188: Laurel Farrer—Welcome To The Future Of Work

Hear how today’s remote workforce is the new reality

Today, Laurel Farrer is our guest to talk about how to build a remote workforce that works, which is great timing. I have recently been working with clients with remote workforces. I have also been watching the changing world of work. All around the globe, we are moving from managing hands to managing minds, empowering our workforce and enabling them to work anywhere, anytime, as long as they get the work done. For some companies, this means management tools to ensure that employees are productive and well-informed about their obligations to get the work done. For others, remote work is seen as a “perk,” with flexibility not something that is measured or managed. This is the way the world is moving so we should all listen and learn.

These are fast-changing times

Whether you are a global corporation or a local business trying to attract and retain the best talent, remote work is here to stay. The old ways are gone, so you need to educate yourself about how to drive that workforce so you and your business can thrive.

A remote worker can save a company $20,000 in unnecessary expenses. If this person is well-trained, properly managed and communicated with often, the worker thrives. If not, they merely do “best effort,” often undermining the very importance of flexible work for themselves and others.

Background on Laurel Farrer

As the Founder of Distribute Consulting and the Remote Work Association, Laurel starts, strengthens and leverages virtual workforces. As a global thought leader on the topic of remote work, she collaborates with the world’s top companies and governments to eliminate virtual worker discrimination, prevent policy retraction, increase remote job accessibility, train distributed leaders and design economic initiatives. Additionally, she is a Forbes contributor, a subject matter expert for business education curricula, and a virtual software product advisory. Laurel’s clients include Logitech, HubSpot, Microsoft and the U.S. government, among others.

For more about getting the most of your workforce, check out these 3 podcasts

• Podcast: Diana Wu David—Future Proof You and Your Work
• Podcast: Chris Tuff—To Work With Millennials, First You Have To Understand Them
• Podcast: Ask Andi series—Finding and Keeping Great Employees