The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped how people work, with many now preferring a hybrid model that allows for flexibility and autonomy. According to a study by the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) in Thailand, 57.5% of workers prefer a hybrid work model, while only 23% of organizations have fully embraced and adopted it. The research revealed that although 61.5% of leaders felt they were thriving in a hybrid work environment, only 30% felt that their organizations were fully prepared. At a talk on “Reimagining Leadership in a Hybrid World” hosted by the Sasin School of Management on February 16, Diana Khaitova, Head of Client Development (APAC) at the Center for Creative Leadership, presented her findings on the Asia-Pacific research, “WORK 3.0 Reimagining Leadership in a Hybrid World,”. In eight months of research, CCL collaborated with 15 partners, including Sasin, to gather information on workplace perspectives and how leaders need to adapt to the expectations of the modern workplace. The study was based on 174 survey responses, mainly from entry and mid-level managers of public and private companies and state-owned enterprises. Along with Dr. Prasarn Trairatvorakul, Chairman of The Stock Exchange of Thailand, and Dr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, she provided valuable insights on the topic, focusing on the Thai perspective. The event was moderated by Sasin’s Assistant Professor Piyachart Phiromswad, Assistant Professor Pattarake Sarajoti, and Associate Professor Pattanaporn Chatjuthamard. Khaitova said that while 54.6% of leaders in Thai companies are “work champions,” with the right skills and mindset to transform the workplace, compared to the Asia-Pacific average of 41.6%, this did not translate into organizational success. According to Khaitova, transforming the workplace means changing bureaucratic systems and policies that have been in place for a long time. One factor that Khaitova noted contributes to the failure of integrating hybrid work in companies is proximity bias. Proximity bias occurs when supervisors believe that employees working in offices work harder than remote colleagues because they can physically see the worker in the office. Conversely, employees also believe that employers think higher of them when they are in sight of their bosses. According to Khaitova, the solution to organizational success is considering workplace culture. Leaders play a crucial role in leading a culture that supports hybrid work. She also added that the success of the hybrid work model depends on the collective mindset of the organization or “the beliefs of an organization and how we work together.” Organizations that empower and trust their employees by focusing on accountability and results, can adapt easier to a new working model. “Leaders need to build a culture that balances trust, accountability, and outcome orientation while maintaining a cohesive relationship between teams. They also need to keep their team connected to the organization and create opportunities for human connection,” Khaitova said. She highlighted the different types of leaders in organizations, including risk-averse gamblers, tech-savvy humanists, cat herders, and wellness hunters. Each type of leader possesses unique characteristics and needs to find ways to balance technology, encourage innovation, and provide benefits to employees’ mental, physical, and financial well-being. Khaitova also said that risk-averse gamblers can implement changes in the workplace faster than other types of leaders. “Leaders need to do something in an uncertain environment, take a gamble, identify the risks, and find ways to mitigate,” she said. Another type of leader, the cat herder, allows employees to move freely, but they need to find ways to bring them back for collaboration and innovation. The wellness hunter leader needs to appeal to workers’ mental, physical, and financial beings. “There is one area of wellness that suffers in hybrid work and that is social well-being,” she said, adding that leaders need to find a way to bring people together, just like tech-savvy humanist leaders who need to find ways to balance technology with social activities. Another factor in the transformation of the traditional workplace into the hybrid work model is government support. “Singapore has strongly encouraged companies to adopt hybrid working,” said Khaitova, while other countries in the Asia-Pacific, like Thailand and Indonesia, which are less risk-averse, are letting employees work a day a week at home. Khaitova also talked about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the opportunity for human and AI collaboration. “How can our human strengths, creativity, empathy, and connections be enhanced with the strengths of AI,” and how to find ways to empower people who don’t have a lot of access to AI. “Technological disruption on its own does not disrupt anything. Leaders having the vision and courage to use the technology will disrupt the leaders who do not use them,” she added. Another factor to consider is the topic of organizational resilience and anti-fragility, as the pandemic has reminded everyone how fragile life is. She said that resilience is not about bouncing back but how to bounce back better and asked Thailand to reimagine how they can build a community that will stay resilient despite burnout. Finally, Khaitova urged us to reflect on the nature of work – whether it is a noun that describes a physical location or a verb that encompasses meaningful actions and contributions. Additionally, she challenged leaders to reconsider their own roles within their organizations.