Have you ever wondered how you can take your existing hybrid work model and optimize it so that it serves both your employees and your business goals? We often think of hybrid models as a compromise between remote and office-based work but — if you don't intentionally design and revisit your hybrid strategy regularly — this mentality can end up hindering productivity rather than enhancing it. Which is why on this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we’re diving into one of the 12 distributed work ...
Jun 27, 2025•11 min•Ep. 140
When it comes to discussions about artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace, most immediately veer into negative territory. It’s hard not to feel alarmed when most headlines we read about AI range from the outrageous to the terrifying. But in reality, what are most organizations actually using AI for? How are systems, protocols, and processes being updated by AI-enabled technologies? And what does the increasing use of AI in companies mean for distributed teams and flexible work? These ques...
Jun 13, 2025•16 min•Ep. 139
For years corporate success was measured by the size of a company’s headquarters, but this all changed overnight when the pandemic hit. Companies soon realized that they didn’t need their employees to commute to one central location to collaborate effectively. Which is why on this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we’re diving into one of the 12 distributed work models we’ve identified while working with remote and hybrid teams. This episode breaks down the Hub-And-Spoke Model — which highlights...
May 23, 2025•9 min•Ep. 138
On this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we resume our Distributed Work Expert Series. With this series, we’re highlighting some of the world’s leading experts who continue to map, innovate, and design how distributed work looks from inside forward-thinking companies — designing a version of work that works for teams — regardless of where they choose to work. Our goal is to start highlighting distributed work leaders in companies to help forward-thinking leaders like you to: Navigate remote and...
May 09, 2025•26 min•Ep. 137
As we’ve learned over the last five years, workplace flexibility is not one-size-fits all. Some teams need structure, others need autonomy. Some teams are scattered across the globe, and others are scattered across a state or a country. Which is why on this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we’re diving into one of the 12 distributed work models we’ve identified while working with remote and hybrid teams. This episode breaks down the Flexi-Remote + Core Office Weeks Model — which balances strong...
Apr 25, 2025•9 min•Ep. 136
As hybrid work becomes the new normal, companies face the challenge of balancing flexibility with collaboration. This has become the defining challenge for companies worldwide today. For some, hybrid work offers the best of both worlds, providing flexibility for employees while maintaining in-person collaboration. However, without a clear strategy, companies risk increased turnover, disengagement, and missed opportunities for innovation. On this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we’ll discuss: H...
Apr 11, 2025•19 min•Ep. 135
Hybrid work is a spectrum — and there are more than two options than just fully remote and fully in-office. Which is why on this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we’re diving into one of the 12 distributed work models we’ve identified over the past decade of working with remote and hybrid teams. This episode breaks down the Asynchronous-First + Planned In-Office Time Model — which balances asynchronous or async work with intentional in-office time — balancing employees’ desire for flexibility w...
Mar 28, 2025•12 min•Ep. 134
On this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we kick off our Distributed Work Expert Series. With this series, we’re highlighting some of the world’s leading experts who continue to map, innovate, and design how distributed work looks from inside forward-thinking companies — designing a version of work that works for teams — regardless of where they choose to work. Our goal is to start highlighting distributed work leaders in companies to help forward-thinking leaders like you to: Navigate distribu...
Mar 14, 2025•31 min•Ep. 133
In today’s global workplace, effective communication can make or break a team’s success. But for multicultural, distributed teams, navigating differences in language, cultural norms, and collaboration styles often feels overwhelming. In this episode of Inclusion in Progress, we uncover the root causes of communication challenges in distributed teams — and more importantly, how to solve them. You’ll learn: Why cultural nuances often lead to misunderstandings and misaligned expectations. The key t...
Feb 14, 2025•21 min•Ep. 132
From leadership gaps to communication barriers to unclear expectations — companies are missing opportunities to find a distributed work model that works best for their teams. On this episode of the Inclusion in Progress podcast, we discuss what is standing in the way of making distributed work models effective, why the debate should move beyond remote vs. RTO (return-to-office), and what leaders like you can do to unlock the true potential of distributed work in 2025 and beyond. To discover more...
Jan 17, 2025•24 min•Ep. 131
We’ve spent 2024 navigating some of the most pressing challenges facing our organizations today: Communication breakdowns between teams due to socioeconomic or geopolitical events The tug-of-war between return-to-office and remote work The politicization of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) itself …all of which directly affects the teams that leaders claim they’re supporting. While organizations are feeling pressure to cut budgets or scale back their efforts — at Inclusion in Progress, we b...
Dec 20, 2024•22 min•Ep. 130
A principle at the core of our Inclusive Distributed Work™ framework is compassionate collision — bringing different perspectives to the table and creating psychological safety for everyone to contribute their ideas and views to an organization. The goal of compassionate collision isn’t to “fix” or “solve” complex issues overnight, but to create an environment where people can express themselves without fear of retaliation. Our CEO, Kay Fabella, has been having difficult conversations with leade...
Nov 22, 2024•18 min•Ep. 129
IIP128 Why In-Office Mandates Hinder Innovation & Inclusion Show Notes The company on everyone’s mind in the ongoing return-to-office debates is none other than Amazon. The global company’s decision to roll back hybrid work models and reinstate in-office mandates in January 2025 has raised eyebrows — and not in a good way. While Amazon (and companies like them) may view this in-office mandate as a way to "restore" collaboration, will it instead stifle the very innovation it wants to improve?...
Oct 25, 2024•24 min•Ep. 128
Since 2022, employers have been working against a global talent shortage, particularly amongst knowledge workers. This has put immense pressure on teams, increasing the risk of burnout, and prompting some leaders to consider leaving their positions. Doubling down on DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) to increase the presence of underrepresented or excluded groups — whether from non-traditional backgrounds, cultures, or life trajectories — is not just a nice-to-have. It’s critical to help you ...
Sep 13, 2024•19 min•Ep. 127
Hybrid work has been most commonly defined as a blend of in-office and remote work. This form seemed like the perfect solution as we transitioned post-pandemic because it promised flexibility and a balanced approach to the workplace. However, many organizations have found themselves stuck in the middle ground where the emphasis is still on showing up at the office rather than focusing on productivity. And we have seen that this current iteration of hybrid has significant limitations and conseque...
Aug 09, 2024•22 min•Season 1Ep. 126
In this episode of the Inclusion in Progress podcast, we share more about our signature Inclusive Distributed Work™ — which we’ve used with tech companies worldwide to support their distributed teams. At Inclusion in Progress, we define distributed work as physical distribution (remote, hybrid and in-office) and geographical distribution (global and multicultural). Which means that even before March 2020, our teams were already distributed. Today, the success of your distributed teams depends on...
Jul 12, 2024•23 min•Season 1Ep. 125
In our post-pandemic world, many more companies have distributed workforces. Which means many of the HR, Talent and People leaders that we engage with are having to rethink and redefine how to close the gender gap in leadership — when many no longer share the same physical office space or cultural context. With that said, research shows that sponsorship remains one of the most effective ways to close the gender gap in leadership. So how do you know when a sponsorship program is right for you? An...
Jun 07, 2024•18 min•Season 1Ep. 124
We often hear about mentorship or sponsorship programs for companies looking to increase representation as a part of their DEI — or diversity, equity and inclusion — initiatives. But how do you know which program is the best fit for your organization? Inspired by our conversations with hundreds of HR, DEI and People leaders of distributed teams, we discuss how to close the gender gap in leadership through a structured, scaleable mentorship or sponsorship program. For this episode of the Inclusio...
May 10, 2024•20 min•Season 1Ep. 123
Organizations that claimed to support diversity and inclusion in the wake of the pandemic are continuing to mandate Return-to-Office policies today. Leaders are clinging to the paradigm of in-office work as the gateway to productivity and performance — rather than using this moment as an opportunity to leverage the insight they've gained from their own flexible work experiences to innovate new ways of working. But did you know that flexible work isn't just a nice-to-have but a non-negotiable for...
Apr 12, 2024•18 min•Season 1Ep. 122
In a 2023 Deloitte study, 92% of women believed their employers were NOT doing enough to honor their commitment to gender equity? During the pandemic, women all over the world left the workforce and never came back. Today, women leaders are now leaving their organizations at the highest rate ever. Inclusion in Progress is committed to empowering organizations to prevent this backslide in gender parity — particularly during International Women’s Month. Which is why on this episode of the podcast ...
Mar 08, 2024•21 min•Season 1Ep. 121
In a time where we need innovation to discover solutions for our fast-changing world, is your company paying attention to the lived experiences of women (particularly at the intersection of race and gender)? How can you make sure there are more seats at the table for women — particularly women of color — to contribute the ideas we need to meet tomorrow’s challenges? For today’s episode of the Inclusion in Progress podcast, we discuss: How we can address gender inequality and why we can’t overloo...
Feb 01, 2024•20 min•Season 1Ep. 120
Although gender equality has been a core focus of the inclusive workplace conversation, it still continues to be a concern — especially when we see a lack of women in leadership positions in many of the tech companies we partner with. As a woman-owned business, Inclusion in Progress is all too familiar with the lack of growth opportunities in our past work environments. Which is why our mission to continue to empower organizations to walk their talk when it comes to inclusion is not only a profe...
Jan 12, 2024•15 min•Season 1Ep. 119
On our last few episodes of the Inclusion in Progress podcast, we’ve been sharing examples of the types of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work we’ve done with client partners. In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Paul Barber, Vice President of Human Resources at Listrak. He oversaw the transition of the organization from a primarily office-based culture to a remote-first company and partnered with Team IIP to help address the needs of their distributed teams in a rapidly changing work ...
Dec 15, 2023•20 min•Season 1Ep. 118
On our last few episodes of the Inclusion in Progress podcast, we’ve been sharing examples of the types of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work we’ve done with client partners. In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Jimmy Rose, former Vice President for Employee Experience at Cotiviti. Since connecting with Jimmy in 2020, we were fortunate to partner with him to establish DEI foundations for his company, teams and larger company culture. In our conversation, we discuss: How Jimmy first go...
Nov 17, 2023•20 min•Season 1Ep. 117
On the next few episodes of the Inclusion in Progress podcast, we’re sharing examples of the types of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work we’ve done with client partners. In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Regina Lawless, former DEI Head of Instagram and Founder of Bossy & Blissful. Regina has led multiple diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to advance underrepresented talent, particularly in the tech industry. We were fortunate to partner with her during her time at Inst...
Oct 20, 2023•22 min•Season 1Ep. 116
On the Inclusion in Progress podcast, we’ve shared examples of the types of interventions and work we’ve done with client partners. But we’ve never featured any of them until now. Many of our listeners have asked what it’s like to work in DEI, both as an external contractor and as part of an internal DEI team. So in today’s episode, we’re speaking with Anthony Papini, the Global DEI Lead of ActiveCampaign. Not only has he been a long-time podcast listener, he’s also partnered with #TeamIIP in hi...
Sep 15, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 115
On our Inclusion in Progress podcast, we often talk about how we help our client partners from around the world design psychological safety for their virtual teams. But what does building psychological safety look like on our own fully remote team at Team IIP? And how do we apply those same lessons to our company as we evolve? That’s exactly what we’ll look at in this episode of the Inclusion in Progress podcast. Here’s what we’ll explore: What we’ve learned about the importance of psychological...
Aug 18, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 114
This month, we’re hosting a mini-series on “Hybrid Work & Company Culture'' where we’ll be sharing what we’ve learned from speaking to tech companies like HP and HubSpot on whether or not hybrid work is killing company culture. We have been discussing the importance of equity in a hybrid workplace, how to equip leaders for remote-first or hybrid teams, and how flexible working and company culture strategies go hand-in-hand with DEI, plus actionable ideas we’ve been sharing with our client pa...
Jul 28, 2023•18 min•Season 1Ep. 113
This month, we’re hosting a mini-series on “Hybrid Work & Company Culture'' where we’ll be sharing what we’ve learned from speaking to tech companies like HP and HubSpot on whether or not hybrid work is killing company culture. In this second episode of the series, we will be discussing the importance of equity in a hybrid workplace, how to equip leaders for remote-first or hybrid teams, and how flexible working and company culture strategies go hand-in-hand with DEI, plus actionable ideas w...
Jul 21, 2023•17 min•Season 1Ep. 112
This month, we’re hosting a mini-series on “Hybrid Work & Company Culture'' where we’ll be sharing what we’ve learned from speaking to tech companies like HP and HubSpot on whether or not hybrid work is killing company culture. Over the next three episodes, we will be discussing the importance of equity in a hybrid workplace, how to equip leaders for remote-first or hybrid teams, and how flexible working and company culture strategies go hand-in-hand with DEI, plus actionable ideas we’ve bee...
Jul 14, 2023•15 min•Season 1Ep. 111
