Effectiveness of Remote Leadership before and after Covid-19 Pandemic in the United Kingdom
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64229/mf5w8q83Keywords:
Remote Leadership Effectiveness, Remote Work, PRISMA, COVID-19 Pandemic, United KingdomAbstract
The rapid expansion of remote and hybrid work has raised important questions about how leadership functions when employees are physically dispersed. This systematic review examined quantitative studies that investigated remote leadership effectiveness within the United Kingdom, while considering developments before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Database searches were conducted across Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost, using predefined inclusion criteria and a PRISMA guided screening process. Studies were included if they focused on remote or hybrid work in the United Kingdom, reported quantitative data, and assessed outcomes related to leadership, performance, engagement, communication quality, trust, or wellbeing. A total of 38 UK-based quantitative studies (2010-2025) were synthesized, of which 4 directly measured remote leadership behaviours and effectiveness in remote contexts, while the remaining studies provided contextual evidence on remote work and employee outcomes. Findings indicate that effective remote leadership is characterised by empathetic communication, relational presence, adaptive behaviours, and active support for employee coping and wellbeing. Furthermore, the synthesis suggests that remote leadership effectiveness in the United Kingdom depends on relational, communicative, and adaptive competencies, reinforced by organisational systems that foster trust, engagement, and consistent performance expectations in digitally mediated work environments. This review highlights important methodological gaps, including limited longitudinal evidence and inconsistent measurement of leadership constructs. Comprehensively, the findings suggest that leadership effectiveness in remote work settings depends on relational and communicative competence, supported by systems that promote trust, inclusion, and performance clarity.
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