Creating a Successful Hybrid Work Environment with Karin Reed

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As many of you know, I’ve been speaking about leading remote and hybrid teams for years now and evangelizing the fact that a hybrid work environment is the future of work. 

It’s been the only option that really made sense for the last ten years or so. As technology has improved, people have grown weary of not having control over their time and environment, and the world has become more and more accessible. The circumstances under which this conversation has become top of mind for leaders and organizations right now are wildly unfortunate… AND I’m also glad that it’s at least being considered and talked about at scale. 

The reality is that we have been hurtling towards a hybrid workplace environment for years as people have demanded more and more flexibility in their work. While there are some organizations that have really focused on creating campuses where the need to leave at all is minimized – thus “maximizing” productivity, creativity, and connection – there are also organizations that have built their teams around the idea that anyone can work from anywhere, on mutually agreed upon schedules or in pursuit of specific KPIs. The past few years have seen a rise in young people pursuing roles in organizations that offer that flexibility, over higher-paying roles in more traditional organizations. 

So, is it really all that surprising that after the last few years when we were all forced to go remote in some way, shape, or form that hybrid workplaces and flexibility are becoming necessary to compete in the current job market?

Unfortunately, the vast majority of organizations are struggling to make hybrid workplaces effective or productive. Now that people have returned to the office, we are defaulting to endless “Zoom” (or, insert your video conferencing platform of choice here) meetings, regardless of whether that makes the most sense. We also exclude people who are remote when some people are in-person and don’t grant access equitably, to name a few of the issues at hand. 

And here’s the thing, while the hybrid model of working is challenging, it’s not impossible or unsolvable. However, it takes recognizing the problem for what it is, in order for us to solve it. 

Karin Reed, a previous guest on the podcast, is back to talk about her new book, “Suddenly Hybrid: Managing the Modern Meeting” and the data and lessons contained therein. She shares some incredible tips with me and gets into why being purposeful and proactive with our approach to the hybrid environment is so important right now. 

Karin gets into the hardware, software, and skillware that is necessary to make a hybrid environment effective, equitable, and enjoyable for all. We also talk about some of the things you should, and shouldn’t do as a leader in a hybrid environment, and the importance of being proactive and purposeful in your approach to creating plans that work for both organizations and employees. 

I hope you'll join us for this important conversation! And, please let us know what you think.

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Karin M. Reed is an Emmy award-winning journalist and CEO of Speaker Dynamics, a corporate communications training firm, featured in Forbes. 

While speaking through a webcam might be relatively new to much of the world, Karin has been teaching business professionals how to be effective on-camera communicators for nearly a decade. 

A three-time author, she has been quoted as a thought leader by various prestigious publications, including Inc. Magazine, Fast Company and Business Insider, and was named an “Author Who Inspires Us” by McKinsey and Company. 

Karin and her team have been the chosen training partner for some of the world’s most recognized companies – from Nike to Lenovo – and most respected academic institutions in the world – from Duke University to the Graduate School of Business at Stanford. 

To learn more about Karin and her work, as well as her other best-selling business books, visit speakerdynamics.com. You can also find her on all the social platforms by searching "Speaker Dynamics".