EP090 Mastering Remote Work in E-commerce: Tips for Managing Distributed Teams
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[00:00:06] DARIN NEWBOLD: All right, good day and welcome to Commerce Today. My name is Darren Newbold and I'm excited to have with with me today Natalia Pietra, our expert in HR and employee, employer branding. So excited to have you Natalia and what we're going to talk about is really all about the remote work in the e commerce industry and kind of some tips and ways to manage that distributed, uh, distributed team.

[00:00:32] DARIN NEWBOLD: So welcome Natalia. 

[00:00:34] NATALIA PITRA: Hey, thanks for having me, Darren. I'm excited and thrilled to be here and obviously to talk about this such an important topic. 

[00:00:44] DARIN NEWBOLD: Well, let's kick it off right away. And let's, uh, let's kind of first set the stage with basically this shift to remote work. Tell me a little bit about. About kind of that and what, what you're seeing and what you have seen.

[00:00:58] NATALIA PITRA: Well, uh, [00:01:00] basically a remote work has opened the door for global talents and flexibility, but it also presents challenges, especially around communication and team, uh, team cohesion. So in office collaboration happens more naturally while remote work requires, um, let's say structure, uh, tools and clear.

[00:01:25] NATALIA PITRA: Communication. 

[00:01:26] DARIN NEWBOLD: And that is so key. And it can be, it can be a real challenge and things can go, things can go sideways very quickly. But if you have that structure in place, like you're talking about, that's so important. Well, one of the other things too, we, we kind of kicked around here before the show was this, this whole return to office kind of plans.

[00:01:47] DARIN NEWBOLD: And I know many companies have done that. There's been some success. There's been some. Some non success in those things. What are you seeing there Natalia? 

[00:01:58] NATALIA PITRA: Well, uh, [00:02:00] basically we have the main challenges that are maintaining alignment and ensuring clear communication. So basically fostering collaboration across different locations and time zones can be tricky.

[00:02:14] NATALIA PITRA: Uh, however, using tools like Slack, Zoom, Google Meet, uh, well, there are so many project, uh, management softwares. can help, but leadership needs to be, uh, well, the leadership needs to set a clear expectations towards people. 

[00:02:31] DARIN NEWBOLD: So what have you seen, you know, still kind of on the return to office trend? have you seen things that, that really, that really do help from a leadership standpoint that really make it a difference on how, how a company approaches people coming back to an office versus basically a fully remote?

[00:02:52] DARIN NEWBOLD: Type of a scenario. 

[00:02:54] NATALIA PITRA: Well, um, some companies believe, still believe in person [00:03:00] work, uh, that improves collaboration and innovation. Uh, the forced return to office is often counterproductive. And what's important that studies shows that 74% of workers in United States prefers some, let's say, form of remote work, whether fully remote or hybrid.

[00:03:25] NATALIA PITRA: And in my opinion, forcing people back into the office can lead to lower job satisfaction. And unfortunately, higher turnover. And obviously the recent survey that owns lab found that 56 percent of employees said they would simply quit their jobs if flexible work options are not offered. And additionally.

[00:03:51] NATALIA PITRA: Uh, remote workers are 22 percent happier and then those working fully on site and companies [00:04:00] offering remote flexible, uh, hours have a 25 percent lower turnover rate. So that's huge. 

[00:04:08] DARIN NEWBOLD: That is, that is. And that, that really. That really says to leaders out there that whether, whether you like it or not, remote work is, is here to stay and that it seems that there's more successful approach to all of this is having, if necessary, having a hybrid approach.

[00:04:30] DARIN NEWBOLD: Approach where there is some in office work and, uh, in those kinds of situations, but yet there's always that flexibility. Would you agree? 

[00:04:40] NATALIA PITRA: Exactly. Forcing a return can damage employer branding, especially in industries like e commerce, while our flexibility and adaptability is key. While employees want to feel trusted.

[00:04:56] NATALIA PITRA: And to manage their own time. And that's a big [00:05:00] part of what keeps them engaged and loyal to the company. 

[00:05:04] DARIN NEWBOLD: Well, speaking of that, and you mentioned employer, employer branding for these remote teams. Tell me, tell me a little bit more about that and what you're seeing. 

[00:05:13] NATALIA PITRA: Well, uh, employer branding is remote environment.

[00:05:17] NATALIA PITRA: It's all about culture and connection. So it's essential to keep employees engaged. through virtual team buildings, activities, and regular communication of company values. So showcasing a strong remote work externally helps attract the right talents. 

[00:05:38] DARIN NEWBOLD: where do you see maybe the balance of how often, do either teams or even individuals one on one need to meet virtually through Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, whatever, uh, tool people use?

[00:05:53] DARIN NEWBOLD: How often does that need to occur to really keep that culture, to keep the, the fires burning of that, uh, [00:06:00] that culture of the, of a company? 

[00:06:02] NATALIA PITRA: Well, uh, besides this daily meetings, like all we have in Creatuity, like one to ones with your managers, uh, the dailies, uh, the daily coffee chats with your teammates, and obviously the whole company meetings, uh, for instance, like we managed is once a month.

[00:06:23] NATALIA PITRA: I think it's best to take the initiative of creating this space for people when they can integrate. So I think that the best, um, frequency of, uh, meeting each other on rather light, uh, moments rather than meetings and focusing on projects will be, At least once a week when we can just simply chat, have a coffee.

[00:06:52] NATALIA PITRA: Um, maybe we can order pizza to each house when we have team meetings, you know, the lighter team meetings. I think [00:07:00] that once a week is a key because let's be honest, when people were in offices, they just, they were feeling fed up of, uh, you know, coworkers and even sitting side to side. It was, um, in the long distance, uh, terrible just, you know, for, for the work and for themselves.

[00:07:20] NATALIA PITRA: So I think that once a week, just simply have a virtual coffee or virtual pizza sharing time, I think is the key to maintain this, um, this relationship between coworkers. 

[00:07:33] DARIN NEWBOLD: I think that's a great idea. The, and you mentioned the virtual events and having that, I think that really does make a, make a big difference.

[00:07:40] DARIN NEWBOLD: Well, um, yeah, because it's connecting 

[00:07:42] NATALIA PITRA: people because how other we can be connected while, you know, working from our offices, you know, the private offices, like our houses, 

[00:07:52] DARIN NEWBOLD: exactly. Well, and, Even if we were in, I mean, being in a, in the same building, it's often that teams would, hey, where are we going to all go [00:08:00] for lunch?

[00:08:00] DARIN NEWBOLD: You know, we'd all grab lunch on a certain day and those kinds of things. So breaking, you know, the breaking of bread, uh, that can still happen virtually. Uh, it just, it, it works out a little bit differently. And, and we just kind of talked about this is all about maintaining that cultural remote culture remotely.

[00:08:17] DARIN NEWBOLD: And those are a lot of great, great ideas. So, maybe kind of taking that to the next to the next level or the next piece is, how do you then support. Employee well being, through this remote work because there's many that have talked about, you know, some people, uh, and I will even speak for myself.

[00:08:39] DARIN NEWBOLD: I enjoy the interaction. I like being in the office. I'm one of those, I'm one of the weirdos, I guess, that still likes to go to the office. Yeah, you are the only 

[00:08:47] NATALIA PITRA: one Darren here. 

[00:08:51] DARIN NEWBOLD: And maybe so, but. Aside from that, it, uh, it, there is something really great when people can gather around, in my opinion, gather around a [00:09:00] whiteboard, draw some cool pictures, put some things together, and it really can bring the, the creative juices and innovative juices together.

[00:09:08] DARIN NEWBOLD: So how do you handle Overall employee well being in this remote environment. 

[00:09:15] NATALIA PITRA: Well, uh, companies should promote work life balance. It's simple as that. And for instance, they can do it through flexible hours, mental health resources, uh, respecting employees boundaries, and maybe focusing on the hybrid, not the fully remote, but, uh, the hybrid, but It has to be said that you have to have an office, like the building, the place, so people can meet.

[00:09:40] NATALIA PITRA: So it may taste like you said, meeting, uh, you know, under the, um, next to the whiteboard. So brainstorm and do something together and still working on projects alone individually. But, you know, spend more time also together to just, you know, boost those ideas. And it's [00:10:00] also important to just encourage, uh, taking time off to recharge.

[00:10:04] NATALIA PITRA: And obviously we have to prevent burnout in remote environment because let's face it, we are always in the same four walls in our homes. So it's also It also can be, uh, difficult to just adjust to this new reality that maybe becomes our regular, uh, day to day. But to be honest, I'm also sometimes missing office.

[00:10:28] NATALIA PITRA: So that's why I think that hybrid, but not the forced hybrid, uh, type of remote work will be very, uh, very, uh, efficient. 

[00:10:38] DARIN NEWBOLD: And I, I agree. One of the things that I know has, uh, Kind of become a standard, if you will, in the way people are approaching it is this, uh, this new term called workcation, where instead of working at home, you can take a little vacation, maybe go to a different, different area, still [00:11:00] work your normal work hours and normal work.

[00:11:03] DARIN NEWBOLD: But do it from a beach, if you will, or a great cabin in the woods or something like that. Have you seen other companies doing that? I know we've done that. I know I've even done it. Uh, and, and yeah, it doesn't, it doesn't, it does make a difference. So what, tell me your thoughts on that.

[00:11:23] NATALIA PITRA: Well, um, well, the thought of workation, uh, is just amazing. Uh, because to be honest, I can be. For instance, with my grandma, uh, who lives, uh, in the village, uh, 300, uh, kilometers from me and I just can grab my laptop and just go, uh, to her, you know, help her after, you know, finishing, uh, work, uh, help her with.

[00:11:46] NATALIA PITRA: So I think that's the amazing work like balance. I know that people can just take the laptop to somewhere where the internet connection is okay because that's the, that's the deal here. [00:12:00] Yeah, exactly. And they can just go to Greece, go to Bali because it's very high top right now, but you know, go somewhere, uh, when they can see, you know, the background.

[00:12:12] NATALIA PITRA: Uh, of the, uh, of the zoom. It's not, you know, the, the fake one, but it's the true pounds there. So I think that's cool. And I really recommend each company who obviously can have this location. So just include this not as a benefit, but as a work culture. 

[00:12:32] DARIN NEWBOLD: I agree. I agree. Well, guys, this has been fantastic, Natalia.

[00:12:36] DARIN NEWBOLD: Kind of as we wrap it all together, maybe, uh, maybe overall, if you'd, uh, take a couple minutes and maybe just tell Tell us, uh, your, your prediction of the future of remote work in e commerce. And what, uh, what do you see coming down? As 

[00:12:52] NATALIA PITRA: I mentioned before, I think that hybrid models are here to stay, period.

[00:12:58] NATALIA PITRA: Just remote [00:13:00] work, uh, offers flexibility that benefits both employees and employers, and it has to be emphasized, not only employees benefits from it. Uh, but. Obviously it requires ongoing effort to keep teams connected and aligned with the company goals. And let's not forget about the huge time saver, which is travel, uh, to and from the office because in remote or hybrid work, we are already in the office.

[00:13:30] NATALIA PITRA: So I think that companies that return to a region office based model may struggle to retain top talents. And that would be a shame because the market is full of beautiful and amazing people who just want to work. And I think we should bow to these people to just have this, you know, healthy relationship between employees and employers.

[00:13:58] DARIN NEWBOLD: I agree. I agree. And that is [00:14:00] fantastic. Well, Natalia, I, uh, I always appreciate having the opportunity to chat with you. You're awesome as always. And, uh, with that, uh, as always, folks, we appreciate you listening and taking part in our commerce today. We always want you to, uh, definitely check us out on YouTube and, uh, any channel that you might, uh, might be looking at or listening to this.

[00:14:23] DARIN NEWBOLD: And with that, remember 

[00:14:25] NATALIA PITRA: to like and subscribe. 

[00:14:26] DARIN NEWBOLD: Absolutely. Like and subscribe, as Natalia said. And with that, you all take care. Have a great day, and we'll catch you next time. 

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