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Work from Anywhere
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Work from Anywhere

The Essential Guide to Becoming a World-Class Hybrid Team

Alison Hill and Darren Hill
Wiley, 2021
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The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional work as lockdowns impelled businesses to shift to remote, virtual work environments. Now, Australian consultants Alison Hill and Darren Hill report, the post-COVID work world may be changed forever. They recount how their firm, Pragmatic Thinking, faced this challenge and share their experience and wisdom. They argue that “work from anywhere” (WFA) could be as disruptive as the invention of the personal computer. They discuss how to maintain your corporate culture, manage dispersed teams and lead in a hybrid workspace.

Summary

The post-COVID world of work may be permanently different than the pre-COVID world.

Twitter, Facebook, Shopify and Stripe, among other companies, have enacted policies to allow people to work from anywhere. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, for example, announced a permanent policy allowing employees to decide for themselves where and how to work. Back in 2020, Tata Consultancy Services committed to remote work for 75% of its workforce of 500,000 people.

Stanford University’s research in the summer of 2020 showed that only 26% of the US labor force worked on a company’s premises, compared to 42% working full-time from home.

The authors’ company, Pragmatic Thinking, an Australian consultancy specializing in culture and team motivation, faced an existential threat when Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison instituted pandemic containment measures. However, the firm quickly transformed its operations to hybrid teamwork, with some members working together in a single location and others working from anywhere (WFA) or with individuals splitting their time between remote and onsite work.&#...

About the Authors

Alison Hill and Darren Hill founded the Australian strategy company Pragmatic Thinking. They also wrote Dealing with the Tough Stuff along with Sean Richardson.

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