The Flexibility Revolution with Dessalen Wood, Syntax

The days of mandatory office attendance are (mostly) behind us, but how do you maintain a vibrant workplace culture when your team is scattered across 15+ countries? In this conversation, Dessalen Wood, Chief People Officer at Syntax, reveals the company's innovative approach to workplace flexibility that's become their competitive advantage.Drawing from 25 years of experience across retail, entertainment, and technology sectors, Dessalen shares how Syntax transformed workplace flexibility from a pandemic necessity into a permanent, branded employee experience called "Global Flex." Unlike companies that offered remote work only to later withdraw it, Syntax made a public commitment they couldn't rescind, complete with company-wide town halls, dedicated branding, and clear guidelines addressing when, where, and in which country employees can work.The results speak volumes—Syntax recently earned Great Place to Work certification across all eligible countries with over 80% employee participation. Rather than mandating office attendance, they create meaningful in-person experiences that naturally draw employees in, resulting in growing participation rates year over year. As Wood explains, "The biggest buzzkill for an employee experience is the word 'mandatory'... The word trust and having experts and mandatory cannot be in the same sentence."Dessalen also unpacks the challenges of developing leaders in a global organization, emphasizing that leading across cultures requires far more adaptability than simply managing remote teams. At Syntax, over 50% of leaders manage team members in different countries, necessitating a leadership approach that respects cultural differences while maintaining core company values.Whether you're an HR professional seeking fresh approaches to remote work policies or a leader navigating global team dynamics, this conversation offers practical insights for creating authentic workplace cultures where flexibility enhances rather than diminishes employee engagement. Connect with Dessalen Wood on LinkedIn to continue the conversation about evolving workplace strategies for today's distributed workforce.Support the showFeature Your Brand on the HRchat PodcastThe HRchat show has had 100,000s of downloads and is frequently listed as one of the most popular global podcasts for HR pros, Talent execs and leaders. It is ranked in the top ten in the world based on traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness. The podcast is also ranked as the Best Canadian HR Podcast by FeedSpot and one of the top 10% most popular shows by Listen Score. Want to share the story of how your business is helping to shape the world of work? We offer sponsored episodes, audio adverts, email campaigns, and a host of other options. Check out packages here.Follow us on LinkedInSubscribe to our newsletterCheck out our in-person events