If you’ve worked from home lately, you’ve probably felt it—the little twinge when you realize you haven’t spoken to a teammate in days. That flicker of worry is more than just emotion; our research published in the Journal of Management Studies shows it can be a powerful driver of connection. And in today’s debates about whether hybrid work erodes culture, this finding changes the conversation. 
 
The Hybrid Reality 
 
Hybrid work is no longer a temporary fix. In Germany, nearly a quarter of employees work from home at least part-time (24.5 %) [1], a figure that has remained stable since 2022. Across Europe, almost half the workforce (41 %) [2] uses a hybrid schedule, and job postings offering remote flexibility have tripled compared to pre-COVID levels. 
 
But headlines still bristle with concern. In August 2025, PwC in the UK rolled out a “traffic light” dashboard to monitor hybrid attendance [3], sparking debate about privacy and trust. Employees under 60 % office attendance are flagged amber, and under 40 % red, with the data feeding into performance reviews. Meanwhile, companies such as Aberdeen and Schroders have publicly rejected tightening in-office mandates, maintaining flexibility to sustain trust and engagement [4]. The divide reflects a central tension: is hybrid work hurting our relationships, or can it actually help preserve them? 
 
From Worry to Action 
 
Our research suggests a more nuanced answer. We studied how hybrid work affects workplace relationships during the pandemic and again in calmer times. In the first study, we surveyed 100 employees over 10 weeks who had suddenly been pushed into hybrid work by COVID restrictions. In the second, a preregistered replication across three weeks with 285 employees after the pandemic, we checked whether the same patterns held once hybrid work became routine. In both studies, participants shared their concerns about losing touch with colleagues and described how often they went the extra mile for others—for example, by lending a hand or supporting a teammate’s ideas. The results were strikingly consistent: hybrid work reliably heightened a “concern about relationship loss,” a mental alarm that sounds even before any real isolation occurs. 
 
For employees who feel strongly connected to their organization, that concern sparks proactive effort. They engage in organizational citizenship behaviors—voluntary acts like offering help on a project that isn’t technically theirs, defending a colleague’s idea in a meeting, or sharing useful information before anyone even asks. Sometimes it’s as simple as checking in on a teammate after a tough day or troubleshooting a tech glitch for someone working from home. These everyday gestures may look small, but they go a long way in keeping existing work relationships alive and well. What they rarely do, however, is create brand-new ties—hybrid work motivates maintenance, not expansion. Think of the colleague who drops a friendly note in Slack to back you up during a heated discussion, or the teammate who jumps in to fix a file that won’t open during a Zoom call. These moments don’t introduce you to new people, but they strengthen the relationships you already have. 
 
The effect is strongest for ties that already exist. Hybrid-induced concern motivates maintenance, not expansion. It’s easier to keep a bond alive than to form a brand-new one across screens. 
 
Why Identity Matters 
 
The key is organizational identification—seeing oneself as part of a collective “we.” When identification is high, employees act to protect relationships they value. When it’s low, concern about losing ties does not prompt the same level of action, leaving those employees more vulnerable to disconnection. That means the real vulnerability in hybrid work isn’t the number of remote days—it’s a weak sense of belonging. 
 
This also explains why blanket return-to-office mandates may miss the point. Monitoring presence, as in the PwC case [3], might track attendance, but it doesn’t build the identification that fuels proactive relationship-keeping. Trust-based approaches, like those of Aberdeen and Schroders [4], align far more closely with turning concern into connection. 
 
Lessons for Leaders 
 
Rather than obsess over office headcounts, leaders should focus on building a shared sense of purpose and identity. This can be achieved by communicating a compelling vision, celebrating team milestones, and fostering a culture where employees feel valued and part of something larger than themselves. The goal is to make employees care enough about their workplace connections to want to preserve them. 
 
Leaders also need to address the harder problem: fostering new relationships in hybrid settings. Onboarding programs, structured cross-team projects, and informal virtual meet-ups can help newcomers and colleagues from different areas connect—laying the groundwork for the same protective behaviors that keep existing ties strong. 
 
Rethinking the Hybrid Debate 
 
Our findings challenge the idea that hybrid workers are passive victims of reduced interaction. Many actively fight to maintain their ties—if they feel part of the organization. The concern about losing connections is not a weakness; it is a motivator that, when paired with belonging, can strengthen team cohesion. 
 
As hybrid work cements itself into the global workforce, the question for leaders isn’t “How many days in the office?” It’s “Do our people feel connected enough to protect their relationships?” Get that right, and hybrid work can support—not sabotage—the social fabric of your organization.

Sources: 
[1] ifo Institute. (2025, March 24). Working from home rate in Germany stabilizes at just under 25 percent. https://www.ifo.de/en/facts/2025-03-24/working-home-rate-germany-stabilizes-just-under-25-percent 

  
[2] Euronews. (2025, February 18). Hybrid work: These are Europe’s most and least flexible countries. https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/02/18/hybrid-work-these-are-europes-most-and-least-flexible-countries  

 
[3] The Guardian. (2025, August 13). PwC tracks UK office attendance with ‘traffic light’ dashboard. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/aug/13/pwc-tracks-uk-office-attendance-with-traffic-light-dashboard  

 
[4] Financial News. (2025, August 12). Aberdeen, Schroders bosses have no plans to crack down on hybrid working. https://www.fnlondon.com/articles/aberdeen-schroders-bosses-have-no-plans-to-crack-down-on-hybrid-working-395c73f5