Discover
21st Century Work Life

21st Century Work Life
Author: Pilar Orti
Subscribed: 149Played: 5,146Subscribe
Share
© PilarOrti
Description
Brought to you by Virtual not Distant, the 21st Century Work Life podcast looks at leading and managing remote teams, online collaboration and working in distributed organisations.
Join Pilar Orti, guests & co-hosts as they shine the spotlight on the most relevant themes and news relevant to the modern knowledge worker.
Join Pilar Orti, guests & co-hosts as they shine the spotlight on the most relevant themes and news relevant to the modern knowledge worker.
421 Episodes
Reverse
The 21st Century Work Life podcast is back - with a different kind of content and format. The Booknotes season starts and will last... for a while. In today's episode: Part 1 Pilar shares her booknotes from How To Have A Good Day: The Essential Toolkit for a Productive Day at Work and Beyond by Caroline Webb Part 2 Updates from Pilar -her books and what she's up to. pilarwrites.com
A very short episode where I (Pilar Orti) share the reasons why the 21st Century Work Life podcast is going on pause. Stay subscribed though, as you never know when new episodes might drop! Thank you very much for listening and all the best for 2025. Get in touch: https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/contact-us
It’s the end of the year, but we’re not making any predictions - things are moving way too fast! Instead, Pilar and Maya review some of the issues that have been blamed on “remote”. For an extensive summary of the episode, check out www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts/dont-blame-remote-work You can message Pilar through the Virtual not Distant website: https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/contact-us and get hold of Maya over at Remote Work Europe: https://www.remoteworkeurope.eu/ .
Listener Richard de Villiers reached out to host Pilar Orti after hearing the episode on the 3 A’s of Connection. He has plenty to say on the subject of connection in remote teams, and many different frameworks to share to help other listeners think through change programmes and their own leadership. Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richarddevilliers/ For detailed show notes, head over to https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts /connection-frameworks
In this episode, host Pilar Orti interviews Andreea Gătin an event and community manager who is organising a unique experience for digital nomad and remote workers in Romania. Andreea discusses her goals for the experience, which include showcasing Romania as a destination for digital nomads and fostering a sense of community among participants. It’s happening in March 2025, so check it out! Find an episode summary over at www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts/experience-romania Find out more about Andreea and the experience she’s creating: Information and Registration Form Connect with Andreea Ioana Gătin on LinkedIn
In this episode, host Pilar Orti talks to Sagar Chandni, who describes himself as a distributed work practitioner and a strategy leader with a heart. We talk about the nuances of these terms and the evolving nature of work, particularly in India where Sagar is based. Sagar discusses his work with startups and the challenges and opportunities they face, and shares his approach to informed leadership, ethical business strategies, and workplace inclusiveness, as well as the importance of embracing a mindset shift and approaching work in a way that fosters meaningful connections and positive impact both personally and professionally. He also gives us a view of the startup landscape in India. Yes, we cover a lot in this episode! Find out more about Sagar and his work: Connect with Sagar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sagarchandni/ Check out his LinkedIn show Virtual Global Leadership Podcast Subscribe to his newsletter: https://strivewithsagarchandni.substack.com/ For a written summary check out https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts/leader-with-heart
Host Pilar Orti is joined by Doug Haines, the founder of Kalium and Marketing Pros. Doug's entrepreneurial journey began with Kalium, where he successfully recruited talent from South Africa. This positive experience inspired him to launch Marketing Pros, an agency connecting South African marketing professionals with global opportunities. In this episode, Doug discusses the development of both ventures and his strategies for maintaining a robust talent pool. For the full show notes check out www.virtualnotdistant.com Find out more about Doug Haines and his companies: Marketing Pros: https://www.marketingpros.co Kalium: https://www.kalium.co.uk/ If you’re looking to expand your team and want to talk to Doug about your best options, find him on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/doughaines/ or email him as per the end of the interview.
In this episode, host Pilar Orti shares her new framework showing how we connect at work, and talks about some of her other projects. If you'd like to be alerted when the Remotely Shakespeare wall calendar comes out, head over to remotelyshakespeare.com For more information check out www.virtualnotdistant.com
A special episode to celebrate the launch of the revised edition of The Long-Distance Leader, written by Kevin Eikenberry and Wayne Turmel, who returns to the show with another conversation that made host Pilar Orti laugh plenty of times. The conversation takes a critical look at the “hybrid” workplace - is it a compromise, a hostage negotiation? Or is the problem that we’re all transitioning to a new era of knowledge work, and are uncomfortable with uncertainty? Wayne also covers the role of trust, building a culture fit for hybrid and proximity bias. Summary blog post: https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts/challenges-of-hybrid Find out more about the book here: kevineikenberry.com/products/the-long-distance-leader Check out Wayne’s website too: wayneturmel.com And if you’d like to hear more from the authors, listen to Wayne in episode 238 or hear from Kevin Eikenberry in episode 181.
In today’s episode, host Pilar Orti catches up with Frédérique Lloyd Bougreau, about how she transformed her career and lifestyle by setting up a Pilates studio in rural France. They talk about cultural adaptation, building a business in a new environment and the Importance of movement and exercise as we progress through life. Frédérique’s contact details are over at her website: https://www.pilatesbienetre.com/contact.html As always, you can find Pilar over at www.virtualnotdistant.com
For today’s Recommendations episode, Pilar is joined by Catherine Nicholson, co-founder and creative director of The Virtual Training Team. Before they move onto this month’s reading and listening recommendations, Catherine talks about her recent interest: the blend of generations in the workplace, and how to make the most out of them. Recorded on 7 August 2024 For the full set of show notes, head over to https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts/generations-workplace
In this episode Pilar talks to Justin Gignac, co-founder of Working Not Working, and Nicolina Jennings, the company's VP and Managing Director. Our guests share the origins and evolution of Working Not Working, and how what they’ve learned about engagement and belonging led to their new platform NTRNL. They make a strong case for increasing employee retention by creating an infrastructure that makes internal opportunities - and hidden talents- visible to all. You can find a summary over at www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts/working-not-working Check out Working not Working https://workingnotworking.com and NTRNL https://workingnotworking.com/ntrnl
We are joined by regular guest Theresa Hollema who has been doing some thinking with host Pilar Orti on the topic of Bonding within remote teams, versus Bridging, where team members create bonds with other parts of the organisation. Plus, Theresa has her own reading and listening recommendations to add to Pilar’s. You can connect with Theresa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresasigillitohollema/ And check out the resources on her website: https://virtualacrosscultures.com/ Let us know what you thought of the episode over at www.virtualnotdistant.com/contact You can find an summary of the first part, plus all the links we refer to here: ww.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts/bridging-remote-teams
A new player has entered the field in the world of work: generative AI. As remote teams increasingly rely on asynchronous communication, have AI chatbots become go-to resources for quick answers and idea validation? What does this mean for our workplace relationships and social skills? Maya Middlemiss and Pilar Orti discuss! For more detailed show notes head over to www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts/chatbots You can message Pilar through the Virtual not Distant website: https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/contact-us and get hold of Maya over at Remote Work Europe: https://www.remoteworkeurope.eu/ .
Host Pilar Orti talks to Henry O'Loughlin, founder of Buildremote. As he shares his journey from running a fully remote marketing agency to creating Buildremote, Henry discusses the pitfalls many companies faced during the pandemic and how his experience led him to develop a "remote operating system" playbook. The conversation evolves into a thought experiment looking into the future of work, exploring concepts like the four-day workweek, the growing trend of freelancing and the creator economy, ending in a not-too-distant future where traditional employment structures become networks of one-person businesses collaborating globally. Connect with Henry on LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/henry-olaughlin/ Check out the Remote Operating System at Buildremote buildremote.co For a summary blog post, check out https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts/work-evolution 05:05: Four-Day Workweek and Remote Work Connection 08:03: Future of Work and Questioning Traditional Practices 17:49: Freelancing and the Creator Economy 26:12: Resistance to Change in Traditional Work Structures 28:22: Challenges of Managing Part-Time and Freelance Workers 30:18: Remote Work: Learning Curve and Comparisons
In today’s episode, Pilar Orti welcomes regular guest Mark Kilby onto the show, to find out how he’s using generative AI. They share their personal experiences, preferences, and cautionary tales surrounding various AI tools. Plus, they have plenty of reading, listening and tool recommendations for you this month! Recorded on 24 April 2024, so some of the tools have evolved since then. For the show notes, check out: https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts/may-recommendations You can connect with Mark Kilby on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mkilby/ Or message him through his website: www.markkilby.com And if you’d like to keep up with his thoughts and work, subscribe to Differability https://differability.works/ Connect with Pilar over at https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/contact-us
Today’s show notes are a little bit different. We’d like to keep Jack’s story in his own words as much as possible, so we’re sharing a polished version of the transcript over at: https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts /jack-nilles-telework Talking to our host Pilar Orti, Jack takes us on a journey through the very early days of telecommuting, sharing the challenges and triumphs he experienced while pioneering this new concept. From convincing skeptical companies to adopt telework to exploring the societal benefits of reduced traffic congestion and pollution, Jack's story is a fascinating glimpse into the birth of a movement that continues to shape our world today. LINKS: Get in touch with Jack through his website (you can email him from there) https://www.jala.com/ Jack’s blog: https://www.jalahq.com/blog/ WORK DIFFERENT, the documentary https://www.nfb.ca/film/work-different/ You can connect with Pilar on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/pilarorti/ Or message her through https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/contact-us
In this episode, Pilar interviews Jaap Linssen, the founder of OrangeTrail, a company that helps organisations navigate change and adopt new ways of working. Jaap has been helping people in organisations collaborate and communicate through harnessing the power of technology since 2011. Through Jaap’s examples, they talk about asking questions to drive engagement, developing team narratives to strengthen teamwork, the adoption of genAI in organisations and social learning. And building a business exporting farm cheese. Of course. Here are some links for you to check out: Find out more about OrangeTrail on their website. Connect with Jaap on LinkedIn. And don’t forget to watch the video New experiments in self-teaching by Sugata Mitra Plus, if you’re interested in using genAI for creative projects, you might want to check out Spiralling Creativity, Pilar’s new blog. For a full summary and show notes, check out https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts /team-narratives
We’ve struggled this month to create a collection around remote work, so we’ve gone a bit “around the edges” - but it’s still all relevant to our audience. There is much content around hybrid work at the moment, and it tends to have more of a “how to” angle to it , so we often give it a miss. So, please send through anything you think we might add in future episodes. https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/contact-us Coffee Break Articles 05.00 MINS The Pyramid Principle Via Sketchplanations How Remote Workers Are Reshaping Corporate Travel Policies via Skift E-voice in the Digitalised Workplace. Insights from an Alternative Organisation via Human Resource Management Journal (Wiley) Grabbed from Eva Rimbau-Gilabert’s profile on previously-known-as-Twitter. Airchat Is Silicon Valley’s Latest Obsession via Wired.com Article + Documentary 15.50 MINS Work Different a documentary by Julien Capraro This was recommended by Jack Niles, reader of the newsletter, and author of Managing Telework: Strategies for Managing the Virtual Workforce published by Wiley in 1998. You can read about the documentary here: https://www.createastir.ca/articles/work-different-rendez-vous-french-film-festival and watch the documentary here: https://www.nfb.ca/film/work-different/ Books 18.12 MINS The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World by Dorie Clark (You might also want to check out Entrepreneurial You.) Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things by Adam Grant Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout by Cal Newport How To Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks (thanks Bernie J MItchell for the recommendation!) Audio Recommendations 30.25 MINS Deep Questions with Cal Newport 294: A Tactical Assault on Business1 April 2024 The Long-Distance Worklife podcast Episode: Press Start on SoWork: How Gamers are Influencing the Future of Remote Work 15 April 2024 Remote Work Life RWL203 From office manager to international remote work expert w/ Laurel Farrer, Founder Distribute Consulting 4 March 2024 What’s Going On with Maya and Pilar Check out our own work! Thinking Remote: Inspiration for Leaders of Distributed Teams, a collection of our blog posts. And Maya’s “Out Of The Office: Making the transition to working from home” and “Finding Your Edge: Establishing And Maintaining Boundaries When You Work From Home” Pilar is back on Twitter (X)! Maya’s mainly on LinkedIn, and… during RWE’s LinkedIn’s challenge, Maya posted about Getting Things Done, and got a comment from David Allen on it! Maya is speaking at Bansko Nomad Fest. Use her code for a discount! 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗥𝗪𝗘_𝗯𝗻𝗳𝟮𝟰 Our newsletters: Pilar’s “Spiralling Creativity” https://spirallingcreativity.substack.com/ Maya’s “Remote Echoes” https://mayamiddlemiss.substack.com/ You can message Pilar through the Virtual not Distant website: https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/contact-us and get hold of Maya over at Remote Work Europe: https://www.remoteworkeurope.eu/ .
In today’s episode, Pilar Orti interviews Amale Ghalbouni, a former executive strategy director turned coach. Amale shares her experiences navigating career pivots, rediscovering purpose, and helping individuals and teams foster deep human connections. They talk about the changing nature of work, and the importance of preventing burnout. Find out more about Amale on her website. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Check out The Brick Coach website For a summary blog post, head over to https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts /coaching-and-burnout