Both remote work and workplace inclusion have gained relevance in recent years, spurred by increasing diversity, globalization, and digitalization. At least since COVID-19, remote work has become the new normal for many employees and is likely here to stay. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the potential side effects of remote work on workplace inclusion. Building on sociometer theory, we argue that remote settings hinder the successful signaling of inclusionary cues, thereby introducing a barrier to perceived inclusion in employees. Further, one potential lever for mitigating adverse effects – namely, virtual leader behavior – is explored. Employing correlated random effects models, we test our hypotheses in 1’092 employees of a German automotive company who participated in three online surveys over the course of six months. Our results indicate no significant main effect between higher extents of remote work and inclusion. However, when introducing virtual leader behavior as a moderator, a significant interaction emerges, with a negative relationship between remote work and inclusion in employees whose leader shows only low levels of appropriate virtual leader behavior. Our results have strong practical implications and highlight the importance of leaders in maintaining inclusion within teams, especially in remote settings.
