Managing Remotely

Yes, but they are different. We have regular meetings where we expect people to do their synchronous work. We also promote “core hours” 7-10 a.m.…

No.

We try to avoid too many emails, instead using Trello to communicate, Skype for IM, Jing for training, etc. On weekdays due to the timezones…

No, we did try to do meet-and-greet lunches in various locations. There was little to no interest since those who work remote do this for a…

Yes, we do. This is critical for us. First of all, you need to have a clear agenda with what you want to achieve during the…

At our team meetings, we do organize loads of stuff, which are fun and supports team building. Most of the time we are away for…

Yes, whenever we can. Typically 3-5 times a year.

Minimum twice a year for summer and Christmas Event

We organize team gatherings three times per year (when it’s safe to do so) where we all meet and work together, but also have fun…

Depends on the roll, but in most cases it becomes very clear who is productive and who isn’t.  For engineers github is key.  

Through project management and time tracking tools.

As a fully remote company, we’re results-oriented by necessity. We’ve identified key metrics for most of our team that allow us to see results, and…

Creating patterns around internal communication, being intentional with scheduling connection and investing in retreats and in-person time.

Trust is absolutely essential. We are a team of colleagues and hire some of the best talent in the world. If you don’t trust the…

Truly, a distributed company operates with all the same leadership dynamics and laws of physics a traditional, co-located company does. Culture matters first and foremost.…

Balancing socializing in a virtual workspace with not working in a silo. When working remotely, it’s so easy to either block out everything and become…

The toughest part about managing a remote workforce is making sure everyone feels connected to the team and culture of Appirio. We work very hard…

Making sure people are consistently aligned with the mission.  People can start to lose track as they get heads down on the day to day…

Clear and precise communication, including town hall meetings, fireside chats, e-learning training sessions, and reward programs reinforcing performance.

We strongly believe that face-time is critical to keeping our remote team happy, engaged and productive. Many of our team members are in sales roles,…

Nearly all of our meetings are conducted through video chat. The face-to-face time helps people connect with their team members and build rapport. We’ve got…

We let everyone choose their own devices, computers and operating systems, and reimburse a set amount for each employee every 3 years.  We do have…

We provide equipment to our remote employees.

We supply everyone a laptop, which they must use for their day-to-day work.  Phones and tablets are personal and must be password-protected if they are…

We have an open time off policy, which translates to take the time off that you need. We ask each person to discuss time off…

We have a minimum vacation policy at Buffer where we ask employees to take at least 15 days off every year, in addition to whichever…

Everyone has a set amount of days per year that they can use as they like.

Trust is a big fear and challenge. At the end of the day, as a business owner of a remote team, you aren’t there to…

I had no real fears of managing remote workers, but I always am cautious to ensure I communicate regularly and that my virtual door is…

My biggest fears were around not being able to manage work output, and not having clarity into someone’s projects. For the first 6 months this…