In conversations with our clients, our main challenge often isn’t convincing them to hire our services, but rather helping them understand the myriad benefits of breaking the 20 km hiring radius and recruiting talent from around the world.

Imagine being able to hire the ideal candidate with the necessary skills and competencies, and who fits perfectly with your work culture. How many opportunities are we missing if we limit our search radius to 20 km?

In this article, we will focus on explaining the fundamental pillars to create remote teams successfully. Often, failures in establishing remote teams end with leaders stating, «Our team can’t work remotely.»

First, it’s important to understand that the strategy for implementing and managing remote teams starts with having leaders who have remote experience or think «out of the box» to embrace this type of «new wave.» Seeking help from companies or professionals experienced in creating remote teams, like Remote and Talent, is crucial. However, you should also have basic knowledge to pivot to remote work successfully and benefit from the numerous advantages this opportunity offers.

In a previous post, «Analysis on the Effect of Remote Work on Productivity: Does it Improve or Decline?», we analyzed how productivity can increase with remote work. But beyond definitive statements and articles supporting this work system, the first point a leader must consider to embark on remote work is the mindset:

Remote Mindset

The Remote Mindset is more than just a Notion handbook; it’s a lifestyle, a way of viewing work within family and social balance, a new chain of values based on well-being, self-responsibility, motivation, communication, transparency, and teamwork rather than subordination, and personal and professional growth aligned with the organization’s culture and mission.

There’s little written about this in textbooks, so we recommend reading handbooks from companies like Gitlab or Remote, and researching articles from companies like Zapier, ClientScout, or Remote and Talent.

Remote Tech Stack

The Remote Tech Stack refers to the set of software tools needed to implement your remote team methodology. Just as factories needed machines a hundred years ago, today’s teams need cloud-based software to operate efficiently.

A remote stack should include tools for communication, document management, time management, meetings, etc. Any leader must have digital knowledge or professionals with this background to lead an efficient remote strategy through their tech stack.

OKR Methodology

The OKR (Objectives and Key Results) methodology has helped companies like Google and Netflix transform the planet, not through their original ideas but through their execution.

The OKR methodology is a system for building measurable and achievable objectives that align with the company’s vision. It involves setting rules that transform into company-wide objectives measured through key results. Each team member has their own OKRs, aligned with the company’s mission and established through SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound).

Onboarding Process

The onboarding process is crucial for transitioning a team from in-person to remote, as well as introducing new talent to your company. A remote onboarding strategy should be clear and professional, based on the following pillars:

  • Start Fast: Onboarding should be short and intense. A prolonged, uncomfortable process is useless, and talent seeks to adapt quickly to change.
  • Set Up Technology Before the Start Date: Providing necessary tools from day one reduces stress for new talent and aids in job adaptation.
  • Create a Connection with the Company Before Onboarding: New hires appreciate transparency and preparedness. A kick-off meeting before the start date and access to company information (e.g., company handbook) help.
  • Establish Solid Relationships: In a virtual environment, organic and spontaneous relationship building is challenging. Creating environments that facilitate cooperation and communication among colleagues is essential.
  • Set Clear Expectations: Publicly sharing the company’s mission, vision, and objectives with new hires is crucial. Assigning a team member to mentor new employees on these aspects ensures long-term success.
Flexible Hours and Asynchronous Work

A global team operates across different time zones, meaning that during your work hours, colleagues may not be available to help solve common problems or provide information.

Flexible hours do not imply working fewer hours or overworking; they mean working the necessary hours in the most optimal way for the company and especially for the employee. This approach ensures more productive, efficient, and effective work hours.

Additionally, this shift introduces the concept of asynchronous work. Communication through Slack, reporting, and meeting recordings can help teams work asynchronously. At Remote and Talent, we have taken asynchrony to another level, implementing it with clients and talent by using interview recording tools and technical test platforms, allowing talent worldwide to participate in the interview process without our team being online.

Recognize Achievements and Share Goals

In a remote model, rewarding should replace punishment. Self-responsibility requires courage to share achieved results and seek tools for continuous improvement, compensating and acknowledging successes.

Dynamic practices allowing team members to share their achievements and adjust goals based on their difficulty are important. The OKR methodology must be supported by an easy-to-use and understandable framework for the entire team.

Recognizing achievements is synonymous with happiness, which, in turn, retains top talent. A good recognition program ensures high talent retention rates.

Communication and Daily Meetings

Facilitating channels that promote communication not only about work but also to strengthen interpersonal relationships is necessary for fostering communication within your team. Daily asynchronous or synchronous meetings are important for remote work environments, providing visual connection and a sense of companionship. Daily meetings keep the team updated, while weekly meetings review the week’s progress.

These are some of the main pillars for successfully creating remote teams. However, returning to the starting point, remote work is a mindset requiring continuous research and improvement. Adapting to new challenges and connecting with the best talent requires significant resource investment, viewed by future-changing companies as a necessity rather than a novelty.

If you need assistance in this challenge, at Remote and Talent, we are dedicated to creating remote teams. We will help make the path easier and overcome unforeseen obstacles along the way.