Latest news with #teamBuilding
Forbes
07-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How To Make Remote Work More Human: 18 Tips For Managers
While remote work offers flexibility and efficiency, it can also lead to disconnection and disengagement if not managed with care. In the push for productivity, the human side of remote and hybrid teamwork is often overlooked. Small shifts, however, such as creating space for personal connection and trust-building, can make a big impact. Here, 18 members of Forbes Coaches Council share strategies for managing remote and hybrid teams. Their recommendations below can make teamwork not just more efficient, but more human. 1. Use Reflective Questions To Build Presence One way to begin meetings is with a simple question such as, 'How are you arriving?' and close with, 'How are we leaving?' These small invitations spark curiosity, foster presence and create space for authenticity and care. Over time, they invite deeper connection and reflection on how we're growing and what we're learning about ourselves and one another. - Angela Cusack, Igniting Success, LLC 2. Incorporate Informal Virtual Social Activities A hybrid environment is much easier to humanize. You have exponentially more in-person time to maximize the human condition of your team. You should think about fun, non-work-related team-building opportunities. For all remote environments, I have had great success with virtual 'potlucks.' Folks share what they 'brought' as they break bread in different places together. You can sprinkle in virtual happy hours, and voilà! - Kevin Leonard, Executive Advantage Powered By Emerald Bay Performance 3. Start Meetings With Genuine Human Connection One way is to start every meeting with a minute of real talk, not just KPIs. Start by asking how people are doing, celebrate small wins and share a laugh. It's simple, but powerful. In remote or hybrid teams, human connection doesn't happen by accident—you have to design for it. Efficiency keeps things moving. Humanity keeps people staying. - Anastasia Paruntseva, Visionary Partners Ltd. 4. Build Belonging, Not Just Systems For Efficiency Hybrid isn't the problem; disconnection is. We build systems for efficiency, not belonging. People don't do their best work when they know they are being watched. They do it when they're trusted. You should make space, invite play and test something new. The teams who feel human will always outperform the ones who feel optimized. It's crucial to optimize priorities, time spent and your questions. This is a good start. - Julien Fortuit, Julien Fortuit Agency Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify? 5. Add Playful Prompts To Virtual Team Calls You can bring fun to virtual team calls to increase team engagement. You could start by asking everyone to wear something on their head (a hat, baseball cap or scarf, for example) or wear their favorite color, and then ask them to comment on the item. You could also have them show something from their desk that defines who they are (such as a stack of folders or a book they like to read). These activities deepen team connection and boost morale and collaboration. - Shelley Hammell, Sage Alliance, Inc. 6. Design 'Digital Pause Points' A good idea is to build 'digital pause points'—like check-in buffers and ritual closures—to counter burnout. It's not about tech tools; it's about trust rituals. Humanizing hybrid means designing for rest and rhythm, not just Zoom fatigue. You should normalize asynchronous empathy. - Dr. Ari McGrew, Tactful Disruption® 7. Share Personal Wins And Challenges In Meetings One way is to spend time in meetings allowing team members an opportunity to share personal challenges, wins and hobbies to build a human connection, a support system and their own sense of family. When one person has a wedding, a funeral to attend or a win in their hobby, everyone can feel the loss or gain of that situation and feel more connected to each other. - Mark Samuel, IMPAQ Corporation 8. Schedule Dedicated Time For Personal Check-Ins Humanizing hybrid and remote team management means prioritizing dedicated 'connection time' beyond task-focused meetings. This includes setting aside moments for informal chats and micro check-ins that build trust and psychological safety. Leaders foster a coaching culture—focusing on growth and connection rather than just problem-solving and task completion—which boosts engagement and collaboration. - Elif Suner, MBA, MCC, Enrichia 9. Anchor Teams With Rituals That Foster Belonging You should anchor your team in small rituals. The practice of sharing both professional achievements and personal setbacks creates a sense of rhythm, which develops team belonging. People gain reassurance through this practice because they understand they face their challenges and achievements independently. You must be intentionally available. - Rachana Adyanthaya, Cr8mychange 10. Use Multi-Level Pairings To Deepen Engagement One way of making the hybrid team more human would involve the strategy of multi-level pairing or engagements. Doing this frequently for different teams' assignments can help team members self-assess where their strengths and weaknesses lie and what they see as threats or opportunities. Virtual engagements should be done with cameras on for sight and sound so they connect with humanity. - Festus Erewele, Excel and Grace Consulting 11. Introduce Movement And Mindful Prompts Hybrid teams often default to productivity over presence. A powerful, underused reset? Movement. You can try a stretch break or walk-and-talk, paired with prompts like: What was a high point today? What are you proud of this week? What surprised you? These micro-shifts foster trust, renew energy and affirm that people are more than just task-completers. - Cheri Rainey, Rainey Leadership Learning 12. Host Informal 'Context Calls' Without Agendas To make hybrid teams more human, you can create 'context calls,' which are brief, informal chats where you ask about the stuff that shapes their day instead of project updates. We're obsessed with managing productivity while forgetting we're managing actual humans. These conversations build the peripheral vision you'd naturally have in an office. The goal isn't another meeting; it's remembering that behind every camera is a person worth knowing. - Antonio Garrido, My Daily Leadership 13. Budget For Regular In-Person Meetups It's important to meet in person at regular intervals. All hybrid and/or remote teams should have budget lines for 'online' social activities and a more significant budget line for regularly scheduled live meet-ups. There is no substitute for developing trust through real-life connections. - Antonia Bowring, ABstrategies LLC 14. Build Trust With Purposeful Team Experiences Making hybrid or remote teams more human and efficient begins with building trust. Trust is built when you use your budget to gather the team to build a foundation. A foundation of understanding could be built through a team assessment; a foundation of purpose could be built through a vision and values exercise. You should conduct trust building twice a year and use the off months to reinforce what you have built. - Jill Helmer, Jill Helmer Consulting 15. Use Personality Assessments To Boost Connection One way to humanize remote work is to use personality assessments with your team. Personality-based workshops give remote and hybrid teams a chance to really understand each other: how they communicate, make decisions and approach work. When teammates feel seen and appreciated for who they are, collaboration gets easier and trust comes faster. These sessions create a more connected, human experience. - Megan Malone, Truity 16. Open Meetings With One-Word Emotional Check-Ins You can start and end meetings with a one-word emotional check-in. Each person shares one word that captures how they feel—no context required. It takes 60 seconds, but it opens the door to empathy, not just efficiency. In a remote world, it reminds us that behind every screen is a human being with a pulse, not just a project to complete. That moment of emotion enhances awareness of humanness in teams. - Arthi Rabikrisson, Prerna Advisory 17. Include 'Non-Agenda Time' To Share Personal Stories One idea is to create 'non-agenda time' in meetings where team members share personal wins or challenges before diving into work. This intentional space for humanity mimics the spontaneous hallway conversations of office life. You can follow up privately on personal shares, remembering that leadership happens in moments of genuine connection, not just during formal discussions about deliverables. - Jonathan H. Westover, Ph.D., Human Capital Innovations 18. Replace Updates With Audio-Only 'Walk And Talk' Calls To make remote teams more efficient and human, you can replace the weekly update meeting with a 'walk and talk' call—audio-only, done while both people are walking. It doesn't involve slides or screens, just movement and conversation. It lowers pressure, builds connection and ideas flow differently when bodies are in motion. Bonus: It sneaks in wellness without preaching it. Over time, it turns status updates into genuine relationships. - Alla Adam, Adam Impact Institute
Forbes
04-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Why Top Talent Quits Early And How To Keep Employees Longer
Why top talent quits early and how to keep employees longer getty Your star performer just quit. The one who made everything look easy, turned chaos into systems, and held their own in every meeting. You saw it coming weeks ago . The spark seemed to fade, then the extra effort went AWOL. Those game-changing ideas stopped flowing. Now you're back where you started, posting job ads and screening newbies, hoping to find someone half as good. Meanwhile, they're updating their LinkedIn with their new role at a company that gets it. Nearly 40 percent of employees quit within their first year , around 31% within six months . This pattern plays out across every industry. New hires arrive fired up and eager to prove themselves. Six months in, they've mastered the basics and deliver solid work. Month nine hits and they start asking about growth opportunities. By the one year mark, they're gone. Their body might still show up, but their mind left months ago. It costs an average of $1,400 to onboard a new employee, but that's nothing compared to the cost of losing a key team member or making a bad hire. You'll keep paying this price unless you sort the problem out. People don't leave for money. They leave because they stop growing. Stop that happening. Every high performer follows the same trajectory. Months one through six bring rapid growth and constant learning. After that, skills plateau hard unless you actively intervene. Think about learning any skill. The first quarters, you improve fast. The second half of the year, progress slows to a crawl. Without new challenges, boredom sets in. Your employees experience this same pattern, and smart leaders see it coming. 44% of companies do not provide compelling career paths. So build their growth path on day one. Map out quarterly milestones that show exactly where they're headed. New projects at month three. Leadership opportunity at month nine. Strategic work at month fifteen. Show them beyond the first few steps, show them the entire mountain they'll climb. When someone sees their future clearly mapped out, they stop looking elsewhere for it. Skills follow a predictable arc. They rise, peak, then flatten unless you add fresh challenges to restart the growth curve. Design three levels of stretch for each person, starting just outside their comfort zone and making it progressively harder every six months. First level might be improving what already exists. Second level could involve building something entirely new. Third level means teaching others to implement it across departments. Check progress every quarter and adjust accordingly. Too easy? Increase the difficulty. Too hard? Scale it back. Keep them in that sweet spot where learning happens fastest. Grade their progress like you would any other metric, because their growth directly impacts your retention. When people feel challenged but not overwhelmed, they stick around to see what they can accomplish next. Most managers wait until resignation day to ask why someone's leaving. By then, it's too late. The decision was made months ago. But you're better than that. At month 10, schedule a conversation focused entirely on what might tempt them away. Ask: What would make you leave? What opportunity would you jump at? What are you not getting here? Their answers become your retention strategy. If they crave more visibility, put them in front of clients or help them build their personal brand. If they want strategic work, include them in planning sessions. If they dream of leading, start grooming them now. People don't want to leave companies where they're growing. They want to expand their skills, increase their impact, and see a clear path forward. Give them growth, and they'll give you loyalty. Delete the soul-crushing busywork Gallup found 42% of turnover is preventable . The main culprits? Meaningless tasks and unclear expectations that drain the life out of talented people. Your top performers didn't join to format spreadsheets, sit through pointless meetings, or write reports nobody reads. They joined to make an impact. Every hour spent on admin is an hour they question their life choices. Track where your best people spend their time for one week. Circle every task that wastes their unique talents. Then systematically eliminate, automate, or delegate those tasks. Whatever it takes to free them up for real work that they love. When someone spends eighty percent of their time in their zone of genius, the thought of leaving rarely crosses their mind. They're too busy creating value and enjoying the process. Turn managers into growth architects Smart companies treat employment like education, where graduation is celebrated rather than prevented. When star employees leave, hire them back as contractors. Brain drain became brain gain. They got the freedom they craved, you get their expertise when needed, and everyone wins. Rethink how you approach retention. In the long term, make managers responsible for painting such a vivid picture of an employee's future that they can see themselves thriving in it. The psychological contract beats the legal one every time. People stay where they see tomorrow's version of themselves succeeding. Make managers career architects rather than task supervisors. How to stop your best team members leaving within a year The twelve-month cliff exists because human learning follows predictable patterns. Design around the patterns to get the outcome you want. It's your business. Track the learning curve, stack challenges, have the difficult conversations sooner, get your managers on board and rethink exits. Your name is above the door. Stop playing victim to team members when you could be the hero of this process.
Associated Press
01-07-2025
- Science
- Associated Press
Photo highlights from T-Rex World Championship Races
AUBURN, Wash. (AP) — Spectators cheered as participants ran down the track cloaked in inflatable Tyrannosaurus rex costumes during the T-Rex World Championship Races at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington. The Sunday event started in 2017 as a pest control company's team-building activity. The actual dinosaur roamed the planet between 65 million and 67 million years ago. A study published four years ago in the journal Science estimated about 2.5 billion of the dinosaurs roamed Earth over the course of a couple million years. Hollywood movies such as the 'Jurassic Park' franchise have added to the public fascination with the carnivorous creature. ___ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Forbes
25-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
5 Hiring Hacks From A Founder's Perspective
Ivan Terzi is the Cofounder & CEO of Hyper Cyber (custom PCs), TeaDeus (eco-friendly tea) and TBR TRADE (electronics solutions). Hiring is one of the most important responsibilities a founder has and also one of the most misunderstood. I've seen firsthand how the right hire can change your company. And how the wrong one can cost you time, money and trust. In my journey building multiple companies from scratch, I've made just about every hiring mistake you can imagine. And each time, I've walked away with a new insight. These are five hard-earned lessons that continue to impact how I build teams today. Don't Hire the Resume, Hire the Person One of the earliest hiring mistakes I made was confusing potential with performance. I hired a person who came in full of energy and said, 'I'm ready to sell anything.' Three weeks later, they disappeared after their first difficult call with a client. That's when I realized energy in the interview isn't the same as drive in the real world. Since then, I've stopped relying on CVs and job titles alone. Instead, I assess five areas when evaluating candidates: • Potential: their capacity to grow and develop (but not at the cost of present performance) • Productivity: past or present results and how consistently they deliver • Motivation: what truly drives them (purpose or pressure?) • Personal qualities: behavioral traits and emotional maturity • Knowledge: professional skills and the ability to apply them in real scenarios Past behavior is one of the most reliable indicators of future performance. While potential speaks to what someone could achieve, productivity reveals what they've actually delivered. When hiring, prioritize candidates with a consistent track record of results; they're more likely to keep performing, even in new roles or unfamiliar environments. Motivation Isn't Always What It Seems In the early days, I'd get excited when someone told me they were 'passionate about the mission.' Now, I ask: Why exactly? There's a big difference between someone who's purpose-driven and someone who's in survival mode. I often refer to a concept I once heard: Some people are pulled by vision; others are pushed by pressure. The first group can keep performing well over time. The second usually burns out quickly. That's when I changed my approach. Instead of textbook questions, I ask what really matters to them. I'm listening for genuine motivation, the kind that pushes people to grow, create and stick with tough challenges. You can teach someone skills. But passion, commitment and the drive to care are not something you can instill. It's either part of them, or it's not. In my experience, the most successful teams genuinely care about the work they're doing. When passion is at the core, they'll push through the tough days, adapt and deliver results no matter what. So, when you're building a team, focus on finding that drive first, then build the skills around it. If You're Not Hiring, You Might Already Be Slowing Down For years, I believed that hiring was something you do only when someone quits or when your team is not 'at capacity.' I was wrong. Some of our biggest slowdowns came not because we lacked ideas but because we lacked fresh energy. Over time, a team that doesn't grow risks becoming too comfortable. Same voices, same rhythms, same blind spots. I realized that hiring is not just reactive; it's proactive. It keeps the company evolving. Even if you're not actively scaling, you should always be connecting with talent and thinking about your next key hire. Don't wait for turnover to start hiring. Growth requires movement, and new people bring it. Hire People Who Believe In What You're Building Your team isn't just employees; they're people who put their faith in your vision. This mindset changed how I hire. And today, people no longer join companies just for salaries. They want alignment. A sense of purpose. And assurance that their work matters. When I'm about to hire someone, I look at both sides: • Will this person meet the needs of the company? • Can our company meet the hopes of this person? If we can't offer a clear mission, a culture of dignity and a meaningful path forward, why would the best talent stay? Top performers aren't just choosing jobs; they're choosing missions. So, make yours clear. Hiring Doesn't End When You Sign The Contract I used to think hiring ended when someone accepted the offer. But the truth is, without the right structure around your people, even the best hires will fail. You don't just need great people; you need a great system to support them. If you want your team to perform consistently, you need more than a strong hiring process. You need to build the foundation they stand on. • Make sure your team knows exactly who's responsible for what and how success is measured. Clarity drives accountability. • Onboarding should be smooth. New hires should feel prepared from day one, not lost in confusion. • Clear role descriptions and KPIs help people perform better. When expectations are defined, there's less room for misunderstanding. • Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), handbooks and systems aren't red tape; they're what keep your business running without chaos. • Show your team how they can grow. When people see a future with you, they're more likely to stay and give their best. • Motivation isn't just about money. Recognition, team culture and meaningful work matter, and they can't be faked or bought. The real job of a People Department is not just hiring but creating an environment where great people can actually do great work. Hiring Is A Mirror Hiring reflects the state of your business. The clarity of your culture. The strength of your vision. You can't build something great alone, and you definitely can't do it with the wrong team. So be thoughtful. Listen for patterns, not just promises. Because when you hire right, you're not just filling a role; you're fueling the future. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Entrepreneur
23-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
In-Office, Remote, Hybrid — My Global Company Does All Three. Here's How to Find Success in Any Setting.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. In-office, remote or hybrid? It's a question that dominates headlines and board discussions, but often overlooks the complex dynamics of global teams. Instead of being guided by where employees work, let's reframe the narrative to ask ourselves more meaningful, customer-centered questions. How can we build stronger teams and cross-functional alignment? How can we embed a culture of customer obsession? What actually fuels performance? Global growth requires flexibility, nuance and a purpose-driven approach. As we scale, success is not defined by location, but how we lead. Related: I've Managed Remote Teams For 15 Years — Here Are My 3 Most Important Leadership Lessons. Beyond the remote work debate Rigid work models no longer serve high-performing teams or high-growth businesses. The moment your operations outgrow one office, timezone or region is a milestone to embrace, not a problem to solve. Location-agnostic leadership requires intentional design and execution. Yes, collaboration requires more effort. Yes, culture must be nurtured. But we shouldn't shy away from the challenge. If anything, we should run toward the opportunity. Resisting distributed work is resisting growth. A distributed model expands your talent pool, opens up your business to diverse perspectives and reduces employee turnover: Hybrid work has been found to have zero effect on workers' productivity or career advancement, while boosting retention rates. 83% of recruiters say they believe remote work has improved the quality of the applicants they attract. 45% of workers who quit their jobs cite lack of flexibility in their work hours as a major factor. How to lead distributed teams for global success At Maropost, the way we work is shaped by the distinct needs of our global teams. We operate remotely in North America, in-office in India and hybrid in Australia. Our leadership team travels regularly and meets in person quarterly. In addition to monthly all-team town halls, each region also hosts its own virtual get-togethers. Day-to-day, we rely on one-on-one check-ins and tools like Jira to collaborate. We strive to maintain a system that balances structure with flexibility. We adapt to regional requirements while remaining grounded in our shared customer focus. 1. Invest in results-driven leadership Leadership should prioritize results and relationships over micromanagement. A culture of trust that empowers employees is fundamental in any workplace, but it is acutely important in distributed environments. To cohesively manage teams across time zones and markets, hire leaders who can build rapport and inspire performance without constant oversight. When hiring for leadership roles, I look for candidates who show strong communication skills and who can clearly set and achieve goals with their teams and work through challenges. During interviews, I always ask for specific examples of how they motivated remote team members. An example of a question I might ask is, "Tell me about a time you had to rebuild trust with a remote employee or team." I find that the best answers to questions like these focus on proactive communication and problem-solving, which are key for the success of remote teams. Related: How to Succeed as a Performance-Driven Leader (and the Pitfalls You Need to Be Aware of) 2. Reframe the concept of collaboration Collaboration can — and should — work differently in a global environment. Resist the urge to impose legacy practices on new dynamics. Embrace tools and tactics that facilitate distributed teamwork and prioritize quality over immediacy. Digital-first workflows, asynchronous communication and open knowledge-sharing aren't just workarounds; they are powerful productivity tools. At Maropost, we focus on building transparent knowledge bases in Confluence that the whole team can access and contribute to anytime. Our team leaders routinely establish shared documentation where meeting notes, insights and project decisions are recorded. Then, regardless of time zone, everyone can reference and build on each other's work asynchronously. This works well for us because it creates a living knowledge base that strengthens the more we collaborate. 3. Nurture culture and connection How can we recreate spontaneous brainstorms and organic conversations between colleagues who might never meet in real life? Physical proximity doesn't always equate to connection — nor does it guarantee alignment or innovation. Foster a culture that transcends location with intentional relationship-building and value-informed leadership. Give employees the purpose and clarity to work together, even when apart. We have a monthly all-team town hall where we openly discuss our progress, invite questions from anyone and explain how what we're working on now connects to our long-term goals. We're aiming to foster trust and connection through honest leadership and promote transparency. 4. Restructure KPIs at all levels Structure goals, KPIs and employee evaluations to reflect impact and outcomes over optics. Set clear objectives, schedule regular check-ins and balance autonomy with accountability throughout the organization. No matter the environment, performance should be measured based on what gets done, not where or when work happens. Across our organization, each team has pushed itself to publicly share quarterly goals, how achieving them impacts business goals and how we will make it happen. It helps everyone understand how their work contributes to success, and we've noticed that performance discussions are more focused on meaningful progress than arbitrary metrics. 5. Avoid distributed downfalls Distributed work isn't without its challenges. Leaders must communicate generously and favor public channels over private DMs to fight information silos. Encourage calendar blocks and honor everyone's right to log off to avoid multi-timezone burnout. Global teams can power round-the-clock productivity, but only when they operate within a sustainable, people-centered system. As CEO of a global company, my team knows that I am often messaging and posting in public channels around the clock. But I make sure they know that they don't need to respond outside their normal work hours. This way, we can keep important work rolling without creating burnout. Related: 8 Things I've Learned From Running a Fully Remote Company Location-agnostic leadership defines the future of work Where we work is an oversimplified debate that deflects from deeper questions of performance and culture. Growth is determined by how we lead and why our teams show up. Management structures that falter in a distributed environment won't suddenly flourish in a fixed location. Invest in a leadership strategy that is adaptable, results-driven and guided by customer obsession to succeed in any setting.
