A CEO once asked me: “Adora, are they really working when I can’t see them?”

He’s not alone. Since I began researching remote work, I’ve had countless conversations with leaders who share similar concerns. Some wonder about productivity. Others worry about fairness, culture, or whether their systems can cope. And in places like Lagos, managers tell me about power cuts and unreliable internet that make remote work feel impossible.

These are not excuses; they are valid concerns. But they are also not reasons to throw remote work out altogether.

In my research on employee engagement in remote work, I found that remote work is a context that has its nuances. You can’t apply strategies designed for a different context of a traditional office setting and expect the same results.

It’s also important to say upfront: remote work is not an option for every role. Some jobs require physical presence. This article focuses on roles that can be done remotely, where the question is not “can it be done?” but “how do we make it work well?”

From my research and practice, five big concerns stand out. I will explore them and the way forward for each.

1. Control and Trust

The first concern is always about control. Leaders worry: “If I can’t see them, how do I know they’re working?” This fear often drives micromanagement, endless check-ins and activity tracking, which, for the most part, erodes trust.

The other side of this coin is that effective remote work requires self-discipline from employees. In my interviews, some employees admitted they struggled to stay focused at home, while others said they worked late into the night without realising it. One CEO summed it up perfectly in a way that echoed my findings: “Those who were diligent in the office are even more productive when working from home, but those who were faffing around in the office are faffing around even more when working from home.”

The way forward: Replace control with accountability. Define outcomes clearly, agree on goals, and measure results, not hours. My research revealed how much employees want flexibility and autonomy. Remote work is a benefit cherished by many workers. Leaders must give trust, and employees must balance their need for flexibility and autonomy with responsibility and discipline. When that happens, productivity tends to rise, not fall. The organisations that work well remotely have clear policies and expectations around remote work. When people fail to align with expectations, the policies take care of the issues arising.

2. Connection and Collaboration

One leader sighed as he told me: “I miss going to people’s desks and seeing them eyeball to eyeball when I need them” It’s a familiar sentiment, the fear that remote work limits communication and human connection. It does and it is a genuine concern.

The fact is, even in the office real connection never happens by accident; people can sit side by side and remain disconnected. In remote work, building relationships has to be much more intentional.

The way forward: Connect by design, not by accident. Be deliberate about building relationships and execute with intentionality. Plan and implement regular rituals such as team building events, purposeful check-ins that aren’t just about work, and collaborative projects. Use technology thoughtfully, balancing online and offline tools. When connection is intentional, remote teams will experience better relationships.

3. Fairness and Inclusion

Hybrid work can split employees into two groups: those who are seen in the office, and those who aren’t. Leaders fear this “proximity bias” affects recognition, promotion, and access to opportunities.

This is where policies matter. Without clear guidance on availability, performance expectations, and communication norms, fairness is left to chance.

The way forward: Promote fairness in transparent policies. Recognise contributions equally, make progression criteria explicit, and ensure opportunities are not tied to visibility. If done well, hybrid and remote models can be more equitable than office-only arrangements.

4. Culture and Leadership

A manager once asked me: “How do you build culture on Zoom?” It’s a fair question but it is full of assumptions. It assumes culture lives in a building. Culture doesn’t live in walls. It lives in people.

The way forward: Leaders must consistently lead by example, communicate purpose, and reinforce behaviours, wherever people are. Organisations should also invest in leadership development tailored to remote contexts, and these should emphasise building empathy, trust, and digital collaboration skills.

5. Systems and Technology

Finally, the practical side. Many leaders brought up the basics: poor internet, too many apps, cybersecurity risks, and the struggle to track performance effectively. In remote work, the office is not standardised as the employee’s workspace becomes the office.

In emerging markets, these challenges are even more nuanced. Connectivity, electricity, inconducive workspaces, and access to affordable devices remain real barriers.

The way forward: Provide reliable technology infrastructure and workspace support where possible, streamline tools to reduce overload, and strengthen security. Use systems that measure outcomes, not hours. In emerging markets, resilience planning matters, from phone and internet data stipends to realistic expectations about connectivity. Technology should serve people, not overwhelm them.

Remote work is not perfect. But neither is office work. The five concerns I’ve shared, control, connection, fairness, culture, and systems, are not reasons to reject remote work. They are reminders to do these things with intention. Policies create fairness. Self-discipline builds trust. And connection, when designed deliberately, becomes stronger.

The future of remote work will not be defined by location, but by leadership. Leaders who take these concerns seriously and act on them will unlock the true promise of remote work: workplaces that are more human, more productive, and more resilient than ever.

Do share your thoughts?