We’ve been writing and publishing Buffer’s State of Remote Work report for six years now, and we’ve realized loads in regards to the traits, advantages, and struggles of distant staff alongside the best way. This yr, after releasing the report, we had a number of individuals remark that they puzzled what the outcomes could be like for under people who find themselves managers — and it’s a very good query!

We weren’t clear sufficient when publishing the report that the State of Distant Work already contains individuals managers and distant work leaders. Nonetheless, it felt like a possibility to dive deeper into the information to drag out extra information particular to leaders.

Whereas we didn’t ask if somebody was a individuals supervisor after they accomplished the State of Distant Work survey (don’t fear, it’s already on the checklist for subsequent yr), we did ask in regards to the sort of position that somebody has, and one choice was “management.” So, right here’s what we realized trying on the outcomes from the State of Distant Work and evaluating those that work in management to those that don’t — the solutions may shock you.

Leaders nonetheless overwhelmingly need to work remotely

To start out, leaders nonetheless need to work remotely for the remainder of their careers (99 % chosen this selection) and would advocate distant work to others (one other 99 % chosen this selection). That is solely barely larger than non-leaders, who had been at 98 % for each questions. Finally, no massive distinction between leaders and non-leaders right here.

We additionally requested respondents to explain their expertise with distant work — and curiously, leaders had been extra more likely to choose that they’d a constructive expertise. Ninety-six % of leaders chosen that their expertise was very constructive or considerably constructive in comparison with 90 % of non-leaders.

The distinction between how leaders and non-leaders expertise distant work is not drastic, although leaders usually tend to have a constructive expertise than non-leaders.

Leaders do work otherwise

In relation to how distant leaders work, there are some variations between non-leaders and leaders who work remotely of their preferences for working in a hybrid setup, their work location, and being on digicam.

The largest distinction is that whereas leaders nonetheless primarily desire working absolutely remotely (65 % chosen absolutely distant as their most popular work construction), there’s a higher quantity who would favor a hybrid however distant first arrange, with 27 % of leaders choosing that choice in comparison with 20 % of non-leaders.

Leaders are additionally extra more likely to have expertise with the hybrid setup. Forty-two % of leaders labored in a hybrid setup in comparison with 35 % of non-leaders.

Equally, leaders had been much less more likely to make money working from home than non-leaders, although the bulk nonetheless did; 75 % of leaders chosen they labored from residence in comparison with 83 % of non-leaders.

The ultimate query we checked out was about being on digicam — 76 % of leaders desire to have their digicam on for video calls in comparison with 62 % of non-leaders.

General, the responses from leaders had been pretty just like non-leaders right here, however with sufficient variation that it’s clear there’s a distinction between how these two teams get work executed.

The struggles of distant leaders

Regardless of the numerous advantages of distant work, leaders nonetheless face the identical struggles as non-leaders, with a number of variations.

The dearth of construction and routine that comes with distant work is usually a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it permits for higher flexibility and autonomy. However, it may be straightforward to develop into remoted. It is a wrestle that many distant staff share, and leaders aren’t any exception. The highest wrestle for distant staff was the identical for each leaders and non-leaders — staying residence too actually because they don’t have a purpose to go away.

One other problem that distant leaders face is the temptation to work outdoors of conventional workplace hours. With out the constraints of a bodily workplace, it may be straightforward to let work bleed into different elements of life, which may result in burnout and a scarcity of work-life stability. Leaders, particularly, usually tend to fall into this lure than non-leaders.

The ultimate wrestle that many leaders face is creating boundaries between work and life. In comparison with non-leaders, leaders usually tend to discover it troublesome to separate the 2, with 40 % of leaders combating this in comparison with 30 % of non-leaders.

Although the highest wrestle stays the identical, leaders general usually tend to discover it difficult to disconnect from work and to work outdoors of normal hours.

Leaders are extra impartial on careers and distant work

Over the previous couple of years, the subject of profession development for distant staff has surfaced many occasions, with some questioning if the transfer to distant work may negatively influence their profession trajectory. The subject of distant profession development remains to be considerably break up. In our 2023 State of Remote Work report, respondents had been more likely to pick out that profession development was simpler whereas working remotely than the prior yr, with 36 % of respondents choosing that choice. One other 36 % stated distant work had no influence on their profession development.

Leaders fall into the class of being extra impartial in regards to the influence of distant work on profession development. Forty-two % of leaders consider that distant work has no influence on profession development in comparison with 36 % of non-leaders. Leaders are additionally extra more likely to say that distant work has no influence on promotions (58 % chosen this) in comparison with non-leaders (56 %).

On the identical time, distant work as a requirement for future roles is much less vital to leaders than to non-leaders, which is in step with leaders being extra seemingly to decide on hybrid choices. General, leaders have a extra nuanced stance towards distant work in relation to profession development and the significance of distant work for his or her subsequent position.

What’s going effectively for distant leaders

The panorama of distant work is totally different for leaders in relation to what goes effectively for them, too. Leaders are barely extra more likely to be considerably or very engaged with their job — 65 % of them chosen this selection in comparison with 58 % of non-leaders. Leaders are additionally much less more likely to be in search of a brand new job.

Associated to feeling engaged of their roles, leaders additionally really feel barely extra linked to their colleagues (80 % in comparison with 75 % of non-leaders). A part of that might be that leaders are additionally extra more likely to have attended in-person work occasions previously yr. Seventy-seven % of leaders chosen they’d met up in particular person for work in comparison with 69 % of non-leaders.

General, not all leaders need individuals again within the workplace, though leaders usually tend to need a hybrid setup.

Leaders have some very particular distant work struggles round boundaries. On the identical time, they have to be conscious that due to their place, they could really feel extra linked than their direct stories or non-leader colleagues.

We’d love to listen to from you in case you’re a individuals supervisor and you’re employed remotely — does this resonate? Send us a tweet!