Despite a wealth of research on remote or work-from-home work during the pandemic and post-pandemic era, the understanding of the social and relational implications of hybrid work is limited. Drawing from expert employees’ experiences during a 1.5-year-long period of prolonged remote and hybrid working, this study explores how the sense of belonging might develop in the continuously evolving hybrid work context. Thirty-two interviews with 16 experts were conducted at two time points between 2020 and 2022. Our analysis detected opportunities and concerns stemming from the peculiarities of remote and hybrid work: flexibility (Freedom to organize work; Fading boundaries between work and spare time), virtual competence (Boost in remote working skills; Impaired access to information), and social interactions (Lost connections; Newfound ways to connect with others). We present a model that illustrates how the sense of belonging may develop in the context of hybrid work, driven by the interplay of flexibility, the acquisition of virtual competence, and engagement in social interactions, all while alternating between working alone and alongside others. We also debate potential ‘early signs’ of work loneliness in hybrid work, and what might constitute flourishing work relationships in this age.
