Remote-first companies: Doomed to extinction? 😱
Many companies, including Google, Tesla, or Apple, switched back to either hybrid or full on-site models after Covid has passed.
Yet, some persisted. And one of them is Mojo.
Having the hands-on experience is proof to me that remote-first is a sustainable model for days to come. Perhaps not for all companies and people, however.
I really like how remote is being handled at Mojo. I thought of sharing it with you since I was asked several times recently how I cope with working remotely.
👫 People
It all starts with people. Mojo is a small team of 30. And everyone is a) aligned with remote-first work principles + b) already an experienced talent. Remote work can be challenging for teams that have members who need more frequent collaboration and mentoring. The Mojo team is accustomed to this style of work as one of the key principles of the company is autonomy.
✍️ Written comms > verbal comms + async
We do have virtual meetings (one of the best is a weekly all-hands, where we share updates on key initiatives), but written communication prevails. There are very few, if any, decisions or announcements done only verbally.
☎️ Calls #1 rule
Mojo has a HQ in Paris and several people are always there. If a team member in the office has a call with someone remote, they need to be alone in a phone booth. Everyone needs to share the same conditions. It makes such a difference to the quality of the calls.
⛰️ Team gatherings and offsites
Everyone is encouraged to come to the Paris office as often as they’d like to. On company expenses. That generous offer unlocks frequent gatherings and physical meetups, which are very important. We also have team offsites twice a year where the focus is not on work but rather on fostering a mutual bond and camaraderie.
📜 Documentation and tools
When I first saw the level of documentation at Mojo, I was mind-blown. From Product decisions to compensation grids. Everything is well documented and that’s super important for remote employees as you can search a lot of information yourself. I quickly became a huge Notion fan.
💰 Generous home-office budget
As with many other companies, Mojo provides every teammate with a certain budget for home-office equipment. What's super nice is that it covers niche but useful things like a great headset or buying flowers to make your home office feel (and sound) great. On top of that, Mojo pays for a co-work membership for those who prefer to spend some days there.
💬 #hello-mojo Slack channel
Last but not least, we have a Slack channel called #hello-mojo. On my first days, I didn't understand the purpose, but I quickly got the point and liked it a lot. In this channel, we say good morning when we start working, or have a nice evening, when we wrap up. We share when we're off on a run and will be back in 2 hours. It has both informative and bonding benefits.
What are your favorite processes/tools for making remote work better?
