Teams for All Times: Adaptive Skills Required for Leading, Integrating and Motivating a Remote or Hybrid Healthcare Workforce (05X)

Systemic disruptive changes occurring from the pandemic and the subsequent shift in the expectations of talent recruited and retained within the healthcare industry have produced lasting changes requiring new mindsets and skills to lead the workforce of the future. Data from a 2023 triennial survey of graduates from a large MHA program revealed that many managers are managing remote, or partially remote, workforce teams and, in some cases, leading these teams while remote themselves. We have seen this same shift in consumer expectations through the growth of convenient virtual health options. This workforce management scenario has not historically been taught in the curriculum of graduate management programs, requiring healthcare organizations to close the leadership skills gap.

In this session, presenters will outline how to navigate remote vs in-person decisions about various roles in our healthcare system, including organizational design, job creation, gaining leader buy-in, managing internal remote requests, strategies for external recruitment and implications for business continuity—as well as how to create lasting connections between remote and hybrid employees, leaders and the organization that drive retention and engagement in alignment with your mission, vision and values. In addition, we will discuss core leader competencies needed to foster a team environment and sense of belonging, how leaders can evaluate productivity from afar, innovative ways to leverage technology that supports collaboration as well as growth and development of remote leaders and employees, and other key insights. Having a clear remote workforce strategy and leaders with specific core competencies is critical to being able to attract, retain and engage the best talent in the workforce of the future.