Cultivating a solid remote culture is critical for businesses looking to go global, but it's not easy. Building a team in a new country or timezone requires trust and adaptability to succeed.

Having a remote workforce is doable, in fact, there are many forward-thinking companies that already have a fully remote model. Some key factors that affect remote culture include leadership behaviour, internal communication quality and frequency, and the simplicity of day-to-day processes.

Culture is a common set of behaviours and beliefs. The major difference between local culture and remote culture, is the frequency and visibility of those behaviours and beliefs.

At Newfound,  having a remote culture is part of our DNA, with team members based all across the globe. Because of this, we understand the most common challenges faced by scale-ups when building international teams.

Here we share five best practices for building a positive remote company culture that supports employee well-being, engagement, and productivity:

1. Communicate regularly and transparently

Regular and transparent communication can help alleviate disconnection and ensure everyone is on the same page. Use technology to facilitate virtual check-ins, formal and informal channels for communication, and celebrate milestones and achievements.

Here are some top ways to create consistent team communication:

- Schedule routine virtual check-ins with your team members, and organise face-to-face meetings every four months or as necessary.

- Utilise technology to enable natural office practices, such as 15Five for formal check-ins, easy-to-use tools like Slack's "High Five" for acknowledging colleagues, and dedicated communication channels for recreational topics such as #dogs and #running.

- Concentrate on using a single communication channel that encompasses the whole team, regardless of its platform.

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2. Establish clear guidelines and expectations

Clearly define work hours, communication protocols, and availability to prevent misunderstandings and promote work-life balance.

Having clear frameworks for progression and processes internally will help everyone feel part of the same business, and avoid having different standards for different teams as this can cause resentment and confusion internally.

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3. Foster a sense of community

Remote work can be isolating, so finding ways to foster community among team members is essential. Encourage employees to share personal updates and consider organising remote work trips.

An interesting idea emerging in some organisations (and equally, groups of friends) is arranging work trips, aimed at working from the same location for a week or so, and spending time together when the work-day is done. An example of this would be 5 friends from London going to Italy and renting a villa for the week to work from.

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4. Provide necessary tools and resources

To be successful, remote employees need access to the right tools and resources. Ensure that all employees have the technology and equipment they need to do their job.

Key resources: a reliable internet connection, a comfortable workstation, access to systems, and a clear understanding of where to find resources (an internal, searchable wiki helps). At Newfound we use Notion to share core resources and work on projects together.

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5. Prioritise employee well-being

Burnout is a common challenge in remote work, so it's crucial to encourage regular breaks, provide access to mental health resources, and mandate days off for employees and managers.
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If you're looking to build a global team or need help creating a robust remote culture, get in touch, and we'll be happy to help you on your journey to new markets. Please email me at ty@newfound.global.

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