Combatting the Real Casualty of Remote Work

Reading Arianna Huffington’s newsletter last weekend, I was reminded of Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella’s?caution?as we embarked upon?the work-from-home experiment ushered in by the global pandemic. During those early days, he anticipated risks, suggesting that we should “be on the lookout for what is lost.”

What’s been lost as a result of working from home?

Recently Microsoft clarified the risks and losses in its?Work Trend Index: The Next Great Disruption Is Hybrid Work—Are We Ready? Based on research with 30,000 people in 31 countries, the report offers a surprising insight. It turns out that “interactions with our immediate team, or close network, strengthened with the move to remote work. However, our interactions outside of that team, or distant networks, have diminished,” according to the report.

It's a good news-bad news story. Team cohesion has remained strong – in some cases to the point of becoming more siloed – while connections with others in the organization have weakened.

Let’s celebrate the leaders who took action to maintain and even enhance the health of their teams. But let’s quickly pivot to the challenge before them – and us. Weakening distant connections across teams represents one of the risks that Nadella foreshadowed.

Why do cross-team connections matter?

?You don’t have to arrive at the ‘turf war’ or ‘us versus them’ level of dysfunction to see how siloed teams can present a danger to organizations. Something as innocuous as simply not thinking about other groups can wreak havoc on communication, innovation, customer satisfaction, culture, and more. That’s why building distant connections represents the next frontier for leaders and organizations committed to effective remote and hybrid work.

Continue reading to find out what leaders can do to radiate their intra-team connections outward toward inter-team success.

I am beyond grateful for the support you have shown?Promotions Are So Yesterday. Thank you for helping to get these ideas out into the world by purchasing and sharing the book.?If you’ve read it, please consider posting your thoughts on?Amazon. New books live and die based upon those reviews.?

I’m delighted to be speaking twice at the?ATD22 Conference?taking place in Orlando, Florida, May 15-18. Please join us by registering here. Catch me:

• Presenting Promotions Are So Yesterday Monday, May 16 at 1:00
• Signing books in the bookstore Monday, May 16 at 5:30
• Speaking in the Career Center about The Languages of Career Development Tuesday, May 17 at 2:00

And let me know if you'll be there. I'd love to say 'hi'.

Ann Hiatt?is a best-selling author, executive consultant, speaker, and investor. She is a Silicon Valley veteran, leadership consultant, and sought-after public speaker. Ann has published articles in?Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, The New York Times, Economic Times, The Financial Times, and?Forbes.?

In?Bet on Yourself, Ann offers never-before-shared leadership principles she learned working alongside the world’s top tech CEOs—Google’s Eric Schmidt, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Yahoo!s Marissa Mayer. Whether you’re stuck in your current job, starting your first job, and wondering how you can use it as a stepping stone towards your dream career, or mid-career,?Bet On Yourself?is for you.

Check out Ann's recent HBR article,?How to Figure Out What you Want Next in Your Career.

What a treat to be interviewed by my friend and fellow author, Nancy Ancowitz for her recent article in?Psychology Today?which editors have highlighted as ‘essential reading’! Find it?here.

I was honored to be a guest on the Voice America's Out of the Comfort Zone Podcast with Wanda Wallace. You can tune in?here.

• ExecuNet:?When a Promotion isn’t Possible: Turning Disappointment into Development?????
• HR Oxygen???
• Authors Answers???
• Transform Your Workplace Podcast??

Thanks for reading. Until next time.?

Julie