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Emily @ Grow remote graduation
Put examples in the following categories:
Remote working practices - examples
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Strong Foundations
17
1. The right infrastructure
Security and IT systems - from early days important that the systems for connectivity were secure but non-blocking. We weigh up risk vs friction to doing job (VPNs etc)
Yes
1. The right infrastructure
PTO - Bank holidays - same across all countries, Boundless holidays to mimic public holidays
Yes
1. The right infrastructure
We use Boundless so that ppl are employed compliantly - employees feeling same rights
Maybe
1. The right infrastructure
International systems: Hofy, Soldo, Boundless, EAP, Ergonimics,
Maybe
1. The right infrastructure
Conscious about who is hired and where. I don’t want to create hubs which essentially lead to co-located teams but I do want to encourage connection. This hasn’t been super hard so far but I can imagine it will get harder as we grow.
Maybe
2. Codified Systems
Documentation of processes. Strong Employee Handbook from Day 1 that has built on over time.
Yes
2. Codified Systems
Rituals
2. Codified Systems
Line management is codified - 1-1s, 3-2-1-Ohs, onboarding plans. Now finding a need for a line managers hand book
Maybe
2. Codified Systems
How to work with me manuals
Maybe
2. Codified Systems
establishing processes quickly (e.g. forms for making bank transfers, bug reports etc, all in slack)
3. Flexible By Default
Work from anywhere NOT Work from Home - encourage use of coworking (stipends/expensed). Personal experience on connection to community etc which you lose some of if you’re not working with colleagues in the place that you live
example decision of not putting allowance in the handbook in case a blocker. We want ppl to opt in for co-working for wellbeing reasons. We still have issues with this. Pre Covid vast majority of team were in coworking. Since covid, it’s been about 15-20 of the team only. Ideas on how to improve this
Yes
3. Flexible By Default
Core Hours and working outside of those. Outcome driven rather than tracking time spent (examples of this). Culture of trust I remember Dee apologising to me for something time based super early days and insisting that it can’e be part of our culture to account for time. Get the thing done or not is all that matters. No explanation required for where you are. Letting ppl know you are there or AFK important but as a leader I don’t want a culture where ppl have to explain other movements unless they want to .
Yes
3. Flexible By Default
Demonstrate usage of the flexible working where possible
Yes
3. Flexible By Default
Time off when sick (easy to continue working when you don’t have to commute to an office). Bear hug emoji
Yes
3. Flexible By Default
Allowing working holidays - team members working from Vietnam, South Africa, Canary Islands. We have ppl who spend time in their home country without being limited by annual leave
Yes
3. Flexible By Default
As a manager finding what works for each person on the team. Assumption that you have max 8 ppl reporting to you in the chain. Some dev early risers who would like to have 1-1s early, some late (me). Finding a good compromise with each
Work Life Impact workshop - learning the differences in each others working style
Yes
3. Flexible By Default
No meetings Wednsdays - zoom fatigue & deep work
Yes
The Importance of Onboarding
3
No sub category
Buddy System
Maybe
No sub category
item on my 30-60-90 day plan is to engage in social slack channels. Meet everyone in your first week.
Yes
No sub category
The importance of strong onboarding. harder to know who is who, structure of org etc.
From presentation:
“Develop an immersive virtual onboarding process that introduces new remote employees to your remote-first culture, tools, and expectations of the company.
This sets the tone for their employment with you. Use a tool like Hofy to make sure people get their equipment before they have started and ensure they have the support they need for IT set up.
Tell people in advance what their first day and first week is going to look like - ensure their calendar is pre-populated with all of the necessary calls & meetings to make them feel welcome and connected, and to ensure that they have access to the info & people they need to start to understand the company and their role.
Create a timeline in your HRIS system that gives guidance to line managers for the steps they need to follow.”
Yes
Communication
6
1. Slack
How we communicate - slack etiquette, slack for internal, emails for external, . @-ing etc, you need a moderator
Yes
1. Slack
Writing reminders in slack re - channel communication, thread communication, public communication, camera on, how we run meetings
Maybe
1. Slack
Public comms ver private, private channels over DMS (for work related things) - difficulty in finding things after ppl have left if it’s not been shared in proper channels. Getting DM slack messages is possible as an administrator but it’s not straightforward or fast for that matter. Iv’e had to do it. Continuously remind ppl of this and if I find I’m having a DM convo with someon I’ll often catch it a few messages in and say ‘let’s bring this to product channel’ and have a summary repeat convo there - maybe acknowledge we were talking in DM and have decided to bring it open for others input
Maybe
1. Slack
Slack status important - country, 3rd parties, lunch/holiday/meetings etc
Yes
2. Meetings
Meeting etiquette - camera on, document to focus on, decision making agenda (not alignment)
Anecdote about camera-off behaviour being contagious. Keep on top of it. Also, new ppl stepping into leadership positions useful to be able to coach re meetings
Yes
2. Meetings
Introverts vs extroverts remote: Making sure that introverts get air time - same ppl talk all the time on zoom if left to chance. Schedule/agenda social meetings, call on ppl, have smaller group socials
Yes
Staying Connected
10
1. Online
Culture club, socials
Yes
1. Online
Donuts, slack channels, culture of engagement - item on my 30-60-90 day plan is to engage in social slack channels. Meet everyone in your first week. Emoji use, watercooler topics, pet channels, travel channels
Yes
1. Online
Sharing celebrations in slack - over sharing. It should feel uncomfortabl
Yes
1. Online
Newly introduced channels for Travel and pets, way to connect over a mutual passion over a donut connection
Yes
1. Online
Allignmnet meeting every week, All Hands and Product Demo every month, encouraging other than Product team to present
Yes
1. Online
Rituals - 1-1, 3-2-1-Oh, Line management, culture of feedback (All line managers to consistently ask for it, no waiting until your next 1-1 (which used to be a crutch for me in line managing - would put it on the agenda), bring things up as they arise instead of waitng for them to grow through time, repetition, frustration and resentment) things can go unsaid or addressed when you’ve to overcome to friction of reaching out via slack/zoom. No serendipitous ‘Meant to say....’ etc.
2. In Person
Offsites important. Introvert vs extrovert at an offsite.
Yes
2. In Person
Budget to meet colleagues while not on offsite - teams encouraged to get together. Allowane per person to spend to have coffee/meal/drinks if you are in the same city as a colleague. We try not to have €€ to be the reason why ppl don’t meet
London coworking that came out of it. Alannah and Irina meeting in Vietnam
Yes
2. In Person
Offsites always have a big social element as well as down time
Yes
2. In Person
We encourage individual teams to organise their own smaller offsites
Yes
Presentation template
Emily Profile
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