Leadership and employee well-being in remote work environments

Abstract

Remote work has become a prominent part of today’s working life, especially ever since the pandemic. What got its jump start as an emergency solution has since evolved into a sustainable and increasingly popular working model (Makowski 2023). The growing popularity of flexible working arrangements has consequently blurred the line between employees’ professional and personal lives (Wyatt 2024) and also created the critical need for leadership approached tailored for virtual work environments (Sinclair et al. 2021). With these premises, the urgency to explore and research into appropriate leadership styles in remote work, and their effects on employee well-being is evident.

The purpose of this thesis is to research into different leadership practices in remote work environments and how remote leaders aim to support and maintain employee well-being in the absence of traditional face-to-face interaction. With remote work posing unique challenges to both leaders and their teams, this research will aim to discover what strategies leaders have implemented to mitigate those challenges. The purpose of this thesis is to gain a deeper understanding of different leadership styles, employee well-being, communications practices, and what role emotional intelligence plays in leadership. This research strives to produce both academic insight and practical value that can benefit organizations and remote leaders alike.

The motivation to research this topic comes from a personal and academic interest in leadership practices and well-being. With the growing popularity of remote work, understanding how leaders navigate challenges related to it, while managing and supporting employee well-being sustainably is crucial, especially when aspiring for a career in leadership.

This thesis addresses a topic highly relevant and important to today's working culture.