Employees and executives remain in a battle of wills over where workers should be based. The result is a stalemate: Hybrid work is the new norm.

There is no fairy godmother floating in to make the often awkward shared-time arrangement of hybrid work magically disappear. No, the job of making hybrid work function falls on the shoulders of our nation’s corps of middle managers. And these middle managers are, I would argue, struggling.

Job satisfaction scores have fallen to their lowest point since early 2020, according to the 2024 Gallup State of the Global Workplace report. And there was a 10% drop in 2023 alone. Among the causes for this drop are festering failures in hybrid work: Employees who want to be fully remote aren’t happy, nor are their in-office colleagues. As a result, managers are failing both groups.

Businesses urgently need to reverse this. The hybrid workplace is a compromise that could yet backfire for companies that don’t get it right. What they need is “hybrid-native” managers.

The benefits of hybrid-native managers

Just as a generation of “digital-native” employees were able to intuitively navigate the world of the internet, mobile devices, and the cloud, hybrid-native managers innately understand how to blend traditional and remote workplaces.

The critical skills hybrid managers need go beyond the obvious, such as mastery of various digital platforms. They also need to be highly effective communicators to ensure clarity and consistency. Equally important is the ability to build trust and foster a culture of accountability—both of which are crucial to building a high-performing hybrid team.

Hybrid-native managers know that they can’t constantly monitor day-to-day activities of workers. Instead, they focus on evaluating results. This requires setting clear goals and performance metrics and communicating them effectively. Additionally, they must create an inclusive environment where remote and on-site employees can access opportunities and resources equally.

What makes a successful hybrid manager?

Although training can help leaders develop strong hybrid management skills, it can be difficult. Research suggests that management training programs in general often instill new knowledge, but not in a way that leads to better performance as a manager.

What’s more, some of the specific skills hybrid managers need rely heavily on more innate qualities. For instance, building trust among team members demands empathy and emotional intelligence. Adaptability to new situations and technologies is partly a personality trait. Managers with a natural curiosity and comfort with technology will have a significant advantage in a hybrid work environment. Training can expose managers to various scenarios and tools, but it’s always going to be those who are naturally adaptable who will navigate these changes more efficiently.

How can companies get a robust cadre of hybrid-native managers? They can start by screening management applicants for the competencies that predict success in hybrid environments. Firms also need to get more methodical about their hiring and promotion processes. Study after study finds that these decisions are often subjective, particularly for management and executive roles. Instead of seeking the best fit for hybrid management, decision-makers fall back on their instincts and personal experiences, even when those are out of date.

How to teach hybrid management

To be sure, organizations can’t rely entirely on recruiting new hybrid natives. They should also provide new hires and existing managers with sophisticated training, including real-world simulations and scenarios. Regular performance feedback can help managers continually refine and adapt their leadership strategies. And pairing managers with hybrid-native mentors and encouraging peer-to-peer learning can facilitate knowledge transfer.

Hybrid work is not going away. For the 2023 Survey of Business Uncertainty, the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank, the University of Chicago, and Stanford interviewed roughly 500 executives and found that leaders expect significant growth in both fully remote and hybrid work through 2028. Two to three office days per week likely will become the predominant model.

Hybrid work arrangements could be the kind of compromise that balances the in-person collaboration that executives want with the flexibility employees value. Or it could be the kind of compromise that leaves everyone equally unhappy. It all depends on whether organizations take seriously their need for hybrid-native leaders.