Q: In-office? Remote? Hybrid? What policy works best for your business and your workforce?
Jodi Amendola
President & Co-Founder
Amendola, part of Supreme Group
Sector: Public Relations
Amendola has always been a largely virtual company since its founding 21 years ago. When the pandemic forced companies to go virtual, I embraced the shift, even selling our headquarters in Scottsdale, and our award-winning healthcare/health tech PR and marketing agency became fully virtual. We have team members in 12 states, covering all time zones. We were recently acquired by The Supreme Group, with more than 250 remote employees, which is taking the virtual model and digital marketing platform for the healthcare industry to new heights.
While on-site work environments are becoming more popular again, staying the course with the virtual company approach has enabled us to tap into top healthcare talent nationwide — seasoned strategists, PR and social experts — regardless of location.
Our clients are in a mix of virtual, on-site and hybrid roles. We come together with clients when it really matters — at key in-person strategy meetings, user conferences or industry events.
Every business must evaluate whether remote work supports or hinders its core work product and mission. It’s about strategic alignment, not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Jodi Amendola, co-founder and president of Amendola Communications, is best known as a healthcare PR/marketing leader, change maker, strategist and storyteller. With 30-plus years of experience helping healthcare, health tech and life science organizations shape their narratives, generate market/brand awareness and accelerate sales, she has led campaigns for industry giants to startups, including Cisco, Intel and multiple McKesson business units, among others.
Zander Diamont
Co-Founder
Minimal Living Concepts
Sector: Construction
At Minimal Living Concepts, we’re all about in-person work because we know the best ideas happen when our team is together. Collaboration, creativity and problem-solving thrive in an environment where conversations flow naturally, and projects stay on track. Face-to-face time is what keeps our design, construction and development teams moving quickly and efficiently.
That said, we get that some roles need a little flexibility. For administrative tasks that require deep focus — things like financial analysis, permitting and documentation — we’re cool with one or two remote days a week. It’s all about getting the job done in the most efficient way possible.
But here’s the deal: we don’t believe in babysitting. If someone takes advantage of that flexibility or needs constant oversight, they’re just not the right fit for our team. We trust our people to be accountable and deliver. At the end of the day, we’re here to build incredible homes, and that takes a team that’s locked in, engaged and moving with purpose.
Zander Diamont is co-founder of Minimal Living Concepts, a company focused on revolutionizing and simplifying the new build experience. With an intent to offer the world’s most seamless path to buying new construction online, Minimal Living Concepts has built more than 100 modern guest homes and offers semi-custom luxury home products as well, with transparent packages and pricing.
Kurtis Strauel
Senior Director of HR
Mark-Taylor Residential
Sector: Real Estate
Mark-Taylor prioritizes a balance of in-person partnership and flexibility. Our office-first, hybrid approach promotes real-time collaboration, mentorship and a strong team culture, all essential for delivering exceptional experiences.
Beyond our corporate departments, who work in a hybrid capacity, we have redefined traditional roles to enhance resident and employee experiences. While several community teams work onsite, our Integrated Operations Network has enabled a handful of communities to adopt hybrid operations.
Flexibility is crucial in today’s workforce — improved work-life balance, reduced commute times and elevated well-being lead to a more engaged and motivated workforce.
While fully remote models are normalized, they fall short of the camaraderie and collaboration fostered through in-person interactions. Conversely, requiring team members to be in the office full-time may restrict access to top talent who value flexibility.
By empowering team members to work in ways that support their success and our business objectives, we remain high-performing and connected. As workforce needs evolve, we will continue refining our approach to meet the needs of both employees and the company.
As Senior Director of Human Resources at Mark-Taylor Residential, Kurtis Strauel champions the organization’s most important resource: Its people. He expertly oversees Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, Training & Development, Brand Integrity, and Employee Experience. Strauel’s dedication is reflected in initiatives like onboarding, holistic wellness programming, volunteer time off, corporate social responsibility and signature employee events.
Sandra Torre
Co-President & CFO
LAVIDGE
Sector: Advertising
LAVIDGE is a remote-first full-service advertising agency. The team primarily works from home but meets in person for key meetings, brainstorming sessions and team events. This approach offers the staff the best of both worlds: flexibility for our employees and the efficient collaboration vital to the clients’ success.
It allows us to hire and retain good talent regardless of location; it offers a better work-life balance, allowing employees to structure their days in ways that boost engagement and productivity; and it allows meaningful collaboration when we do meet in person for community volunteer events, company events and in-person meetings.
A flexible model helps us work smarter without rigid office constraints. It’s better for the clients we serve as we can stay agile and responsive, adapting to each client’s specific needs. For instance, we can jump on a virtual call, brainstorm, answer questions and move projects forward in real time without having to factor in commute time or in-office meeting availability.
For us, it’s not about trends — it’s about what works. We’ve built a culture that thrives in this model and, as long as it serves our people and clients, we’re sticking with it.
Sandra Torre is co-president and chief financial officer at LAVIDGE, a Phoenix-based full-service ad agency. As a CPA and CGMA, she has helped grow LAVIDGE since 2003, serving as CFO for the last 15 years. She was named one of two co-presidents in May 2024. In addition, Torre also leads LAVIDGE’s employee volunteer program, IMPACT.
