Working Remotely
140 companies answer 6 questions
Working remotely comes with unique day-to-day challenges. From the initial step of implementing remote policy to nurturing company culture while operating remotely, we ask leading remote companies to share how they approach running their distributed teams from an operational level.
How did you implement a remote work policy?
Early on it was very organic, but as we’ve scaled we’ve experimented with just enough formal policy to ensure we’re retaining the remote culture we…
Our work policies are more organic than formal. Part of the reason we love remote work is because we can work whenever and wherever we…
Because we have always been mostly remote-based it wasn’t necessarily a policy that had to be implemented – it’s just how we have always worked…
Can a remote-friendly company have a healthy culture?
Absolutely. The keys for us have been maintaining ongoing, open communication as a group, whether by Whatsapp, instant chat, email, Skype and phone, and ensuring…
Absolutely. In fact, in order to have a successful remote force, it’s vital to have a healthy company culture to keep employees inspired and working…
Absolutely, any company can have a healthy culture if they nurture it well. We try to foster foster a strong performance-based culture by having a…
How do you nurture your company’s culture in a remote work environment?
We do very regular team calls, and we have a “virtual water cooler” room in Slack where we talk about anything not related to work;…
Our online forum is an important part of our company, a place where everyone can share ideas and chat—a virtual water cooler, if you will.
Our head of community in the U.S., Kevyn Klein, is critical for this process. She understands our teachers so well because she talks to them…
What advice would you give to a team considering to go remote?
Success as a virtual organization or company that allows remote work really is about supporting each employee’s career, no matter what stage they are in.…
For companies forming from day one, I would start incorporating remote work immediately. Attempting to move a centralized business to a distributed one is incredibly…
Stop considering and take the leap! We started out as a remote team and we didn’t look back. We think the numbers speak for themselves:…
What challenges have you encountered building a remote team?
Getting everyone on the same page! Since we don’t “see” each other on a consistent basis every day, we have to constantly be thinking about…
For Doist, it has been a very natural, organic process. We have always been remote-first, so it is integrated into our company’s DNA. Nevertheless, as…
Developing a high level of trust and collaboration with people who are half-around the world. It’s a challenge, but it’s possible, and as the various…
What are the most effective tools for remote team communication?
We utilize Zoom.us for weekly all hands, and individual teams hold their own weekly Zoom standups. Everything else is in Slack. We dislike phones and…
By asking questions and saying things, rather than quietly wondering if they should speak up. Asking questions is encouraged and it’s how we’ve all grown…
Communication is key on our teams. We use Slack as a central hub for daily communication, with clear channels to help team members know what…
What has changed about how your remote team operates?
As Trello has grown, we’ve had to implement various other communication tools. For example, we have a weekly “Company Overview” board, where we update projects…
As we grow, we build out more processes and planning. Done wrong, this could equal bureaucracy. Done right, these systems help us function despite not…
Adding more remote employees during this time of growth can create some challenges, but we try to get together in person twice a year to…
How does your team address different time zone challenges?
First, establishing ahead of time when team members will be available. Second, hiring individuals who are willing to be flexible when necessary to coordinate with team members…
We make sure everyone coming on board understands the different time zones. We work together to identify when the majority of workers are available and…
Our team works asynchronously and communicates largely via Slack, which keeps us organized across 17 time zones. Keeping an up-to-date shared calendar is also very…