Hybrid and virtual work settings offer greater flexibility and autonomy, yet they also have the paradoxical effect of weakening the connection of employees to each other and their identification with the organization. The purpose of this article is to discuss how to manage this paradox effectively.
Leveraging structural adaptation theory, the authors discuss hybrid and virtual work as one of five dimensions of team interdependence that collectively determine the tightness of coupling between team members.
The authors propose that the introduction of virtual and hybrid work can lead to a lower sense of belonging and identification with the organization that would need to be counteracted by respective increases in team interdependence in one or several of the remaining dimensions of team interdependence.
The authors apply research on team interdependence to develop a series of practical interventions that can address the Great Resignation. These interventions seek to enhance employees' experiences of belongingness after the shift to virtual and hybrid work. In doing so, the authors provide a toolkit that organizations can leverage to improve their employees' experiences in a post-COVID-19 workplace.
