1 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the New Corner Office, 2 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:12,920 Speaker 1: the podcast where we share strategies for thriving in the 3 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 1: new world of work, where location and hours are more 4 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: flexible than in the past. Today's tip is about how 5 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:24,919 Speaker 1: one company has kept their casual interactions going after going virtual. 6 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: Matt Hall runs Hill Investment Group, which turns fifteen years 7 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: old this year. I did it before Breakfast episode last year, 8 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: in which I mentioned the company's ritual of tea time, 9 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:37,919 Speaker 1: people would stop to take a social break in mid 10 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: afternoon in order to renew their energy for the last 11 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: hour or so of the work day. People tend to 12 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 1: need a break then anyway, and when everyone takes one, 13 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: it doesn't seem weird because of rituals like this. I 14 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: know that Matt thinks a lot about productivity and keeping 15 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 1: people engaged, and so I asked how he'd been adjusting 16 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 1: to virtual work in the wake of COVID nineteen. He 17 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: noted that in the past I've been against remote work. 18 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: The resistance in my head was mainly about the team 19 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 1: needing to be physically to gather to feel connected, he says. 20 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:13,119 Speaker 1: He notes that the company had worked hard and spent 21 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: a lot of money to make the offices in St. 22 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: Louis and Houston feel idyllic. He also says that there 23 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: was a part of me that wondered if people would 24 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:24,400 Speaker 1: give their all if they were tempted to do household 25 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 1: chores or play with the dog. But now he says, 26 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:30,960 Speaker 1: I know I was wrong about remote work because I've 27 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: seen it can actually work. The team has done two 28 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:39,319 Speaker 1: things to keep some of the same interactive vibe going. First, 29 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:42,680 Speaker 1: they book in the day with virtual meetings. Now long 30 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: time listeners know my dislike of recurring meetings, so to 31 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 1: be clear, these meetings are short because no one likes 32 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 1: to drag things out for hours, and they're focused because 33 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: one person facilitates the topic for the entire group. This 34 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: keeps the virtual check ins from wasting people's time. It's fun, 35 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 1: how dual, and sets the tone. Matt says. It also 36 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: keeps the work day from bleeding into all hours of 37 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 1: the day and night. Bookend means bookend. When you say goodbye, 38 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 1: you can be done. As he says, the virtual meeting 39 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 1: is connecting us like never before. They've also moved office 40 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: chatter virtual. We share socially and at a light mix 41 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 1: of business topics inside a cool tool called Bonfire. He says, 42 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: that's b O n F y r E. It's an 43 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 1: app on our mobile devices, and it's another great way 44 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 1: for us to stay in touch. Bonfire is not about 45 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 1: tasks nor productivity. It's about connection. So people share what 46 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 1: they're making for lunch, or their struggles with parenting, or 47 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: that somebody just got new chickens. In other words, the 48 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,800 Speaker 1: same stuff you'd talk about at the water cooler. He 49 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 1: reports that I still can't wait to get back to 50 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:54,079 Speaker 1: the office, but now I know it isn't the thing 51 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: that binds us. In fact, our team has likely never 52 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 1: been more connected with because we are checking in more 53 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 1: often and because we have a common enemy in COVID nineteen. 54 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 1: When work is approached intentionally, people get more done and 55 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 1: feel better about it. That's true in an office or 56 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 1: when everyone is working from home. Here at the new 57 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: Corner Office, I'll be sharing lots of ideas from teams 58 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: that work remotely or flexibly, So feel free to email 59 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 1: me and let me know what's working for you or 60 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 1: not working for you. You can reach me at Laura 61 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: at Laura Vanderkamp dot com. In the meantime, this is Laura, 62 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: thanks for listening, and here's the succeeding in the New 63 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 1: Corner Office. The New Corner Office is a production of 64 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio. For more podcasts, visit the i Heart 65 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite shows.