Ranya Nehmeh on Building Culture in a Hybrid World

Coffee with Jon - Think Big. Get Unstuck. Grow Your Business · Jun 25, 2026 · 21m

I sat down with Ranya Nehmeh, HR strategist, professor, and author of In Praise of the Office.

Our conversation reinforced what I've been hearing from many clients lately.

HR today isn't just policies or processes.

-It's culture.

-It's learning.

-It's how people actually develop in a distributed world.

HR is a strategy now

-Culture, development, and psychological safety—all part of the role.

The hybrid has to be designed

-Onboarding, mentoring, and collaboration don't happen by default.

If people come in only to sit on Zoom, something's off.

Leaders set the tone

-Presence, learning, and…