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?
Organically. It is a very natural work style for both our teachers and internal staff. We also provide the most flexibility compared to the other…
It started day 1. We were an early company to be fully remote (6 years ago), so it is just so natural for us now.…
Organically
Can a remote-friendly company have a healthy culture?
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…
Yes. It’s important to have someone manage the community and for those on the local team to stay aligned on how and when to communicate with…
We host a weekly “Huddle” where the team checks in, gives a quick update on how their week is going, and then answers the weekly…
How do you nurture your company’s culture in a remote work environment?
Our creed includes the statement, “I will communicate as much as possible, because it’s the oxygen of a distributed company.” We communicate through P2s (WordPress.com…
Annual company retreats, weekly Google hangouts (non-work related), and gif battles on Slack.
We love the work but we also know when to have fun and connect. Alongside the two retreats a year, we have our Friday Fikas,…
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.…
You must excel at “human” connection. Dispersed workers still need nurturing. Find ways to reach through the technology and make people feel like people. You…
Keep the company culture top of mind when recruiting your team. Communication and accountability are key. For teams to work efficiently without face-to-face time, you…
What challenges have you encountered building a remote team?
The challenges in terms of managing a remote team relate to communication. So long as you can find ways to keep communication channels open, both…
You have to be very deliberate about how you communicate. You have to communicate more and clearer. That takes some getting used to, but in…
Identifying which staff are doing a great job and which are not.
What are the most effective tools for remote team communication?
XWP relies heavily on Slack and an asynchronous style of communication, which allows us to communicate effectively across 17 time zones.
Everything is communicated over Slack & Trello.
Phone calls are useful. As are group chat tools like Slack, and email too. It’s a mix.
What has changed about how your remote team operates?
As the team has grown we’ve had to introduce a bit more structure which just comes down to subdividing into smaller teams. The smaller teams…
The most noticeable change for me has been the size of the company and the effect that has on team (and inter-team) dynamics. When I…
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…
Currently, we hire only within the UTC-1 to UTC+3 time zones. Our core working time is between 10am-3pm (Berlin time) and during this time everyone…
We offer some flexibility in work schedules so that team members can have somewhat of a normal schedule, but we also require work hours to…