Aug 27, 2017 · 2 min read
Hi Claire
Really well done. I’m the CEO of a globally distributed startup and I can relate to every one of those points. Here are some of the things we do at Vervoe, which are largely complementary to the great points you made in the article:
- We want people to be themselves and continue to do what they love outside of work. That means letting people choose their hours.
- Every two weeks the entire team has a call and we only discuss two things: new ideas and things we need help with. That way, we make sure everyone has an opportunity to raise issues or ideas and it doesn’t turn into a workflow meeting.
- We have a policy of “just do it, and apologize later” to make sure people aren’t held up due to time zone constraints. We want people to feel empowered and supported to get things done.
- When we hire, we involve the whole team, regardless of role. This isn’t unique to remote working but it’s super important. We look for people who will ADD to our culture rather than just fit in. So we ask ourselves whether who we have today plus the new hire will combine for something even better.
- Also re hiring, I find Angel List to be a good place to find people with a startup mindset. I wrote a short article on how to hire your first remote team member, which may be helpful to some people.
- Notwithstanding the need to write well, I also make sure I have “face time” (phone or video) with everyone regularly. It breaks down the barriers and reignite chemistry. As we grow, that will get harder but I’ll continue doing that with key people.
Great work!
Thanks,
Omer
