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Building a thriving remote work culture Acceleration Partners is a business marketing company that has been working entirely remotely since it began 13 years ago, and has now grown to 177 employees worldwide. Robert Glazer, founder and CEO of Acceleration Partners, shares his best advice on how to create a thriving and productive company culture when your team does not share an office space.
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emote work has been a key topic for years, but it is particularly urgent today, as the spread of the coronavirus is forcing companies as large as Amazon, Microsoft, and Twitter to telework. While some employees expect to thrive working remotely, others fear they’ll feel isolated or unmotivated to work in their own homes. Managers worry about keeping a team motivated and effective without daily face time in the office. Our company, Acceleration Partners, knows the benefits of remote work. Our
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entire organisation has worked remotely since its founding in 2007, and as we’ve expanded to 177 employees in eight different countries. We’ve even been recognised with numerous awards for our industry performance and company culture, and we believe this is because of our remote culture, not despite it. While transitioning a team to a remote environment isn’t always easy, most businesses can excel under these circumstances if they follow certain practices. Speaking from over a decade of experience leading an award-winning remote culture, here are the keys to success.
Hire the right people It’s obvious but crucial: You cannot build a successful remote business without hiring employees who excel in that environment. If you’re hiring remote employees, you should consider that environment a key point in evaluating whether a candidate is the right fit for your organisation. We’ve made our remote work policy a part of our interview process. This includes asking candidates if they’ve considered how they’d make the adjustment. It also involves reminding candidates that not everybody thrives working from home and ensuring applicants are aware of this before accepting the job. Remote companies shouldn’t promise applicants they’ll love working from home and dismiss any concerns out of hand. A key driver of any effective culture is an honest hiring process – businesses need to be clear with candidates about what they value and what they expect, allowing applicants to candidly consider whether that culture fits their needs. Beyond that, screen for certain candidate traits. Ask interviewees: Do they have trouble setting their own schedule and staying disciplined? Are they self-
