Recent Articles

Ask Sophaya

Ask Sophaya: Help Me Deal With My Angry Boss

Dear Sophaya, I have a supervisor who gets angry. Like really angry. Yes, we work in a higher-stress environment, so I get that he has a lot to worry about and deal with, but when he gets upset, it’s scary, and it makes it difficult for me to work with him in an effective way.… Read more »

Ask Sophaya: What Should I Include In My Employee’s Welcome Kit?

Dear Sophaya, I’ve been a manager of remote employees for a while now, and I’m ready to initiate some systems now that I’ve really got a handle on how things flow in my agency. We’re going to be hiring a large group of remote employees in the next few months, and I’d like to create… Read more »

Ask Sophaya: How Do I Deal With Time Off Requests?

Dear Sophaya,  It’s the holiday season and my entire company is in a jolly mood. Which is great, except for the fact that it also means that all of my employees are hoping to take time off of work. I’m not new to this management thing–I’ve managed in-house employees in the past–so I know how… Read more »

Blog

The graphic shows Leah Crabbe, a college student and intern who fought distractions to learn.
This Student/Intern Fought Remote Distractions and Won

Despite the distractions of working from home, Leah completed her junior year at Lousiana State and a remote internship at New York Life.

some chairs in an empty office
Remote work: Prepare for Office Re-entry

“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!”-Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) in The Godfather III (1990) Most of us have been working remotely for what seems like eons. It’s actually closer to ten weeks, but who’s counting? Ten weeks is long enough to rearrange schedules, alter bedtimes, divide the household labor,… Read more »

remote employee working on a laptop
Establish a communication protocol

RNI, the Remote Nation Institute, is holding a series of half-hour webinars to help you help your employees work remotely, efficiently, and happily. As part of these learnings, we offer tips, based on years of remote work experience. Every day, we’ll give you one concrete action you can take with your team to keep your people focused… Read more »

Minute Tips

remote video interview
How to Interview a Candidate on a Video Call

There’s so much happening when you conduct an interview with a job candidate. You’re trying to make them feel welcome and at ease in a moment when they’re likely feeling nervous. You’re trying to get to know a total stranger’s personality and job history, and to understand their strengths and weaknesses. You’re trying to imagine… Read more »

Build Stronger Teams and Stay Visible: Minute Tip

When you work remotely, it’s important to stay top of mind. A great way to do that is to let people know when they’re doing a good job. And, let their bosses know. It will help you build a stronger team while increasing your visibility.

Remote Learning 2020

The graphic shows Leah Crabbe, a college student and intern who fought distractions to learn.
This Student/Intern Fought Remote Distractions and Won

Despite the distractions of working from home, Leah completed her junior year at Lousiana State and a remote internship at New York Life.

The graphic shows two recent high school graduates discussing e-learning, graduation, and college.
Teachers, e-learning, and Zoom Helped Seniors Cope

Abby and Michelle were seniors at Scarsdale High School when COVID-19 hit. Dedicated teachers used e-learning and Zoom to help them adapt.

The graphic shows a hockey goalie in the net.
COVID-19 Shortened His Season, but This Goalie Adapted

Matthew Galajda is a rising senior at Cornell University, majoring in Hotel Administration. He is an All-American starting goaltender for the number 1 seed Cornell Men’s Ice Hockey team. Matthew faced an abrupt end to his season because of COVID-19.  We spoke with Matthew about how he adapted to changes in the academic and hockey… Read more »

Remote Teaching 2020

The graphic shows Jennifer Cheung, a second-grade teacher, teaching virtual classes for the first time.
Virtual Classes Are New, but This Teacher Made Them Fun

When Jennifer Cheung’s second-grade class went virtual, she learned new tech, created new games, and taught her students during a crisis.

The graphic shows Kristin Filling, a learning specialist in NYC who is adapting to remote learning.
This Teacher Sees a Future with Remote Learning

Kristin Filling is a learning specialist and administrator at a boys’ school in NYC. She and her students are adapting to remote learning together.

The graphic shows Dave Galajda, a dedicated teacher making the changes necessary to teach remotely.
COVID changes don’t change his dedication

This boarding school AP biology teacher made changes to his teaching methods when COVID hit. He didn’t change how much he cared for his charges.

Remote Wednesday

video conferencing with a remote team
Remote work morale: Keeping the virtual water cooler going

You want your remote team to be productive, but you also want them to be happy, healthy, and fulfilled. In an earlier post, I talked about creating a virtual water cooler for your remote employees, so they get a chance to interact with you and each other about something other than work. When you worked… Read more »

telling childhood stories is a great way for a remote team to stay connected
Remote work morale: Learning about your team

I’ve worked remotely for a long time, but some of my extended team are new to it. We did a little exercise, based on our water cooler ideas, to lighten things up and boost morale in this stressful time. I went around to the members of my team and asked each person to tell me… Read more »

remote employee trust
Remote work: Creating a culture of trust with remote employees and clients

RNI, the Remote Nation Institute, is holding a series of half-hour webinars to help you help your employees work remotely, efficiently, and happily. As part of these learnings, we offer tips, based on years of remote work experience. Every day, we’ll give you one concrete action you can take with your team to keep your people focused… Read more »

remote work

some chairs in an empty office
Remote work: Prepare for Office Re-entry

“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!”-Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) in The Godfather III (1990) Most of us have been working remotely for what seems like eons. It’s actually closer to ten weeks, but who’s counting? Ten weeks is long enough to rearrange schedules, alter bedtimes, divide the household labor,… Read more »

Remote Work 2020

The graphic shows Nikki Hahn, who struggles with e-learning, full-time remote work, and a family of six.
Helping with e-learning While Working Is a Handful

Nikki Hahn juggles remote work, overseeing her children’s e-learning, and managing a busy household of six. How does she make it work?

The graphic shows Kacie Galligan, who adapted to remote work by creating her own workspace.
Creating a Workspace Helped This Remote Employee Adjust

Kacie Galligan works from home full-time. Creating a dedicated workspace helped her adapt in a house full of remote workers.

The graphic shows Jeff Berson, CFO, who stresses the importance of communicating with his staff.
Communicating Virtually Replaces Frequent Flying for This Exec

For Jeff Berson, the CFO of a data center in Kansas, the pandemic means communicating virtually and flying less.