Lisa Calicchio
SVP and Chief Human Resources Officer
WCG
Episode 161
Remote Revolution: Intentional Leadership Transforms Talent Acquisition & Engagement
Current chapter: Dave: I'm excited to welcome Lisa to the Built by People podcast
Built By PeopleJune 3, 2025 · 10:30
Thesis
“A fully remote work model, while initially challenging, unlocks significant talent advantages and can drive increased employee engagement and productivity when anchored by strong people leadership, intentional connectivity strategies, and a culture of continuous learning and adaptation.”
Show notes
When WCG went fully remote at the start of the pandemic, Lisa Calicchio didn't expect it to become a permanent competitive advantage. Half of WCG's employees now live nowhere near a former office — and engagement has spiked, not fallen.
Lisa, SVP and Chief Human Resources Officer at WCG, has spent decades in HR developing an instinct she'd describe as "opportunistic and adaptable." In this conversation, she unpacks what it actually takes to run a thriving remote-first organization: the foundational people leadership practices that keep distributed teams cohesive, the "Stay Connected, Thrive Remotely" playbook WCG built from scratch (believed to be the first of its kind in the industry), and the wellness programming that's proven most effective at combating isolation without feeling performative.
The lesson isn't that remote work is always better — it's that the companies who invest in intentional connection strategies gain access to a broader, deeper talent pool and build a culture that employees genuinely want to stay in. Lisa's advice is deceptively simple: do the classics well and consistently, but never stop benchmarking what's working elsewhere.
- Why going fully remote expanded WCG's talent pool — and why geography-blind hiring changes everything about your candidate funnel
- The manager as "hub and linchpin" — why consistent 1:1s and check-ins are the non-negotiable foundation of remote team health
- How WCG built its remote work playbook — from no-budget activities to marquee events, and why they made it modular enough for any leader to use
- Virtual wellness weeks that actually work — combining physical and mental health programming to address the loneliness factor head-on
- Onboarding new hires into a remote culture — and how to replicate the serendipitous connections that used to happen in hallways
- The benchmarking mindset — why what works for one company's culture requires real tweaks before it works for yours
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What you'll take away
- 1Embracing a fully remote model can significantly increase access to a broader and deeper talent pool by removing geographical limitations.
- 2Foundational people leadership practices, such as consistent manager check-ins, are irreplaceable for maintaining team connection and engagement in a remote environment.
- 3Proactive, structured initiatives like 'wellness weeks' (virtual, focusing on physical and mental health) are effective in combating loneliness and fostering well-being among remote employees.
- 4Developing a comprehensive 'remote work playbook' with diverse activities (from no-budget to marquee events) provides actionable guidance for leaders and individual contributors to foster connectivity.
- 5Continually benchmark and adapt remote work strategies, recognizing that what succeeds in one organizational culture may require significant tweaks for another.
What most organizations get wrong
- •WCG did not experience a dip in productivity after going fully remote; instead, they observed 'spikes in engagement' and candidate conversion rates, challenging common concerns about remote work's impact on output.
- •Initially, going fully remote was not Lisa Calicchio's choice, yet the company found unforeseen advantages, suggesting that unexpected transitions can lead to positive, adapted outcomes.
In Lisa's words
“I would probably describe it now that I look back at it decades later as opportunistic and adaptable.”
This quote describes her career journey and sets a tone for her flexible and responsive approach to HR strategy.
“One of the big aha moments was the increase in the breadth and depth of talent that we had access to by not having physical borders on our company.”
This highlights a significant and unexpected benefit of transitioning to a fully remote work model.
“The manager is the hub and the linchpin of what holds teams together.”
This emphasizes the critical role of managers in fostering connectivity and preventing isolation in remote teams.
“Our remote work playbook... To our knowledge, this is the first of its type that's in existence, at least in our industry.”
This showcases WCG's innovative and custom-built solution to maintaining culture and connection in a remote setup.
“Do the classics well and consistently, but always have an open mind and be benchmarking what's going on around you.”
This offers balanced advice on the importance of foundational HR practices combined with continuous innovation and external awareness.
The problems this episode addresses
- •Organizations struggle to preserve unique company culture and foster digital engagement in a fully remote environment without physical interaction.
- •New hires face challenges integrating into remote cultures, especially those with no prior office experience or those missing serendipitous in-person connections.
- •Remote employees can experience increased loneliness due to the absence of organic, informal workplace interactions.
- •People leaders often lack clear expectations or effective strategies for maintaining team cohesion and engagement in a remote setting.
In this episode
Dave: I'm excited to welcome Lisa to the Built by People podcast
Lisa on The Built by People Podcast
Transition to a remote work environment significantly improved team productivity and morale
WGC Group's Remote Work Environment
Lisa, can you tell us about the biggest challenges you faced implementing a remote work culture
The Challenges of Implementing a Remote Work Culture
WCG has implemented innovative strategies to combat loneliness and foster connectivity among remote employees
WGC Group's Remote Work Strategy
Lisa, what parting advice would you like to share with our community
In the End: Lisa Hewitt
Topics covered
Organizations and entities mentioned
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