Lorrissa Horton needs to be there for her team, but she also needs to be there for her family. A duality many executives struggle with.

Then the pandemic hit and everything changed. So many companies were forced to go virtual. It was a challenge, but as a result, something shifted—for the better.

Horton, who is senior vice president, general manager, and chief product officer for collaboration at WebEx by Cisco, spoke in a fireside chat at From Day One’s October Virtual conference. She was interviewed by Lydia Dishman, the senior editor of growth and engagement at Fast Company. Working virtually has completely changed Horton’s work-life balance. Obviously she wishes Covid wasn’t a thing, but she can’t ignore the impact remote work has improved her life.

“Now I actually get to see my kids before they go to school, and I actually get to see them after school. And those are things that I cannot put a price on,” she said. “It's led to me not having to pick between being a mom and being an executive.”

But going virtual has changed so much more than work-life balance, she explained. It’s forced many managers to take stock of how they interact with employees. And it’s improved company culture.

The first part of 2020 incited a lot of fear around world events and also technological trials to find what works. But look where things are now, Horton reflects.

“We’re leading a whole new way of working, and it is honestly a much more inclusive way that will give opportunities to folks in places where they may not have had them before,” she said. “I don't think we can go back.”

Certainly, there is much to be said for what collaborating in person can accomplish. Those newer in their careers learn from being physically around those with more experience. The spontaneous hallway conversations that lead to deeper relationships or improved work projects. Those are valuable, Horton says, but companies should be wise about how they go about the in-person discussion. 

“It has to be a magnet, not a mandate, because we've seen mandates go wrong,” she said. “And the question as a company is, what are you doing that makes it worth the commute? What are you doing that makes employees want to come in?”

Dishman asked what Horton would say to those leaders who are used to being in-person. Leaders who believe that physically watching workers is the only way to measure productivity.

Horton replied: “I would say, do you trust the people that you have hired? And if you don't, why is that?” There are other ways of measuring productivity, and that is what changes company culture for the better, she says. 

There must be a stronger definition of expectations and an open conversation of how you are doing. That’s a skillset, she added, which many managers don’t have. It has to be developed. Which is why training is vital to making sure managers can effectively care for their employees, whether they’re in-person or remote.

“One training we did for every manager was around difficult conversations,” Horton said. “That included everything from performance management to other types of difficult situations.” They did role play and were tested on it. “All of them came back saying, ‘I learned something.’”

Horton makes it a point to connect with her team regularly, in scheduled meetings and spontaneously. In between scheduled virtual meetings, she’ll look at who has “green icon” and check up on them. This impromptu one-on-one is what has helped her stay more connected. 

“There is no agenda, it was unexpected. It's equivalent to that hallway meeting,” she said. As a result, they’ve created a company culture that helps managers and employees feel like they are on the same page in many ways. “I know my team. I know their children. I know what hobbies they have, I know what their schedules are, and it still feels just as connected as when we were in the office.”

One of the biggest challenges of remote learning, however, is that being connected may lead some managers or employees to think they have to be available anytime. Not so, said Horton. Certainly there are times when different working hours are required, but it’s important for everyone to set appropriate boundaries. 

That kind of messaging needs to come from the top down, but not just in a memo. Leaders need to show employees how to set boundaries to give examples to employees. If you always respond instantly to every message, that sets a precedent that they should do the same. 

“I block off hours a day with my kids. I tell my team, ‘you don't miss one on ones with me, why are you missing one on ones with the people you love?’” she said. Not everything is urgent, but some things are, and it takes a level of trust that employees will make the right judgment.

Open and clear communication is key. If Horton is thinking about something late at night, she’ll send a message about it, but she’ll add: “You don't have to respond till tomorrow. But I just want to get it off my brain so that I don't forget to ask you this.” 

Burnout is real, and as Horton added, the worst-case scenario for companies is losing their employees. So helping them keep work-life balance, especially remotely, is what creates good company culture that keeps the best people.

Carrie Snider is a Phoenix, Ariz.-based journalist and marketing copywriter.