IIP151 The Farewell Episode

This is the final episode of Inclusion in Progress. As we wrap up this show after six years, we want to thank you for all of your support.

Have you ever wondered how to create structure for your distributed team — without taking away their flexibility? We often hear leaders ask how to balance business needs with employees' desire for autonomy. That's where Core Hours with Flexibility comes in: a distributed work model that allows everyone to work when they're at their best, while still ensuring there's dedicated time each day for real-time collaboration. Which is why on this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we're diving into one of the 12 distributed work models we've identified while working with remote and hybrid teams. This episode breaks down the Core Hours with Flexibility Model — which helps you align your team's schedules without forcing everyone back to the same rigid 9-to-5. We cover: How to set clear boundaries and expectations that empower teams to manage their time effectively What to consider before adopting the Core Hours with Flexibility Model for your distributed workforce The biggest challenges of implementing this model — and how to maintain fairness across time zones We'll be breaking down the rest of all of these work models on future episodes, so subscribe to the podcast to make sure you don't miss out! And if you're a People or HR leader who wants a more detailed breakdown of the 12 distributed work models (and an easy framework to decide which works best for your organization)... Download a copy of our Distributed Work Success Playbook today! TIMESTAMPS: [02:36] How the Core Hours with Flexibility Model improves coordination while giving employees the flexibility to manage their own schedules. [03:38] What are some of the key principles to applying core hours with flexibility in your workplace? [04:56] What are some of the most common challenges for this Distributed Work Model? [05:41] How to know if the Core Hours with Flexibility Model is best fit for your organization? LINKS: [email protected] www.inclusioninprogress.com/podcast www.linkedin.com/company/inclusion-in-progress  Download our Distributed Work Models Playbook to learn how to find the distributed work model that enables your teams to perform at their best. To learn more about Help Scout's distributed work strategy, check out Episode 137 Distributed Work Experts: Lessons from Help Scout. Want us to partner with you on finding your best-fit hybrid work strategy? Get in touch to learn how we can tailor our services to your company's DEI and remote work initiatives. Subscribe to the Inclusion in Progress Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to get notified when new episodes come out! Learn how to leave a review for the podcast.

Have you ever wondered how some companies manage to attract top global talent while giving employees full freedom to work from anywhere?  In 2025, over 35 million people now identify themselves as digital nomads. So what if your organization was able to tap into the power of a workforce that truly works — and comes from — anywhere? Which is why on this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we're diving into one of the 12 distributed work models we've identified while working with remote and hybrid teams: The Digital Nomad-Friendly Model — used by companies like Doist. We cover: How to ensure productivity and collaboration when your teams are constantly on the move What to consider before choosing a Digital Nomad–Friendly Model for your organization The challenges of maintaining trust, communication, and well-being for globally mobile teams We'll be breaking down the rest of all of these work models on future episodes, so subscribe to the podcast to make sure you don't miss out! And if you're a People or HR leader who wants a more detailed breakdown of the 12 distributed work models (and an easy framework to decide which works best for your organization)... Download a copy of our Distributed Work Success Playbook today!   TIMESTAMPS: [02:37] How the Digital Nomad-Friendly Model takes advantage of global experience, autonomy, and trust.  [03:47] What are some of the key principles to applying digital nomad-friendly workplaces? [04:56] What are some of the most common challenges for this Distributed Work Model? [05:58] How to know if the Digital Nomad-Friendly Model is best fit for your organization?   LINKS: [email protected] www.inclusioninprogress.com/podcast www.linkedin.com/company/inclusion-in-progress  Download our Distributed Work Models Playbook to learn how to find the distributed work model that enables your teams to perform at their best. Want us to partner with you on finding your best-fit hybrid work strategy? Get in touch to learn how we can tailor our services to your company's DEI and remote work initiatives. Subscribe to the Inclusion in Progress Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to get notified when new episodes come out! Learn how to leave a review for the podcast.

Have you ever wondered if your organization could deliver better results while giving people more freedom?  The Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE) from CultureRx asks leaders to shift the focus from time and location to measurable outcomes — but the change is as much cultural as it is operational. In this episode we cover: What ROWE looks like in practice and where it originated The leadership and measurement changes required to make results-first work The risks and common pitfalls — and how to design safeguards to protect collaboration and fairness We'll be breaking down the rest of all of these work models on future episodes, so subscribe to the podcast to make sure you don't miss out! And if you're a People or HR leader who wants a more detailed breakdown of the 12 distributed work models (and an easy framework to decide which works best for your organization)... Download a copy of our Distributed Work Success Playbook today!   TIMESTAMPS: [02:40] What are the origins of the Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE) model? [03:19] What are some of the key principles to applying a results-only workplace? [05:30] What are some of the most common challenges for this Distributed Work Model? [06:36] How to know if the ROWE model is best fit for your organization?   LINKS: [email protected] www.inclusioninprogress.com/podcast www.linkedin.com/company/inclusion-in-progress  Download our Distributed Work Models Playbook to learn how to find the distributed work model that enables your teams to perform at their best. To learn more about how the Results-Only Work Environment Model (ROWE) got started and how you can apply it to your workplace, visit the CultureRX website. Visit Harvard Business Review to read more about how Best Buy's decision to rollback ROWE was an indicator of inconsistent leadership buy-in and scaling challenges.  Want us to partner with you on finding your best-fit hybrid work strategy? Get in touch to learn how we can tailor our services to your company's DEI and remote work initiatives. Subscribe to the Inclusion in Progress Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to get notified when new episodes come out! Learn how to leave a review for the podcast.

Have you ever wondered how you can support a truly global, culturally diverse team — without losing alignment or connection? Many companies offer work-from-anywhere policies, but few have mastered how to build inclusive, cross-border collaboration into their strategy. Which is why on this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we're diving into one of the 12 distributed work models we've identified while working with remote and hybrid teams: The Work-From-Anywhere + Cross-Cultural Hybrid Model — inspired by companies like Spotify. We cover: How to balance location flexibility with cultural intelligence and inclusion What to consider before implementing this model across multiple countries The operational and cultural challenges of managing truly global teams — and how to overcome them We'll be breaking down the rest of all of these work models on future episodes, so subscribe to the podcast to make sure you don't miss out! And if you're a People or HR leader who wants a more detailed breakdown of the 12 distributed work models (and an easy framework to decide which works best for your organization)... Download a copy of our Distributed Work Success Playbook today!   TIMESTAMPS: [02:39] How the Work-From-Anywhere + Cross-Cultural Hybrid Model maximizes talent access while prioritizing cultural intelligence. [03:55] What are some of the key principles to applying a WFA and cross-cultural hybrid workplace? [05:44] What are some of the most common challenges for this Distributed Work Model? [07:22] How to know if the Work-From-Anywhere + Cross-Cultural Hybrid Model is best fit for your organization?   LINKS: [email protected] www.inclusioninprogress.com/podcast www.linkedin.com/company/inclusion-in-progress  Download our Distributed Work Models Playbook to learn how to find the distributed work model that enables your teams to perform at their best. Want us to partner with you on finding your best-fit hybrid work strategy? Get in touch to learn how we can tailor our services to your company's DEI and remote work initiatives. Subscribe to the Inclusion in Progress Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to get notified when new episodes come out! Learn how to leave a review for the podcast.

Have you ever wondered how you can create more agile, well-rounded leaders across your organization — without sacrificing flexibility or work-life balance? We often talk about developing talent and succession planning as if they're separate from our distributed work strategy. But if you're not intentional about how career growth happens across remote and hybrid setups, you risk losing great talent to stagnation or burnout. Which is why on this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we're diving into one of the 12 distributed work models we've identified while working with global teams: The Job Rotation Model — which empowers employees to rotate through different roles and departments while maintaining location flexibility. We cover: How to use rotational programs to develop leaders in a distributed environment What it takes to create a culture of mentorship and knowledge-sharing across hybrid or remote teams The challenges of implementing this model — including project continuity and remote knowledge transfer — and how to solve them We'll be breaking down the rest of all of these work models on future episodes, so subscribe to the podcast to make sure you don't miss out! And if you're a People or HR leader who wants a more detailed breakdown of the 12 distributed work models (and an easy framework to decide which works best for your organization)... Download a copy of our Distributed Work Success Playbook today!   TIMESTAMPS: [02:34] How the Job Rotation Model enhances career growth while offering flexibility. [03:58] What are some of the key principles to applying job rotation workplace? [05:18] What are some of the most common challenges for this Distributed Work Model? [06:25] How to know if the Job Rotation Model is best fit for your organization?   LINKS: [email protected] www.inclusioninprogress.com/podcast www.linkedin.com/company/inclusion-in-progress  Download our Distributed Work Models Playbook to learn how to find the distributed work model that enables your teams to perform at their best. Want us to partner with you on finding your best-fit hybrid work strategy? Get in touch to learn how we can tailor our services to your company's DEI and remote work initiatives. Subscribe to the Inclusion in Progress Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to get notified when new episodes come out! Learn how to leave a review for the podcast.

Have you ever wondered how to preserve the freedom and focus of remote work — without losing the connection and collaboration that comes from being together in person? Which is why on this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we're diving into one of the 12 distributed work models we've identified while working with remote and hybrid teams.  This episode breaks down the Fully-Remote with Regional Hubs — which allows global leaders like you to provide flexibility without sacrificing belonging and in-person connection. We cover: How to foster in-person collaboration — without forcing people back into the office What to consider before choosing this Fully-Remote with Regional Hubs model for your teams The biggest challenges of implementing this approach — such as communication gaps and cultural fragmentation — and how to address them intentionally We'll be breaking down the rest of all of these work models on future episodes, so subscribe to the podcast to make sure you don't miss out! And if you're a People or HR leader who wants a more detailed breakdown of the 12 distributed work models (and an easy framework to decide which works best for your organization)... Download a copy of our Distributed Work Success Playbook today!   TIMESTAMPS: [02:37] How the Fully-Remote with Regional Hubs Model balances flexibility and community building [04:22] What are some of the key principles to applying regional hubs in a fully-remote workplace? [05:20] What are some of the most common challenges for this Distributed Work Model? [06:12] How to know if the Fully-Remote with Regional Hubs Model is best fit for your organization? LINKS: [email protected] www.inclusioninprogress.com/podcast www.linkedin.com/company/inclusion-in-progress  Download our Distributed Work Models Playbook to learn how to find the distributed work model that enables your teams to perform at their best. Want us to partner with you on finding your best-fit hybrid work strategy? Get in touch to learn how we can tailor our services to your company's DEI and remote work initiatives. Subscribe to the Inclusion in Progress Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to get notified when new episodes come out! Learn how to leave a review for the podcast.

In the span of a few short years, our understanding of how, when, and where work happens has shifted in ways that once seemed impossible. During this time, people were able to experiment with their personal work styles and preferences — what allows them to be more productive and efficient — and found that they could be just as effective outside of the office. But what if physical office spaces transformed into creative and collaborative hubs instead of just mandatory checkpoints for your teams?  On this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we're diving into one of the 12 distributed work models we've identified while working with remote and hybrid teams.  This episode breaks down the Hybrid with Optional In-Office Time — which empowers employees to choose their preferred work setting. We cover: How to balance investing in both employee autonomy and innovative physical spaces  What to consider before choosing the Hybrid with Optional In-Office Time Model for your teams The challenges of implementing this distributed work model and how to solve them We'll be breaking down the rest of all of these work models on future episodes, so subscribe to the podcast to make sure you don't miss out! And if you're a People or HR leader who wants a more detailed breakdown of the 12 distributed work models (and an easy framework to decide which works best for your organization)... Download a copy of our Distributed Work Series Playbook today!   TIMESTAMPS: [02:44] How this model encourages autonomy through innovation. [04:15] What are some of the key principles to applying the hybrid with optional in-office approach in your workplace? [05:12] What are some of the most common challenges for this Distributed Work Model? [06:49] How to know if the Hybrid with Optional In-Office Time Model  is best fit for your organization?   LINKS: [email protected] www.inclusioninprogress.com/podcast www.linkedin.com/company/inclusion-in-progress  Download our Distributed Work Models Playbook to learn how to find the distributed work model that enables your teams to perform at their best. Want us to partner with you on finding your best-fit hybrid work strategy? Get in touch to learn how we can tailor our services to your company's DEI and remote work initiatives. Subscribe to the Inclusion in Progress Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to get notified when new episodes come out! Learn how to leave a review for the podcast.

The term "hybrid work" brings up different things for different people and organizations. But even we at Inclusion in Progress can agree: hybrid work in its current iteration is fundamentally broken because it still focuses so heavily on where work gets done —  rather than how to make it work better — no matter where people are physically located. Which is why on this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we're diving into one of the 12 distributed work models we've identified while working with remote and hybrid teams. This episode breaks down the Virtual-First with Planned In-Office Time — which balances the best of remote autonomy and in-person collaboration. We cover: How to shift the focus from absenteeism to overall productivity Recommendations for purposefully designing the Virtual-First with Planned In-Office Time Model for your teams The challenges of implementing this distributed work model and how to solve them We'll be breaking down the rest of all of these work models on future episodes, so subscribe to the podcast to make sure you don't miss out! And if you're a People or HR leader who wants a more detailed breakdown of the 12 distributed work models (and an easy framework to decide which works best for your organization)... Download a copy of our Distributed Work Success Playbook today!     TIMESTAMPS: [02:40] How the Virtual-First with Planned In-Office Time Model balances working autonomously with building strong connections. [05:07] What are some of the key principles to applying a virtual-first approach in your workplace? [06:41] What are some of the most common challenges for this Distributed Work Model? [08:49] How to know if the Virtual-First with Planned In-Office Time Model is best fit for your organization?     LINKS: [email protected] www.inclusioninprogress.com/podcast www.linkedin.com/company/inclusion-in-progress  Download our Distributed Work Models Playbook to learn how to identify the best-fit distributed work model for your organization and help you design systems that improve your teams' productivity. Want us to partner with you on finding your best-fit hybrid work strategy? Get in touch to learn how we can tailor our services to your company's DEI and remote work initiatives. Subscribe to the Inclusion in Progress Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to get notified when new episodes come out! Learn how to leave a review for the podcast.

For this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we continue our Distributed Work Expert Series with someone (gasp!) outside of the tech industry!   With this series, we've been highlighting some of the world's leading experts who continue to map, innovate, and design how work looks from inside forward-thinking companies — designing a version of work that works for teams — regardless of where they choose to work.   Our goal is to highlight distributed work leaders in companies to help forward-thinking leaders like you to: Navigate remote and hybrid work challenges with real-world examples Draw inspiration to find a distributed work model that is best suited for your teams Reimagine your workplaces with research-backed insights from experts at the forefront of the future of work conversation   For this episode, we're joined by Grayson Harris, flexible work and engagement partner at NEI  Electric Power Engineering, who shares their journey as a flexibility-first company in an industry that's not traditionally known for offering flexible work options.   Grayson shares how NEI leaders have encouraged workplace innovation with their NEI Nomad Program, intentional in-person periods, and other data-driven frameworks and initiatives to attract top talent and encourage growth and productivity.   🎧 Tune in now to learn more about how global leaders like you are continuing to adapt in our ever-changing work landscape.   #InclusiveDistributedWork  #MulticulturalTeams #GlobalLeadership #NEIElectricPowerEngineering  #InclusioninProgress     TIMESTAMPS: [08:26] Why flexibility and innovation is important for transitioning your organization into a distributed work environment. [13:14] What is unique about the NEI Nomad Program and how connectivity is maintained through it. [14:52] How data drives the creation of distributed work frameworks and initiatives.  [18:21] How to actively advocate for a flexible work environment at your own company. [22:00] Why inclusion is important when introducing flexible work best practices to your organization.     LINKS: [email protected]   www.inclusioninprogress.com/podcast   www.linkedin.com/company/inclusion-in-progress    Connect with Grayson through LinkedIn to learn more about his journey at NEI Electric Power Engineering, Inc..   Learn more about Lessons learned: 1,000 days of distributed at Atlassian, as mentioned in our interview with Grayson.   Want us to partner with you on building more inclusive distributed work? Get in touch to learn how we can tailor our services to your company's DEI and remote work initiatives.   Subscribe to the Inclusion in Progress Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to get notified when new episodes come out!   Learn how to leave a review for the podcast.