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Work Together Anywhere Book Summary

Name: Work Together Anywhere
Author: Lisette Sutherland and Kirsten Janene-Nelson Wiley

By Lisette Sutherland and Kirsten Janene-Nelson Wiley

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Work Together Anywhere focuses on the benefits of having a remote team, and strategies to overcome challenges like the communication barrier, issues of trust, and fears around productivity. It also offers suggestions for tools to explore to benefit your team. Though focused in large part on management strategies, the book is valuable for all remote employees. It offers practical solutions to common problems, like how to celebrate success with a remote team, how to communicate effectively in different time zones, and how to make meetings efficient and effective for all team members.

Career & Success Management & Leadership

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Though the remote workforce has been growing in the last few years, the coronavirus pandemic has created an urgent need for remote work solutions - and fast! This book explores the benefits and challenges of a remote workforce, the tools you need to work efficiently from a remote office, and an overview of how remote work is a pivotal part of our changing world. Sutherland and Wiley also discuss the personal benefits that can come from remote work. The book offers an overview for not just managers but all remote employees on how to best adapt to a remote working world.

Remote work is rapidly becoming more common, and offering remote work options can benefit employers.

Between 1995 and 2015, the remote workforce has grown considerably, from only 9% to 37% of people in just twenty years. In 2016, nearly half of all employees reported working from home at least occasionally. The ability to work at home is easier than it’s ever been before because of advancements in file-sharing and messaging technology. It’s much easier to stay in touch and access important information from anywhere in the world.

There are many reasons that employers might consider going fully or partially remote. For one, it reduces overhead cost significantly. Studies have shown that companies can save up to $10,000 per worker per year by going remote. Having a remote workforce also has benefits in terms of finding and keeping the best talent. Many top employees want the flexibility of remote work and will gravitate toward companies that offer the option. Finding good talent is also easier if you don't mind hiring a remote employee – going remote opens up your job pool considerably, and can even mean searching the globe for candidates, rather than focusing your search locally. Companies can save money on salaries by hiring remote employees as well – you don't have to pay someone in Kansas as much as you would someone living in San Fransisco or Manhattan.

To successfully go remote, you need the right tools.

Many companies think they can’t work well together without colocating, or sharing an office space. But this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Startups and tech companies have proven for years that amazing products can be created collaboratively by employees located around the world.

The real key to successful remote work is high-bandwidth communication. You need to have an easy way to access and share files, communicate with your team, and connect on an interpersonal level. There are many solutions to these problems, including video conferencing, virtual office software, messaging programs, and more. File-sharing programs make it easy to access what you need when you need it and move files efficiently among team members.

Global teams might find it challenging to work together and manage differences in time zones. For this reason, some teams have started doing north-south, rather than east-west collaboration - for example, someone in New York would work with a team member in Argentina, while team members in…

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Who should read Work Together Anywhere?

Work Together Anywhere is essential for remote managers, team leads, and anyone adapting to distributed work environments. It's equally valuable for individual contributors seeking to thrive in remote roles, as well as business leaders evaluating whether remote work aligns with their organizational goals.

Why does Work Together Anywhere matter?

As remote work has shifted from optional perk to business necessity, understanding how to build productive, connected teams across distances has become critical. Lisette Sutherland and Kirsten Janene-Nelson Wiley provide practical frameworks and tools to help organizations avoid common pitfalls—from micromanagement to meeting fatigue—while capturing the genuine benefits of distributed work, including cost savings, access to global talent, and improved employee satisfaction.

Who is Lisette Sutherland and Kirsten Janene-Nelson Wiley?

Lisette Sutherland is the director of Collaboration Superpowers. She co-founded Virtual Team Talk, a community of more than 500 virtual team managers and enthusiasts.

Kristen Janene-Nelson Wiley is a freelance editor and consultant. She has worked for more than 25 years in book publishing.

What are the key themes in Work Together Anywhere?

Building trust in remote environments
Communication and collaboration across distances
Tools and technology for distributed teams
Measuring productivity by outcomes, not presence
Managing time zones and async work
Creating team culture and camaraderie remotely
Avoiding micromanagement and fostering autonomy
Incremental transition strategies using agile principles

What are the key lessons from the Work Together Anywhere book summary?

Remote work drives significant cost savings
Companies can save up to $10,000 per employee annually through reduced overhead, plus additional savings by accessing global talent pools and paying market-appropriate salaries based on location.
Talent acquisition expands dramatically with remote options
Removing geographic constraints opens recruitment to global candidates, helping organizations attract and retain top talent who value flexibility over traditional office presence.
High-bandwidth communication is the foundation
Successful remote teams require seamless access to file-sharing, real-time messaging, video conferencing, and interpersonal connection tools—not just email.
Trust beats micromanagement every time
Remote managers must trust employees to work productively; constant monitoring actually reduces morale, increases turnover, and wastes management time without improving output.
Outcomes matter more than hours logged
Judging performance by goals met rather than perceived busyness paradoxically increases productivity while helping employees prioritize work effectively.
Celebrate remotely with intentionality
Gift boxes, bonuses, gym memberships, and virtual social events replace in-person celebrations and effectively boost morale when chosen thoughtfully.
Meeting fatigue is real and preventable
Excessive meetings kill productivity in remote settings just as in offices; clear agendas, recorded sessions, and structured participation protocols protect deep work time.
Time zone differences demand creative structuring
Pairing teams on north-south time zones, implementing shift-based schedules, or using async-first communication helps global teams avoid constant overlap expectations.
Incremental change reduces transition risk
Using agile Scrum techniques—making small changes, evaluating results, and iterating—allows teams to adapt to remote work safely rather than attempting wholesale transformation overnight.
Technology alone doesn't create connection
Casual virtual spaces—pet photo channels, book clubs, cooking groups—matter as much as formal communication tools for building team camaraderie.
Remote employees are often more productive
When set up properly with autonomy, clear goals, and right tools, remote workers typically exceed productivity of colocated peers due to fewer interruptions and distractions.
Meeting etiquette prevents chaos at scale
Establishing norms for raising hands, using chat, muting, and having clear agendas transforms virtual meetings from chaotic to efficient.
Right equipment eliminates frustration
High-speed internet, quality webcams, and noise-canceling headphones transform meeting experiences and remove technical barriers to communication.
Communication skills improve in remote settings
Distributed teams must become intentional communicators, learning to articulate needs clearly and read written cues—skills that strengthen overall team dynamics.
Recording meetings expands accessibility
Recording and sharing sessions accommodates different schedules, allows asynchronous catch-up, and ensures no one is excluded by time zone gaps.
Global hiring pools reduce salary costs strategically
Paying market-rate salaries to qualified candidates in lower cost-of-living regions reduces expenses while offering employees fair compensation for their regions.
Feedback loops prevent misalignment
Regular check-ins, goal reviews, and team feedback on processes ensure remote teams stay aligned without requiring constant synchronous interaction.
Patience during transition prevents resentment
When rapid remote transitions are necessary, communicating openly, providing training, and soliciting feedback help teams adapt without panic or burnout.

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How can you apply ideas from Work Together Anywhere?

Implement structured communication tools—video conferencing, messaging apps, and shared document platforms—to create high-bandwidth remote collaboration
Establish clear meeting protocols: required agendas, recording practices, muting standards, and chat-based Q&A to protect employee time
Create informal virtual spaces like Slack channels for pet photos, book clubs, or cooking challenges to build team connection beyond work tasks
Transition to outcome-based performance metrics: track goals met daily, weekly, and monthly instead of monitoring hours or activity
Use agile Scrum methodology when implementing remote work: test new processes in small cycles, evaluate results, and iterate before full rollout
Design role-specific perks like gym memberships or home cleaning services to recognize remote employees thoughtfully
Establish north-south time zone pairings or shift-based schedules to accommodate global teams without requiring everyone online simultaneously
Audit and invest in employee equipment: ensure high-speed internet, quality webcams, and noise-canceling headphones are provided or subsidized

What common mistakes do readers make with Work Together Anywhere?

Assuming remote work requires constant surveillance or micromanagement, which erodes trust and increases employee turnover
Scheduling excessive meetings without clear agendas, creating a calendar full of low-value interruptions that prevent actual work
Failing to invest in proper communication tools or expecting productivity with unreliable technology and poor internet infrastructure
Ignoring informal team bonding and celebrating wins only through formal channels, missing opportunities to build camaraderie in distributed teams

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What is the expert analysis of Work Together Anywhere?

Overview

Work Together Anywhere is a timely and practical handbook authored by Lisette Sutherland, an established expert in virtual collaboration, and Kirsten Janene-Nelson Wiley, a seasoned publishing professional. The book addresses the rapidly evolving landscape of remote work, accelerated by the global coronavirus pandemic, and offers comprehensive guidance for individuals, teams, and managers navigating this new paradigm. Its significance lies in synthesizing both the technological and human elements essential to remote work success, making it a valuable resource amid the ongoing transformation of workplace norms.

Core Thesis

The central argument of Work Together Anywhere is that remote work is not only an inevitable shift in the modern workforce but also a beneficial one when managed with the right tools, trust, and communication strategies. The authors contend that productivity and employee satisfaction can be enhanced outside traditional office settings, provided organizations adopt appropriate technologies, foster interpersonal connections, and implement gradual, agile transitions. Ultimately, the book posits that remote work, far from being a temporary fix, is a sustainable model that can unlock global talent pools and reduce operational costs.

Strengths

Comprehensive Practicality: The book excels in offering actionable advice, from specific software recommendations to nuanced management techniques, making it immediately useful for practitioners.

Balanced Focus on Technology and Human Factors: By addressing both the technical infrastructure and the psychological dynamics of remote teams, the authors provide a holistic view often missing in similar literature.

Inclusivity of Perspectives: It caters to a broad audience—individual contributors, team leaders, and managers—acknowledging the diverse challenges and roles within remote work environments.

Emphasis on Agile Methodology: Advocating for incremental change through Scrum techniques reflects a sophisticated understanding of organizational change management.

Recognition of Cultural and Temporal Diversity: The discussion on managing time zones and fostering interpersonal relationships across distances demonstrates cultural sensitivity and practical awareness.

Critiques & Counterarguments

Overreliance on Technology Solutions: While the book highlights numerous tools, it may understate the complexities of technological disparities among employees, such as inconsistent internet access or varying digital literacy, which can exacerbate inequality.

Idealization of Remote Productivity: The assertion that remote workers are generally more productive may overlook individual differences in work styles, home environments, and the potential for social isolation to undermine long-term engagement.

Limited Engagement with Organizational Culture: The book could delve deeper into how entrenched corporate cultures resistant to remote work might impede the adoption of recommended practices, a factor critical in real-world implementation.

Competing Research on Collaboration: Some studies emphasize the irreplaceable value of spontaneous, face-to-face interactions for creativity and innovation, challenging the notion that virtual communication can fully replicate in-person dynamics.

Potential Oversimplification of Managerial Trust: The call to avoid micromanagement assumes managers can easily shift to outcome-based evaluation, yet this transition often requires profound mindset changes and organizational support that the book only briefly addresses.

Who Should Read This

This book is ideal for managers and team leaders seeking to transition their teams to remote work effectively, as well as individual contributors aiming to thrive in distributed environments. Additionally, organizational strategists and HR professionals will find valuable insights into structuring remote work policies that balance productivity with employee well-being. Its accessible yet informed approach also makes it a useful primer for executives contemplating long-term remote or hybrid work models in their companies.

Frequently asked questions about the Work Together Anywhere book summary

What is Work Together Anywhere about?

Work Together Anywhere by Lisette Sutherland and Kirsten Janene-Nelson Wiley is a practical handbook for remote work success. It covers the business case for remote teams, essential tools and technology, strategies for managing distributed workers, methods for building team culture across distances, and actionable solutions to common remote work challenges like time zone coordination and maintaining trust.

Who should read Work Together Anywhere?

Remote managers, team leads, and organizational leaders evaluating distributed work should prioritize this book. However, it's equally valuable for individual contributors working remotely who want to improve their communication, productivity, and connection to their teams.

What are the main takeaways from Work Together Anywhere?

Key takeaways include: remote work can save $10,000+ per employee annually while expanding talent access globally; trust and outcome-based metrics matter far more than surveillance; high-quality communication tools and clear processes are essential; building team culture requires intentional effort through virtual celebrations and casual connection spaces; and incremental, agile-based transitions work better than sudden wholesale shifts to remote work.

How can managers build trust with remote employees?

Focus on measuring outcomes and goals rather than monitoring activity or hours. Avoid micromanagement, provide clear expectations, offer autonomy in how work gets done, celebrate accomplishments meaningfully, and maintain open communication. Regular check-ins and feedback loops help teams stay aligned without requiring constant surveillance.

What tools are recommended for remote teams?

Work Together Anywhere discusses file-sharing platforms like Google Docs, communication tools for messaging and video conferencing, password managers like LastPass, brainstorming tools like Web Whiteboard, virtual office software, and even physical tools like Rocketbook notepads with digital connectivity. The book emphasizes that the right combination depends on team size, workflow, and time zone distribution.

How can remote teams handle time zone differences?

The book recommends several strategies: pair teams on north-south time zones (rather than east-west) to minimize overlap requirements, implement shift-based schedules where different employees cover different hours, record meetings for asynchronous viewing, and design workflows that don't require constant real-time collaboration. Shift-based approaches allow companies to provide 24-hour coverage while respecting work-life balance.

How do you prevent meeting fatigue in remote teams?

Establish clear meeting agendas, require a specific outcome for each meeting, record sessions for those who can't attend, use chat or hand-raise features to minimize interruptions, and implement meeting etiquette standards. Equally important: actively protect time for deep work by limiting unnecessary meetings and evaluating whether sync meetings are truly required.

What's the best way to transition a team to remote work?

Work Together Anywhere recommends using agile Scrum principles: make changes in small increments, evaluate results before broader rollout, build changes on each other, and include regular check-ins. If emergency transitions are necessary, prioritize clear communication, provide training on new tools, remain patient with the team, and actively solicit feedback on what's working and what needs adjustment.

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