The best podcasts for hybrid/remote, leadership & the future of work

This my own podcast where we talk about co-creating the future of work. How do we bring the best elements of corporate from the past into the future? How can we design a workplace that will allow employees to thrive and integrate their work into their lives? What will the corporation of the future look like more importantly, what will it feel like? Will the future be hybrid or will we be working remotely? How will the office be re-imagined. And how does that affect leadership process procedure? Employee engagement and retention. We'll talk about all aspects of life and work with interesting and creative people. I'm Nola Simon. I'm a change strategist and storyteller. I've worked some version of hybrid or remote since 2012, chatting is my super power. Let's chat.

Marisa Eikenberry and Wayne Turmel tackle more pet peeves sent in by listeners, including one from @NikSoro about the annoyance of receiving messages without checking someone's Slack status. The hosts discuss strategies for managing notifications, setting boundaries, and communicating effectively in virtual teams. They also delve into a topic from Nola Simon on webcam usage in virtual meetings and explore the psychology behind camera-on versus camera-off meetings. Whether you're a remote worker or a team leader, this episode offers practical advice on how to navigate common communication challenges and build a more productive and supportive virtual work environment. Tune in to learn how to balance availability and focus, manage expectations, and foster respectful communication in your remote team. Key Takeaways Checking someone's Slack status before sending a message can help you respect their boundaries and avoid unnecessary interruptions. Setting boundaries, such as turning off notifications during specific hours or using an icon in your status to indicate when you're away from your desk, can help you manage distractions and increase your productivity. Respecting others' needs and preferences is essential for building trust and fostering healthy communication in virtual teams. Using a webcam during virtual meetings can enhance connection and collaboration, but it's important to be mindful of the potential for webcam fatigue and to respect individual preferences for camera-on or camera-off meetings. Effective communication in virtual teams requires discipline, initiative, and a commitment to living one's values. By setting clear expectations, managing distractions, and respecting others' needs, remote workers and team leaders can build a more productive and supportive virtual work environment. Timestamps 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:36 When People Don't Check Slack Statuses Before Messaging 00:03:03 Respectful Communication and Responsiveness 00:07:23 Managing Slack Messages and Video Conferencing Pet Peeves 00:08:54 Benefits of Turning On Cameras During Meetings 00:11:07 Importance of Webcam Functionality in Meetings 00:12:35 Coaching Conversation: The 51% Rule 00:14:11 Conclusion

In this episode of the Bricks+Brands Podcast, we’re speaking with an international consultant who has been a pioneer in remote work since 2012. She's an international consultant who has helped develop hybrid/remote work teams for the last 10 years. People hire Nola because she knows how to get things done. Challenging the status quo is bred in the bone. She's worked for five (5) different corporations, two (2) of them global, over the last two decades. She's developed extensive business acumen and experienced lots of change. Nola pioneered hybrid work and has worked some version of hybrid and/or remote since 2012. It changed her life. The secret to hybrid work is intention. Communication matters - it requires listening, asking great questions, establishing trust and psychological safety. Flexibility and a willingness to experiment and adjust course is the way to build effective culture and process.

During this podcast episode, Nola gives powerful insights into what it truly means to work in a hybrid environment and why companies should consider it. Hybrid policies are not just for people who want to avoid commuting or working from the beach, traveling 24/7. These policies matter because it gives people a choice, especially when they have other responsibilities and situations in their lives.

Nola Simon is on a mission to make the future of work more flexible, inclusive, and fun. She’s a writer, podcaster, and consultant – a hybrid/remote futurist. Media often interviews her across Canada for her expertise in distributed work strategy. She’s also the creator of the Hybrid/Remote Centre of Excellence, the place for workforce transformation pros to ask questions and get answers from peers.