High-Performance Remote and Distributed Teams Randy Shoup VP Engineering Technology @randyshoup
Background Technology @randyshoup
WeWork’s Distributed Technology Teams Montréal New York Salt Lake City Seattle San Francisco Shanghai Palo Alto Singapore Tel Aviv Technology @randyshoup
Remote is … Technology @randyshoup
You do not often interact face-to-face with the people that you work with -- Dave Copeland, The Effective Remote Developer Technology @randyshoup
Organizations that are able to make remote working patterns effective will have a significant and growing competitive advantage. -- Martin Fowler, Remote versus Co-located Work Technology @randyshoup
Remoteness Spectrum Single site Multiple sites Remote-first Technology @randyshoup
Remoteness Spectrum Single site Multiple sites Remote-first (1995-2006) Technology @randyshoup
Remoteness Anti-patterns Centralized Site HQ + control Satellite Remote Technology @randyshoup
1. Hiring and Onboarding Technology @randyshoup
Talent is evenly distributed; opportunity is not. Technology @randyshoup
People Benefits Hire Across Geographies Diversity and Inclusion Retention • Draw talent from entire nation / world • Flexible location and work hours • Location • Supply and Demand • Geographic and cultural diversity • Employee Satisfaction • Parallel Hiring • Neurodiversity • Productivity • Geographic Hedge Technology @randyshoup
People Challenges Local Hiring Local Compensation Local Regulation • Local recruiting norms • Local market compensation • Regulation • Local labor laws – hire, fire, severance • Local compensation norms • Taxation “nexus” • Local benefits – medical care, pension • Local market currency fluctuations Technology @randyshoup
Onboarding Onsite Mentor / Buddy System Structured Onboarding • Cohort bonding • Role / team mentor • Structured program • Company / team culture • Culture mentor • Recorded Deep Dives and introductions • WeWork Developer University Technology @randyshoup
2. Employee Productivity and Health Technology @randyshoup
Productive Workspace Infrastructure Physical Space • Video • Comfortable desk, chair, etc. • Audio • Home office • Internet Connectivity • Coworking space :-) Technology @randyshoup
Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule Meeting Standup Meeting Meeting WORK Meeting Meeting Meeting Meeting Meeting Meeting WORK Meeting Meeting -- Paul Graham, Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule Technology @randyshoup
Time Management Flow Time Setting boundaries • Respect maker – manager schedules • Meetings at “breaks” • Develop a productive routine • Office Hours • Do Not Disturb • Consciously manage interrupts Technology @randyshoup
Employee Benefits Geographic Flexibility Work-Life Balance Productivity • Location • Integrated home and work • Flow time • Commuting • Caregiving • Personalized work environment • Proximity to family, etc. • Time flexibility These benefits also apply to HQ employees, too! Technology @randyshoup
Employee Challenges Geographic Flexibility Work-Life Balance Productivity • Regular travel • Integrated home and work • Static work environment • No commute == no exercise • Time management • Solitude and Isolation • Mental health and social connection Technology @randyshoup
Managing Remote Teams Remote Managers Structure Management Behaviors • Empathy • Clarity on goals, outcomes, priorities, tasks • 1:1s are sacrosanct, both direct and skip- level • Career advancement • Written communication • Not a status meeting • Set an example • Time management and accountability • Praise in public, correct in private Technology @randyshoup
3. Leveraging Remoteness Technology @randyshoup
Full-Stack Teams Idea Development Quality Operations Idea Development Quality Operations Idea Development Quality Operations Technology @randyshoup
Business / Domain Alignment ● Aligned around a business problem ○ Clear goals and metrics … ○ … that matter to customers! <Business Domain> Well-defined area of responsibility ● ○ Single application / service or set of related applications / services Technology @randyshoup
Leveraging Remote Teams All Local OR All Remote Work Distribution • Single team is in a single site OR remote- • Local autonomy and control first • No global “primary” • Product Area can span sites; team cannot Technology @randyshoup
Leveraging Remote Teams Follow the Sun Close to Customers “Natural Experiments” • Round-the-clock triage, progress, resolution • Local presence • Hiring and onboarding • Oncall handoffs • Customer empathy • Engineering practices • Local implementation / customization • Tools and frameworks Technology @randyshoup
Managing Time Zones Respect Time Zones Respect Calendars • Optimize overlap times • Working hours • Trade off inconvenience • Do Not Schedule • Watch DMs at off hours • Flow time Technology @randyshoup
4. Communication Technology @randyshoup
The half-life of trust is six weeks -- Steve McConnell Technology @randyshoup
Critical Tools ● Video ● Chat ● Docs ● Source control ● Project tracking Technology @randyshoup
Communication Styles Written In-person Communication Conversation Slow Rapid Intentional Effortless Lower-bandwidth High-bandwidth Persistent Ephemeral Different places / times Same place / time Technology @randyshoup
4. Communication - Written Communication Technology @randyshoup
What problem are you trying to solve? Technology @randyshoup
Effective Asynchronous Communication Clarity Overcommunicate Feedback • Clarify the *why* • Repetition • Culture of “ask in public” • Clear structure • Repetition • When in doubt, ask • Straightforward language • Repetition • Be open to feedback • Be careful about misinterpretation • Be specific about the feedback you want • Assume good intent Technology @randyshoup
4. Communication - Meetings Technology @randyshoup
Meeting Discipline Clarity Discussion Explicit Action / Next Step • Clearly state the purpose of the meeting • Actively moderate • Decision • Pre-reads • Manage time and agenda • Continued discussion • Meeting template • Expect people to come prepared • More investigation • Cancel meetings without agenda (!) • Etc. Technology @randyshoup
Meeting Etiquette Respect Remotes Enable Offline Catch-up Foster Social Connections • Respect time zones • Meeting minutes • Allow time for chatting, social bonding • Video link in every meeting by default • Recording / Transcription • Make small talk • Ideally, everyone behaves as remote Technology @randyshoup
The only way to have real talk is to have small talk. -- Dave Copeland, The Effective Remote Developer Technology @randyshoup
Meeting Etiquette Psychological Safety around Psychological Safety around Questions Interruptions • Model that it is OK to clarify and ask • Interruptions are not rude questions • Explicitly yield the floor • Model that it is OK to backtrack • Develop a convention for “raising your • Pregnant Pauses – stop and ask for hand” feedback • Active Listening – what I hear you saying is … Technology @randyshoup
5. In Person 40 Technology @randyshoup
Travel Clear Expectations Regular physical meetings • Establish clear travel expectations • Kickoffs • … for employees, management, finance • Close Collaboration or Brainstorming • Make and renew social bonds • Embedding / Ambassadors • High-bandwidth communications Technology @randyshoup
Summits / Retreats Goals Regular Cadence Attendance • Social bonds and connections • At least quarterly • Strongly encouraged, with reasonable exceptions • High-bandwidth communication • Planned well in advance • Accommodate introverts and neurodiverse • Non-normal work together • Rotate locations Technology @randyshoup
Summits / Retreats Social Bonds and Collaboration Connections • Prioritize fun and team-building • Hackathon with theme • Connect with business partners • Internal conference • Mix of central organization and team-wise organization Technology @randyshoup
Concluding Thoughts Technology @randyshoup
I sense a growing reluctance amongst the best developers to accept the location and commuting disadvantages of single site work. This is increasingly true as people get more experience, and thus more valuable. You can either try to ignore this and accept the best people who will relocate for you, or you can explore how to make remote working patterns more effective. -- Martin Fowler, Remote versus Co-located Work Technology @randyshoup
Questions? Montréal New York Salt Lake City Seattle San Francisco Shanghai Palo Alto Singapore Tel Aviv Technology @randyshoup
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