I work at Vivian, a healthcare hiring platform that puts healthcare professionals first. I get to do the fun work as the Director of Candidate Marketing. My role is all about getting candidates to sign up and use our resources to help them find their dream jobs. Think of it as LinkedIn for nurses.

How big is it?‍

Today, I lead one full-time teammate. I also manage a few part-time contractors and agency partners.

‍Where are your teammates located?‍

They are as close as 100 miles away and as far as 3,000 miles away. One of our teammates famously likes to travel—she’s in Mexico right now.

‍What does your team do? What are you responsible for?‍

We are responsible for all things candidate & community. We manage our brand presence, social media, influencers & affiliates, referrals, community, and helpful candidate-focused content. I also work closely with our design team and outside partners on creative campaigns, which is my favorite part of my job.

Simply: the human touch. Working from home provides an incredible opportunity for flexibility and freedom, but it runs the risk of feeling disconnected or alone. So, I take the time (almost) every morning to say hi to my teammates via Slack, just as I would have if we were in the office. Once in a while, I will ask if we can turn our one-on-one time into just a chat with coffee. I find that moments to socialize are really beneficial to the health and happiness of my team. It also feeds my mental health and happiness too!

People will feel most happy and engaged if they feel connected to the work they are doing and feeling valued for the work they are doing. There’s no tool or quick fix to providing your team with meaningful support to help them accomplish their goals and grow in their role. Remote or not, the biggest thing you can do as a manager is to create an environment in which your team can thrive. From removing obstacles to providing thoughtful feedback, creating a supportive space is an active job that’s never done.

The usual suspects: 

Zoom fatigue, sharing information in a clear and productive way, and of course, finding spaces to have some fun and get inspired. 

Creative inspiration is particularly important in marketing, and being remote can make that challenging. If I do one more brainstorm with digital PostIt notes… Just kidding. But it does take its toll. Finding ways to make brainstorming interesting and productive is an ongoing challenge.

Lame answer, but casual coffee breaks. It doesn’t need to be some fancy activity to get people engaged. Plus, there’s an added benefit of actually being able to chat and connect.

“Everyone will have 30 seconds to go and find the weirdest thing in your house. Hold it up. Winner gets [SOMETHING]”

Then you give people a chance to say what they grabbed. It is so much fun, and even the introverts feel comfortable laughing about showing something funny or interesting that they love.

It might sound like an old-school answer, but I love the Harvard Business Review. They offer really thoughtful and relevant articles about what it means to be a leader!