The Remote Work Bootcamp

As we speak, teams of all sizes, in every corner of the world are getting a crash course in remote work. And many aren't passing the test. Technology and data security choices are confusing. Communication feels inefficient. Collaboration is slowing down. Tensions are rising.


At first glance, it seems like a technology challenge. But that's not quite true. The technology can have issues, yes, but it's not the cause of the big, hairy problems that threaten to slow down productivity and innovation as we transition en masse to remote work.

As teams around the world move their work to remote platforms in the coming weeks, they will need to focus on the human element at least as much as they think about the tools and technologies they are using to do their work. As we know in HR, the human stuff is not easy. Our teams and organizations are going to be looking to us for tools, advice, and comfort.

This Program is here to help. It is designed to help HR professionals, your teams, and your organizations get to the heart of these changes together as you navigate THIS public health crisis. But it will also help you develop new practices and habits that will improve the way you and your organization work remotely, long after the crisis has passed.

  • ApproachOnline social learning, teams of 30-50

  • Learning Time4-5 hours

  • Duration5 weeks. Next starting: February 10, 2021
    View Program Schedule

Key Questions You’ll Explore in this Program

What does it mean to work together if we’re no longer in the same place?

How can we help make the transition to remote work less stressful and more effective for our employees and for our own teams?

How do we create space and routine in the world of remote work (and school, and life)?

How can our organization generate trust, build shared norms, and solve real problems while working remotely? What can HR do to help?

Which tools and technologies do we need to work remotely? And how do we agree on norms and rules for those tools and technologies?

How can we best support employees in this moment? And how can we offer hope and reassurance?

Field Manuals

The Remote Work Bootcamp is made up of 5 Field Manuals (our version of an online module). Each one contains a variety of types of content and social exercises culminating in a mini-project, reflection, or debate. Each Field Manual will take you between 30-45 minutes to complete but you can jump on and off at your own pace, as often as you’d like. The deeper learning happens in the discussions with your fellow learners so be sure to check in on the conversations regularly.

Remote + HR

Large organizations with networks of offices or big headquarters are facing particular challenges as their employees are suddenly at home, trying to work, without the support they’re used to. Many of those employees are turning to HR for help with not only how they should be doing their actual work, but also for comfort and guidance through these unprecedented times. This Field Manual looks at how we in HR can help ourselves and our organizations to make this transition quickly, calmly, and with a people-first mentality.

Tools + Rules

Choosing the right tools to power your remote teams is essential, but it’s just the first step. If your teams don’t have clearly established formal rules and informal norms for how those tools are used, chaos can follow. This Field Manual helps make sense of the digital tools you’ll need,asks you to work together to establish how you want to use them, and how you will establish access and standards for the full organization.

Space + Routine

Working remotely forces us into the conundrum of creating space to actually get work done. That’s especially difficult when children are home and distractions are nearly infinite. This Field Manual looks at practical steps you and your team can take to create space and set up effective routines and how HR can help support employees in all circumstances.

Trust + Relationships

Maintaining trust with people you never see in person is incredibly challenging. The best remote teams work hard to help their people build meaningful, trusting relationships anyway. This Field Manual looks at a variety of ways to build or reestablish trust quickly, develop real relationships that last over time, and adopt a series of practices that support the emotional health of a remote team. And, it asks you to think about HR’s critical role in modeling, and sustaining what all of this looks like through a remote lens.

Uncertainty + Resilience

We’re in a period of profound uncertainty with no end in sight. Teams that can adapt quickly and establish a good rhythm of remote working will be more resilient and effective, regardless of what happens next. This Field Manual looks at what that resilience can look like. But it also asks something even harder: What can we be hopeful about right now? How can we cultivate and protect that hope? And, how can HR help others through these challenging times?

Featured Voices

Josh Bersin

Founder and dean of the Josh Bersin Academy

Dylan Thuras

Co-founder & Creative Director, Atlas Obscura

Gretchen Stroud

VP, Talent Development, Hilton

Jessaca Griffin

Independent Producer

Matt Burr

Co-founder and CEO, Nomadic Learning

Samia Kahn

Director, Filmmaker, and Producer

John Hunter

Educator and inventor of the World Peace Game

Larry McAlister

Global HR & Talent Professional

Rich Kaplan

General Manager of Employee Experience and HR Services and Strategic Advisory of the Microsoft Alumni Network, Microsoft

Kerry Rooks

CHRO, Prudential Corporation Asia

This Program is combined with the following Resources:

  • Navigating Remote Communications

  • Organizing for Uncertainty

  • The Distraction Problem

  • A Crash Course in Remote Working

  • The Art of the Stand-Up Meeting

  • Remote Tips: Lunch and Learn

  • Being Human, Virtually

  • Remote Tips: Team Playlists

  • 15 Tips for Productive Conference Calls

  • Remote Tips: Co-Wanderers

  • Parent Hacks: Start with the Conversation

  • Remote Tips: Microsoft Teams

  • Remote Coaching and Feedback

  • The History of Video Calls

  • Leading Remotely

  • Caring for Our Computer-Bound Bodies

  • Fostering Collaboration

  • The Practice of Gratitude

  • Taking Up (Virtual) Space

  • Parent Hacks: Bingo Boards

  • Parent Hacks: Treasure Hunt

  • The 40,000 Person Team

  • High-Performing Remote Teams

  • Staying Connected

  • Getting Resourceful

  • Inside Marriott's Crisis Messaging

  • The Cycles of the Forest

  • Finding the Right Tech Balance

  • How Remote Will We Stay?

  • Hiring Remotely

  • Working through Tensions Remotely

  • Collaboration Tools in Action

  • What Do You Call It?

  • Talking to Your Kids about Work Boundaries

  • Going to Work in the 21st Century

  • Dissecting Basecamp's COVID-19 Comms

  • The Shoe Emergency

  • The History of Conference Calls

  • Innovation Today

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