Move Beyond the RTO vs. Remote Debate: 12 Ways to Create Distributed Teams That Succeed

The return-to-office debate misses a deeper question: how do we design work that actually supports people across time zones, cultures, and lived experiences?

This guide brings together the core work of Inclusion in Progress (2019–2026), drawing on conversations with leaders and teams across more than 40 countries.

Inside, you’ll find:

• 12 Inclusive Distributed Work™ models to help teams collaborate effectively across borders
• The RISE Diagnostic (Readiness, Infrastructure, Strategic Alignment, Evolution) to assess how well your ways of working support distributed teams
• Practical reflections to help you move beyond location debates and toward more human, sustainable ways of working

This is not a prescriptive playbook or a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s an invitation to rethink how work gets done — in a world where distributed lives are the norm, not the exception.

This resource is offered as a pay-what-you-want legacy publication as Inclusion in Progress closes this chapter. Thank you for supporting this work and carrying it forward!