messages to avoid pushing evening or weekend work. You can’t demand office presence and 24/7 online availability – something has to give.
Jonas:
How do you prevent isolation?
Karin: Trust-based relationships. Leaders need to be open, personal, and attentive to signals. Combine regular 1:1s, team rituals, and social touches. Mix digital openness with periodic in-person meetings to keep people connected.
Jonas:
How do you replace the informal “decision network” from the office?
Karin: With clear decision forums: which ones exist, when they happen, how input is given, and who decides. Yes, it sounds bureaucratic, but without it, informal power structures dominate – and those are rarely inclusive.
Jonas:
Doesn’t that just mean more meetings?
Karin: Not if you design them well. Use prereads or short recordings so meeting time is for discussion and decision-making. Facilitate so everyone contributes. Document outcomes. And cancel meetings without purpose.
Jonas:
Do you have tips for recreating “office chatter” digitally?
Karin:
Karin’s Hybrid Leadership Checklist
Hybrid work isn’t about place – it’s about design. With clear culture, goals, and forums, work becomes more inclusive, engaging, and sustainable. And then it matters less where we sit – as long as we know where we’re going, and how we’ll get there together.
Want to know how Dstny helps company designing communication to fit a hybrid way of working? Let’s talk.
Want to see the whole interview? Watch it here.