21st Century Work Life

It's the end of the year, but we're not making any predictions - things are moving way too fast! Instead, Pilar and Maya review some of the issues that have been blamed on "remote". For an extensive summary of the episode, check out www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts/dont-blame-remote-work You can message Pilar through the Virtual not Distant website: https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/contact-us and get hold of Maya over at Remote Work Europe: https://www.remoteworkeurope.eu/ .

In this episode, host Pilar Orti interviews Andreea Gătin an event and community manager who is organising a unique experience for digital nomad and remote workers in Romania. Andreea discusses her goals for the experience, which include showcasing Romania as a destination for digital nomads and fostering a sense of community among participants. It's happening in March 2025, so check it out! Find an episode summary over at www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts/experience-romania Find out more about Andreea and the experience she's creating: Information and Registration Form Connect with Andreea Ioana Gătin on LinkedIn

Host Pilar Orti is joined by Doug Haines, the founder of Kalium and Marketing Pros. Doug's entrepreneurial journey began with Kalium, where he successfully recruited talent from South Africa. This positive experience inspired him to launch Marketing Pros, an agency connecting South African marketing professionals with global opportunities. In this episode, Doug discusses the development of both ventures and his strategies for maintaining a robust talent pool. For the full show notes check out www.virtualnotdistant.com Find out more about Doug Haines and his companies: Marketing Pros: https://www.marketingpros.co Kalium: https://www.kalium.co.uk/ If you're looking to expand your team and want to talk to Doug about your best options, find him on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/doughaines/ or email him as per the end of the interview.

A special episode to celebrate the launch of the revised edition of The Long-Distance Leader, written by Kevin Eikenberry and Wayne Turmel, who returns to the show with another conversation that made host Pilar Orti laugh plenty of times. The conversation takes a critical look at the "hybrid" workplace - is it a compromise, a hostage negotiation? Or is the problem that we're all transitioning to a new era of knowledge work, and are uncomfortable with uncertainty? Wayne also covers the role of trust, building a culture fit for hybrid and proximity bias. Summary blog post: https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts/challenges-of-hybrid Find out more about the book here: kevineikenberry.com/products/the-long-distance-leader Check out Wayne's website too: wayneturmel.com And if you'd like to hear more from the authors, listen to Wayne in episode 238 or hear from Kevin Eikenberry in episode 181.

For today's Recommendations episode, Pilar is joined by Catherine Nicholson, co-founder and creative director of The Virtual Training Team. Before they move onto this month's reading and listening recommendations, Catherine talks about her recent interest: the blend of generations in the workplace, and how to make the most out of them. Recorded on 7 August 2024 For the full set of show notes, head over to https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts/generations-workplace

We are joined by regular guest Theresa Hollema who has been doing some thinking with host Pilar Orti on the topic of Bonding within remote teams, versus Bridging, where team members create bonds with other parts of the organisation. Plus, Theresa has her own reading and listening recommendations to add to Pilar's. You can connect with Theresa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresasigillitohollema/ And check out the resources on her website: https://virtualacrosscultures.com/ Let us know what you thought of the episode over at www.virtualnotdistant.com/contact You can find an summary of the first part, plus all the links we refer to here: ww.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts/bridging-remote-teams

Host Pilar Orti talks to Henry O'Loughlin, founder of Buildremote. As he shares his journey from running a fully remote marketing agency to creating Buildremote, Henry discusses the pitfalls many companies faced during the pandemic and how his experience led him to develop a "remote operating system" playbook. The conversation evolves into a thought experiment looking into the future of work, exploring concepts like the four-day workweek, the growing trend of freelancing and the creator economy, ending in a not-too-distant future where traditional employment structures become networks of one-person businesses collaborating globally. Connect with Henry on LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/henry-olaughlin/ Check out the Remote Operating System at Buildremote buildremote.co For a summary blog post, check out https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts/work-evolution 05:05: Four-Day Workweek and Remote Work Connection 08:03: Future of Work and Questioning Traditional Practices 17:49: Freelancing and the Creator Economy 26:12: Resistance to Change in Traditional Work Structures 28:22: Challenges of Managing Part-Time and Freelance Workers 30:18: Remote Work: Learning Curve and Comparisons