What are some of the challenges and opportunities of people development in a remote or hybrid setting?

> Ensuring clear communication and effective teamwork across locations requires using the right tech and fostering virtual interaction, but can also open up opportunities for global collaboration and talent pools. > Onboarding can be trickier remotely, but online platforms offer flexibility for training and development. > Rethinking delivery methods and focusing on accessible resources can create a win-win. > Building a strong company culture and keeping remote workers engaged requires intentionality. > However, remote work can also empower employees and create opportunities for building inclusive, asynchronous work cultures.

Para lidar com esses desafios, podemos adotar algumas práticas: > Realizar reuniões de One-on-One, onde os líderes podem se aproximar dos colaboradores, oferecendo e solicitando feedback, além de avaliar a satisfação da equipe. > Utilizar a avaliação de desempenho, permitindo que os colaboradores recebam feedback não apenas do gestor, mas também de colegas e stakeholders. Para aprimorar a comunicação e o sentimento de pertencimento em equipes remotas ou híbridas, é crucial promover momentos de integração. Realizar atividades descontraídas e criar canais de interação informal entre a equipe. Essas práticas podem contribuir para que todos se sintam valorizados e conectados.

It doesn’t have to be more difficult to provide timely, specific, & constructive feedback. We live in an age with Microsoft Teams, Zoom, WebEx & more that makes it incredibly easy to hop on a phone call, video call, or send a message. Sending an email is also efficient. A suggestion to build rapport could be to do team building exercises in a weekly or bi weekly meeting that includes a fun game. At an old job we used to do this and it helped us all to feel closer to each other.

Developing people in remote or hybrid settings presents unique challenges and opportunities. The lack of physical interaction can hinder team cohesion and obscure individual struggles, making it crucial to foster open communication and a supportive culture. However, these settings also offer flexibility, allowing for more personalized development paths and learning experiences. They encourage self-driven growth and can lead to innovative methods for engagement and skill-building. Embracing these dynamics can create a more inclusive and diverse learning environment, ultimately strengthening the organizational culture and individual capabilities.

No contexto do trabalho remoto e híbrido, a eficácia da comunicação e do feedback se torna fundamental para o desenvolvimento profissional. Na ausência da interação presencial, mensagens claras e feedbacks objetivos são essenciais para orientar e motivar a equipe. Considere o seguinte exemplo: após a conclusão de um projeto, um gestor envia um e-mail com um feedback detalhado, destacando pontos de excelência e áreas para desenvolvimento. Este tipo de comunicação não apenas clarifica expectativas, mas também fornece uma direção clara para o aprimoramento contínuo dos colaboradores. Assim, mesmo em ambientes remotos, é possível manter um desenvolvimento coeso e alinhado aos objetivos da organização.

In my experience, I have observed that personal connection is very important, especially between a team leader and the team. Remote work creates distance, not only physically, but also emotionally, mentally, and socially. Beyond the use of online forums and sessions with the team, the team leader may need to go further and make calls just to check in on the team, at least once a week. Such calls are non-work related and an opportunity to build a social bond. Keeping a notebook handy to keep track of the conversation and note the highlights is a good way to recall the information shared and useful when the leader calls in the coming week, to check on progress or updates of the things shared about on the call.

In a remote or hybrid setting, the challenges of people development include maintaining engagement and fostering collaboration. However, technology offers the opportunity to enhance learning through interactive platforms and personalized development plans. It's about leveraging tools to bridge distances and create meaningful connections that drive growth and innovation.

In a remote or hybrid people development environment, it's beneficial to incorporate interactivity whenever you can. By doing this, you can create opportunities for your participants to interact and provide a virtual environment of connectivity.

Keeping remote teams engaged and accountable is like training wild horses. In a traditional office (fenced paddock), it's easier to monitor progress and provide guidance. Remotely (open range), distractions (mustangs) and competing priorities (predators) can lead to a lack of focus (straying from the training path). In my experience, an additional tip I would provide is: Don't just let your wild horses roam free! Regular check-ins are key. Use video conferencing for clear communication and virtual tools for progress tracking and cater to different learning styles. By providing support, personalisation, and clear expectations, you can turn your wild horses into a well-trained team ready to conquer any challenge (developmental goals)!

Empowering remote teams with autonomy fuels creativity and ownership. However, aligning everyone to a shared vision presents motivational challenges from a distance. The key lies in nurturing continuous personal improvement, driving towards goals that contribute to the realization of our collective vision.

One challenge is maintaining engagement and accountability, as physical distance can hinder communication and oversight. However, this setup also offers the chance to foster autonomy and self-motivation, leading to more empowered and resilient teams. Balancing these aspects requires clear communication, regular check-ins, and cultivating a culture of trust and collaboration.

Give people autonomy by holding them accountable to delivering results. If as a leader you find that you are focusing more on when or where employees are doing the work, you are managing and monitoring tactics. That is a recipe for both poor engagement and poor results.

Challenges in remote or hybrid settings can include maintaining team cohesion and communication, fostering a sense of belonging, and ensuring equitable opportunities for development. However, these setups also offer a unique chance to promote autonomy and empowerment. Giving employees more control over their work schedules and methods can boost motivation and creativity, leading to increased productivity and job satisfaction. It's about finding the right balance between structure and flexibility to harness the full potential of remote or hybrid work arrangements.

Alinhar e integrar a equipe num ambiente remoto ou híbrido é tipo montar um quebra-cabeça sem ter todas as peças na mão. O segredo é criar momentos de encontro, mesmo que virtual. Por exemplo, uma loja que vende online pode marcar reuniões semanais pelo Zoom para todos compartilharem updates e ideias. Assim, mesmo que o vendedor esteja em São Paulo e o marketing no Rio, eles se sentem parte de um time unido, trabalhando juntos para vender mais. Usar ferramentas de gestão de projetos online também ajuda todo mundo a ver o que o outro tá fazendo e manter o trabalho fluindo na mesma direção.

Ensuring that team members are aligned with organizational goals and integrated into the company culture can be difficult when physical distance hinders direct interactions. However, this presents an opportunity to leverage technology for regular communication, virtual team-building activities, and transparent goal-setting. Encouraging open dialogue, providing clear expectations, and fostering a sense of belonging are crucial for overcoming this challenge and optimizing team performance in remote or hybrid environments.

There are many reasons why remote and hybrid work is valuable. Here are 3 specific reasons in relation to inclusion and diversity. 1) People who are neurodivergent can sometimes struggle more in an office setting because of a lack of people skills that is not innate like neurotypicals. As someone with ADHD, I find I am more productive on my remote days because I have less distractions (noises, interruptions, etc). Be accommodating. 2) Remote employees, like mentioned, can give the company a larger more diverse reach into the entire population, strengthening culture and also increasing reach and influence in society.

3) Inclusion includes accepting people and their preferences and acknowledging people have different needs . A sole provider would benefit from remote work because they do not have someone to help assist in the household & the 40/hr work week was developed with a 2 parent household in mind with only 1 of the 2 working. The mental health of employees is important because a company will lose money if the employee burns out or increases their absenteeism because of stress and balance-struggle.

Ter grupos de diversidade nas empresas, em um ambiente híbrido ou remoto, é como ter diferentes tipos de plantas em um jardim; cada uma traz sua beleza e benefícios únicos, criando um ecossistema mais rico. Em um escritório virtual, por exemplo, um grupo de diversidade LGBTQIA+ pode organizar encontros online para discutir políticas inclusivas, sem as limitações geográficas que impediriam alguns membros de participar presencialmente. Isso permite que uma voz maior e mais diversificada seja ouvida, promovendo um ambiente de trabalho mais acolhedor e inovador.

If COVID-19 taught us anything, it is that many people want the option to work away from a traditional office setting. You cannot get the best out of people if they feel boxed in or feel compromised. Businesses will need to incorporate policies and processes that allow for work outside of the office.