As a distributed company with team members across the globe, having a clear and thoughtful remote work policy is essential for us. This article will provide an overview of our remote work policies, outlining our requirements, best practices, and philosophy around enabling location flexibility.
Why We Allow Remote Work
There are many benefits to allowing employees to work remotely. Here are some of the top reasons we embrace location flexibility:
- Access to Top Talent – Being open to remote work means we can hire the best people for the job, regardless of where they are based.
- Increased Productivity – Studies show that remote employees tend to be more productive as they have fewer distractions and interruptions.
- Work/Life Balance – Remote work allows employees greater flexibility in managing their work and personal lives.
- Cost Savings – Having remote team members allows us to save on real estate and office costs.
- Environmental Benefits – Remote work eliminates employee commutes, reducing carbon emissions.
By being a distributed team, we’re able to build a stronger, more diverse company while giving our team members flexibility and autonomy in how and where they work.
Remote Work Requirements
To make sure remote work is successful for our employees and our company, we have a few key requirements:
- Strong Communication – Remote employees must be responsive on communication channels like Slack or email and proactively provide status updates.
- Reliable Technology – Remote workers must have a fast and stable internet connection and computer equipment up to date.
- Dedicated Workspace – Having a dedicated home office or coworking space allows remote employees to stay focused.
- Core Hours Online – We expect remote team members to be available during core team collaboration hours, even if shifted to accommodate time zones.
- In-person Gatherings – Remote staff should make an effort to attend quarterly all-hands meetings and other team events when possible.
While remote work does provide more flexibility, we expect our remote employees to be just as engaged, accountable and collaborative as they would be in an office. Setting clear expectations upfront is key.
Best Practices for Remote Employees
To help our remote employees work efficiently and stay connected to the broader team, we encourage the following best practices:
- Set Up a Dedicated Workspace – Having an office space (separate from your bedroom) helps maintains work/life boundaries.
- Reduce Distractions – Block time in your calendar and use noise-cancelling headphones to minimize disruptions.
- Stay Visible – Keep your camera on during video meetings and interact often on company communication channels.
- Clarify Communication – Don’t assume anything. Re-state next steps and action items to align on expectations.
- Collaborate Asynchronously – Use tools like Slack, email and shared docs so location doesn’t limit teamwork.
- Ask for Help When Needed – Proactively raise your hand if you’re blocked on projects or need additional support.
Following remote work best practices helps foster stronger collaboration and ensures no team members feel isolated or detached from the work and culture of the company.
Manager Guidelines
In addition to providing best practices for individual remote employees, we also outline guidelines for managers of remote teams:
- Set Clear Goals & Expectations – Provide transparency around responsibilities, objectives and work schedules.
- Schedule 1:1s – Have regular 30 minute check-ins to provide feedback and gauge engagement.
- Recognize Great Work – Call out and praise remote employees publicly when their work stands out.
- Build Personal Connections – Take a few minutes for informal chats to get to know your remote reports.
- Encourage Team Bonding – Organize activities virtually or in-person to help remote workers connect with their colleagues.
- Measure Results, Not Hours Worked – Focus on evaluating deliverables rather than time spent online.
With some intentional effort, managers can build cohesive and productive remote teams. It’s important not to “out of sight, out of mind” remote workers and ensure they feel recognized as valued members of the company.
Company Events & Travel
To facilitate team building and collaboration, we host various remote-friendly events and meetings throughout the year:
- All Hands Meetings – Quarterly meetings where our full company gets together for presentations, strategy, networking and social events. We reimburse travel expenses for remote employees to attend.
- Offsite Retreats – Multi-day retreats focused on goal setting, planning and team bonding. These take place 1-2 times per year.
- Team Trips – Optional team trips where departments will coordinate meetups in locations convenient for a majority of members. Travel costs are usually covered.
- Virtual Socials – Remote-friendly events like cooking classes, trivia nights, yoga sessions and more to help employees across locations get to know each other.
While remote work provides flexibility, coming together periodically helps strengthen relationships, alignment and morale.
Remote Work Reimbursement
To cover costs associated with remote work, we provide the following reimbursements and stipends for our remote employees:
Reimbursement | Details |
---|---|
Home Office Stipend | $150/month to help cover home office furniture, supplies, internet costs, etc. |
Coworking Space Membership | 50% of membership costs reimbursed if employee opts to work from a coworking space near them |
Travel for Company Events | Flight, hotel and meal costs covered for in-person all hands and retreats |
Online Learning & Development | Up to $500/year for virtual courses, classes, workshops, conferences, etc. |
Providing stipends and reimbursements helps remote employees be productive and comfortable in their home office environment.
Policy Non-Compliance
To make sure remote work arrangements are mutually beneficial for employees and the company, we expect remote team members to comply with the policies outlined here. If employees repeatedly fail to meet remote work expectations, we will discuss concerns with them directly and try to help get them back on track.
However, if non-compliance continues after coaching and support, we may take disciplinary action such as:
- Transitioning the employee to a more supervised office-based role
- Removing remote work privileges
- Probation or performance improvement plans
- Termination
Our goal is to make remote work successful for all team members. But we will take action with those who do not comply with remote work policies long-term.
Conclusion
Our distributed team and remote work policies play a critical role in attracting top talent, facilitating strong collaboration, and enabling work/life balance for our employees. While remote work does come with unique challenges, we believe the benefits far outweigh the alternatives when executed thoughtfully. We hope this overview provides helpful insights into how we structure location flexibility to empower both our business and our people.