Managing and Motivating Remotely

The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift towards remote working, an area that was exponentially expanding pre-pandemic. As the working conditions shift, the previous reliance on face-to-face interactions becomes obsolete. Furthermore, the importance of this issue becomes significant as global companies have expressed their interest in adopting a hybrid way of working post-pandemic. Therefore, understanding how to manage and motivate employees while working remotely becomes crucial in order to operate in highly competitive markets successfully. This study aims to investigate how the experience and motivation of managers and their subordinates have been influenced following the shift to remote work. A qualitative design is employed in this study where literature, theories, and empirical data in the form of semi-structured interviews are utilized. The findings were analyzed according to a thematic analysis approach. Following an abductive approach, the researchers build upon exiting management theories. The authors identify the different elements that influence experience and motivation in a remote work setting, as follows: Experiential Knowledge, Drivers of Motivation, Organizational Structure, Tasks and Roles, Formal Communication, Informal communication, Productivity, and Flexibility. Derived from the empirical data, a dimension of motivation was integrated into Cook’s (2019) view on Managing Remotely. The results display both hinders and motivators, which could be mitigated and incorporated, respectively, in future remote work strategies.