Building Inclusive Communities in Global Teams (Juan Pablo Carstens)
Release Date: 06/10/2025
Freedom of Work 2025: Voices That Shaped Work
Freedom of Work
As we wrap up 2025 on the Freedom of Work podcast, we reflect on the conversations that shaped how we think about building companies in a remote-first world. This season features founders, people leaders, neuroscientists, and operators exploring the real challenges behind remote work, AI at work, people operations, psychological safety, learning and development, and building culture across time zones. A consistent insight emerged: while AI can automate for speed, human connection is still essential for alignment. The companies doing this well are balancing automation with empathy, global scale...
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What 300 HR & People Leaders Reveal About Global Hiring Trends
Freedom of Work
In this episode, we delve into the findings from our 2025 Global Hiring Report, which is packed with insights from over 300 HR and People leaders across the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Brazil. We explore the real challenges and exciting opportunities companies face when building and managing distributed teams worldwide. Tune in to discover why talent shortages hit larger companies hardest, how Latin America is emerging as a top talent destination (even if leadership teams are still warming up to it), and the steep learning curves small tech companies are navigating in global hiring. We’ll...
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The Secret Currency of Top Talent (Hudson Brock at AlloHire)
Freedom of Work
Host Leah Cottham sits down with Hudson Brock, CEO and Founder of AlloHire, to explore what truly sets top talent apart in today's rapidly changing work environment. Hudson shares his framework for identifying A players through three key traits that go far beyond traditional resume screening. The conversation dives into how AI is reshaping recruiting processes while emphasizing why human connection remains essential for emotional career decisions. Hudson introduces the concept of vocational capital and building career equity, explaining how the best talent views work as adding value to...
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AI Won’t Kill Remote Jobs It Will Supercharge Them (Marissa Goldberg)
Freedom of Work
Host Leah Cottham sits down with Marissa Goldberg, founder of Remote Work Prep, to explore how AI is reshaping remote team management without replacing human workers. Marissa brings years of experience building AI powered operational solutions for distributed teams and shares practical insights from her journey since 2015. The conversation tackles common misconceptions about remote work productivity and reveals how overwork is actually more prevalent than underwork in remote environments. Marissa breaks down her human centered approach to AI adoption, emphasizing the importance of starting...
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What Happens When Remote Teams Ignore Culture (Renita Käsper)
Freedom of Work
Leah Cottham sits down with Renita Käsper, a global talent acquisition leader with 20 years of experience building multicultural teams across Asia Pacific, Europe, and beyond. Renita shares why cultural intelligence has become essential for remote leaders managing distributed teams and explains the critical difference between hiring globally and actually setting teams up for success. The conversation explores how unintentional systems and processes can silence diverse voices, even when companies have good intentions about building inclusive teams. Renita walks through real examples of...
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Bridging AI and Humanity in the Future of Work (Katie Murphy x Knex)
Freedom of Work
Explore how AI is transforming hiring, team building, and leadership—and where human expertise still matters. Katie, a fractional COO and startup founder, shares practical lessons for leaders navigating the AI era. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to use AI as a tool, not a replacement, for tasks like candidate screening and data analysis Why building your processes manually first is essential before automating The rise of fractional leadership and its impact on startups The critical role of emotional intelligence in orchestrating humans and AI How to operate with intention,...
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The Most Overlooked Culture Strategy in Remote Work (Gina Schinkel)
Freedom of Work
Host Leah Cottham chats with Gina Schinkel, founder of Driftawave, about how the future of work demands mission-driven leadership and strategic team retreats. From her journey at LinkedIn to launching a company that builds transformational offsites, Gina shares how remote teams can create genuine connection and measurable business results. They break down ROI metrics, debunk common CEO misconceptions about offsites, and explore why trust beats control in building thriving distributed teams. Key topics covered: [00:00] Intro [03:21] Mission Driven Leadership for Remote Teams...
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Rethinking Your Talent Philosophy As Your Strategy (Marianne West)
Freedom of Work
Find out how a values-driven talent philosophy can transform your hiring process, strengthen culture, and improve retention. You’ll learn why behaviors often matter more than skills, how to align employer branding with candidate experience, and the risks of rushing to fill roles. Plus, practical tips on building inclusive hiring systems, fostering curiosity and trust, and supporting internal mobility - especially in remote and distributed teams. What you’ll learn: How to define and apply a value-led talent philosophy Why behaviors can outweigh skills in long-term success Ways to...
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Crafting People Experiences Like Product Features (Selina Purdie)
Freedom of Work
In this episode of Freedom of Work, host Leah Cottham sits down with Selina Purdie, Head of People at Monolith AI, to explore how people teams can borrow principles from product management to design intentional employee experiences. Selina shares her unique journey from scientist to people leader, explaining how she applies data-driven thinking to map employee touchpoints, build public roadmaps, and identify friction points throughout the employee lifecycle - from attraction to exit. Together, Leah and Selina dive into real-world examples, from redesigning performance management for remote...
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Leading Transformation Without Losing Human Connection in Remote Work (Rita Batalha)
Freedom of Work
80% of transformation programs fail - often because they overlook the human element. In this episode of Freedom of Work, Leah chats with independent program director about how remote and distributed teams can lead transformation projects that actually stick. From radical transparency and agile pods to psychological safety and change agents, they explore what it really takes to build meaningful, lasting change across borders and time zones. Topics Covered: Why most digital transformations fail Embedding psychological safety in remote teams Change agents, fireside chats, and decentralized...
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- What does belonging look like in a global team?
- Why do some teams struggle, and how can you turn stumbles into success?
- Discover fun strategies, from Slack coffee bots to emoji check-ins, that bridge distances and foster genuine inclusion.
- Learn to create those crucial "water cooler moments" that boost morale and retention.
- Get tips on optimizing async communication without overwhelming your team. 6666
Building a strong remote community isn't accidental; it's intentional.
Tune in and let's revolutionize the way we work, together!