Creating a great remote-first culture is no easy task.
Remote work is shown to have a lot of benefits, like giving teammates flexibility and autonomy to do their jobs in the ways that work best for them, but if it isn’t executed thoughtfully, employees can become isolated and disengaged.
So, what makes a remote team the perfect blend of creative and connected? Researchers looked into that. One study found that the perfect recipe for a great remote-first culture is a combination of social support and job autonomy.
Built In spoke with nine tech professionals who were eager to share how their team has perfected the remote-first recipe.
Featured Remote-First Companies
Gradient AI is an AI and machine learning company that focuses on the insurance industry.
How would you describe your company’s approach to remote-first work? What have been the greatest successes thus far and what obstacles have you overcome in building a remote team?
As a company that was just beginning its journey shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic, we didn’t have much of a choice but to hire remotely in the early days. However, we quickly embraced the benefits of a remote-first approach. Hiring without geographic limitations allowed us to focus on bringing in the best talent, wherever they lived, rather than being constrained to a single market.
One of the most immediate challenges was the lack of face-to-face interaction. To help bridge that gap, we implemented a camera-on culture for collaborative moments, which has allowed us to better connect with our remote teammates and build stronger relationships across the organization.
Over time, building a remote-heavy organization has helped us foster a culture of trust, autonomy and flexibility. Our teams operate with a high degree of ownership and we’ve been intentional about giving Gradiators the space and support to work in the ways that enable them to be most successful.
How does your team stay connected in a remote-first office? Are there specific tools you rely on to communicate and collaborate together?
Our team stays connected by relying on a combination of Slack for day-to-day messaging and Microsoft Teams for video meetings and real-time collaboration. Within Slack, we use a variety of channels to keep everyone informed — from company-wide updates to team-specific conversations.
We’ve also created several channels that help build connections beyond work. For example, we have a pets channel (#tails-of-joy), a space to share what we’re doing outside of work (#off-the-clock) and a general catch-all channel for anything fun or random (#random).
While we don’t require cameras to be on for every meeting, we do encourage people to turn them on during collaborative discussions or connection-focused moments. It helps us bridge the gap of remote work and creates a stronger sense of presence and team cohesion.
How does your company build culture in a remote-first office? What specific rituals or initiatives does your team use to create a more inclusive, engaged environment?
We’re intentional about creating moments of connection in a remote-first environment. Each month, we host a company-wide meeting where we encourage cameras on and kick things off with a fun icebreaker or question prompt to get the conversation flowing.
We’ve also introduced weekly “water cooler questions” in our #random Slack channel every Wednesday. They’re light, sometimes unexpected and have sparked great cross-team conversations — it’s been a simple but effective way to help people get to know each other beyond their day-to-day work.
Additionally, we run regular engagement surveys to understand what’s resonating with the team and where we can improve. These touchpoints help us stay connected, keep a pulse on culture and continue building an inclusive, engaged environment.
Wasabi Technologies is a cloud storage company that aims to make data storage affordable, predictable and secure.
How would you describe your company’s approach to remote-first work? What have been the greatest successes thus far and what obstacles have you overcome in building a remote team?
Wasabi has embraced a remote-first culture that prioritizes results and outcomes over our employees’ location. Our philosophy is simple: Hire the best talent wherever they are and empower them to do their best work. We believe excellence isn’t confined to a ZIP code and flexibility allows us to attract and retain exceptional people around the world.
One of our greatest recent successes has been expanding opportunities for in-person connection through events such as our sales kickoff, team offsites and department gatherings. These moments of face-to-face collaboration have strengthened relationships and fostered a greater sense of belonging across our distributed workforce.
Additionally, our employee engagement opportunities create meaningful ways for Wasabians to connect beyond their day-to-day work. Through our monthly newsletter, we spotlight team members from across the company, introducing individuals who may not otherwise cross paths and celebrating the diverse perspectives that make Wasabi unique.
How does your team stay connected in a remote-first office? Are there specific tools you rely on to communicate and collaborate together?
The people and talent team stays connected through intentional, consistent communication. We hold regular meetings and Zoom check-ins to discuss ongoing projects, share updates and ask for support. These touchpoints also provide space for open dialogue, whether to celebrate wins, address challenges or simply catch up on life outside of work.
Beyond formal meetings, we rely on Slack to stay engaged as a company on a daily basis. It’s our go-to platform for sharing project updates, quick wins and personal moments. Everything from welcoming a new pet to swapping favorite recipes. This blend of professional collaboration and personal connection fosters a sense of community and belonging that keeps our teams close.
How does your company build culture in a remote-first office? What specific rituals or initiatives does your team use to create a more inclusive, engaged environment?
At Wasabi, our remote-first culture is built on trust and ownership. Our leaders trust that every Wasabian has the drive, discipline and ownership to do their work and do it well. Each team member takes responsibility for their projects and contributions, knowing that individual success fuels collective success.
Equally important is our commitment to togetherness, ensuring that every employee feels connected and included, no matter where they are in the world. In 2024, we launched our employee engagement initiative with the goal of hosting at least one event, workshop or activity each month that brings Wasabians together beyond their daily work. We ensure that at least one of these is virtual or hybrid, so everyone — from Boston to Kosovo to Japan — can participate. From global step challenges that spark friendly competition to interactive workshops celebrating cultural moments, these shared experiences strengthen our sense of community.
We recently implemented Kudos, an employee recognition platform that further supports this culture by allowing Wasabians to celebrate one another’s achievements in real time, whether it’s a major project milestone or a simple act of teamwork.
Hometap offers solutions that enable people to get more from homeownership.
How would you describe your company’s approach to remote-first work? What have been the greatest successes thus far and what obstacles have you overcome in building a remote team?
Hometap takes an intentional, structured approach to remote-first work that centers on transparency, alignment and our “good owner” and “good neighbor” values. We make sure to document the norms for both synchronous and asynchronous communication in our culture guide, so people get the clarity they need to do their best work from anywhere. Our monthly all hands meeting keeps the entire company connected through transparent updates on progress and challenges, along with recognition of teammates who exemplify our values. We also rely on regular pulse surveys to understand what employees need and strengthen culture as we grow.
One consistent win has been the maintenance of a strong sense of connection and shared purpose at scale. The main challenge is supporting different time zones and work styles, which we address through structured communication practices and thoughtful meeting guidelines.
How does your team stay connected in a remote-first office? Are there specific tools you rely on to communicate and collaborate together?
Staying connected matters a lot to us, so we use our tools in ways that make collaboration feel natural rather than formal. Most of our daily conversations happen in Slack and our channels are set up to make it easy for people to ask quick questions, share progress or celebrate success across teams. We also leverage Slack for community channels, where Hometappers share everything from pet photos to parenting tips to weekend wins, helping us connect as humans, not just coworkers. Zoom and Google Meet enable face-to-face conversations when it makes more sense to talk things through, while Guru and project management tools keep our knowledge and documentation organized so everyone can access the information they need.
We also lean on clear communication norms from our culture guide, so people know when something should be handled live versus asynchronously; this helps reduce meeting fatigue and gives teams more flexibility. Our people team rounds it out with Fantastic Friday, a weekly newsletter that highlights milestones, announcements and key moments. All of these tools and habits work together to help our remote-first team stay aligned, collaborative and genuinely connected.
How does your company build culture in a remote-first office? What specific rituals or initiatives does your team use to create a more inclusive, engaged environment?
Our culture is rooted in our “good owner” and “good neighbor” values and we bring those to life through rituals that help a remote-first team feel connected. Weekly standup is one of our longest-running traditions. It gives us time to share updates, welcome new teammates and end with our “one clap,” a simple collective moment that reinforces our shared commitment to our mission of making homeownership less stressful and more accessible.
We also nurture community through Slack channels where people share wins, celebrations and life moments. Company-wide recognition is built into our monthly all hands meeting, where we highlight teammates who embody our values and contribute to our culture. At least once a year, we gather in person for a company-wide event that includes an all hands meeting, team building and a service-focused project that reinforces our values. All of these touchpoints reinforce the culture we’re building: one rooted in ownership, connection and showing up for one other — and the homeowners we serve.
Openly offers comprehensive homeowners insurance and arms agents with the tools necessary to serve up a world class customer experience.
How would you describe your company’s approach to remote-first work? What have been the greatest successes thus far and what obstacles have you overcome in building a remote team?
Openly uses a remote-first structure to balance a highly connected culture and support a diverse employee population across over 40 states. Successful remote work requires a deliberate effort to create an inclusive, engaging and inspiring environment.
Our greatest success is the MicroCultures initiative. These regional employee groups foster a sense of belonging through local meetups (20 physical hubs) or virtual groups (eight virtual ones). In 2025, over 20 MicroCulture events were held, including Top Golf, volunteer events and art classes.
A key challenge is combating work-related distractions, such as multitasking in meetings or replying to Slack notifications. These distractions reflect a broader modern attention issue; research shows many workers switch tasks every 40 to 47 seconds, making focus a workforce challenge, not just a remote one. Openly views obstacles as opportunities, utilizing the core value of “Urgency” to be nimble. We leverage collaboration tools like Notion, Slack and Lattice to ensure alignment and focus on company and department goals, confirming we are all working toward the same direction.
How does your team stay connected in a remote-first office? Are there specific tools you rely on to communicate and collaborate together?
We invest heavily in our people, connectivity and tools to make remote work seamless. Openly relies on multiple communication and collaboration avenues like Slack, email and Zoom, while constantly evaluating new systems to enhance our connectedness. From traditional meetings to podcast-style training, we ensure connection is easy for our employees.
We also understand the value of face-to-face interaction. We hold regularly scheduled department, cross-functional and strategic planning off-sites when in-person time is beneficial. These off-sites are intentionally designed for project work, strategy development and team bonding. Although work-focused, we always allocate time for fun, including local pro sports events, volunteer activities and exploring local cuisine as a team. These intentional moments strengthen us as an organization and energize employees, carrying that momentum and connection back home.
How does your company build culture in a remote-first office? What specific rituals or initiatives does your team use to create a more inclusive, engaged environment?
We measure engagement through the universal ritual of our camera-on approach in meetings; while not mandatory, it is our norm. When someone is off-camera, they share why — let’s face it, salads and soups can be a challenge on camera.
A clear sign of investment is our Openly swag culture; employees routinely sport branded gear and use Zoom backgrounds, showing their connection.
Our DEI committee is a vital culture driver, hosting two to four educational events annually. We aren’t afraid to facilitate conversations that matter, holding panels for Women’s History Month, Pride, neurodivergence and mental health. We published an “Openly Cookbook” with personal and cultural recipes and provide quarterly DEI awareness calendars.
This focus on inclusive practices, education and communication ensures our remote-first people feel supported and connected.
Pie Insurance is on a mission to empower small businesses to thrive by making insurance affordable.
How would you describe your company’s approach to remote-first work? What have been the greatest successes thus far and what obstacles have you overcome in building a remote team?
Pie embraces a remote-first culture that prioritizes trust, autonomy and results. Our work environment is built around flexibility and inclusion, ensuring every employee, regardless of location, has equal access to information, opportunities and advancement. We invest in communication tools, onboarding and structured connection points to keep teams aligned and engaged. When our Pie-oneers come together in person, it’s intentional and meaningful.
Going remote-first wasn’t just about where people work, it was about unlocking better outcomes. Our team experiences greater flexibility, autonomy and work-life integration, without the drain of daily commutes. Productivity has increased because people have the space to do their best work. We’ve also evolved how we build relationships and stay connected across different schedules and time zones. What used to happen naturally in an office now happens intentionally and that’s made us more thoughtful about how we collaborate, communicate and show up for each other.
How does your team stay connected in a remote-first office? Are there specific tools you rely on to communicate and collaborate together?
Remote doesn’t mean isolated. Our team stays connected through Zoom and not just for formal meetings, but for the spontaneous collaboration that makes work actually work. That quick question, the brainstorming session, the “got a minute?” conversation: we’re intentional about making space for all of it. It’s how we maintain the energy and problem-solving power of an office environment with the flexibility of working remotely.
How does your company build culture in a remote-first office? What specific rituals or initiatives does your team use to create a more inclusive, engaged environment?
At Pie, culture starts with how we communicate. Slack keeps us connected and transparent. It’s where we collaborate on projects, give each other “#snaps” for great work, celebrating birthdays, work anniversaries and new employees. It’s also where you’ll find the fun stuff: channels for pets, book clubs, fitness challenges and whatever else brings people together. And while we’re remote-first, we’re not remote-only. We’re strategic about in-person time, using team offsites and leadership summits for the high-impact work that’s best done face-to-face. Our Culture Ambassadors keep things lively year-round organizing volunteer opportunities, highlighting employee stories and making sure our diverse team feels seen and celebrated.
A SaaS video research platform, Dscout that helps customers gather, manage, share and analyze millions of in-context moments submitted by people around the world.
How would you describe your company’s approach to remote-first work? What have been the greatest successes thus far and what obstacles have you overcome in building a remote team?
At Dscout, remote-first is not a perk; it is simply how we work and it works well. Since joining in July 2023, I have built strong relationships with teammates across the country because flexibility and trust are truly part of our culture. We collaborate smoothly across time zones without losing momentum or connection.
On a personal level, the structure helps me create a healthier rhythm with more time for family and friends, the space to do deep work when I do my best thinking and even the occasional post-work lake swim in New Hampshire (which is quickly becoming a summertime hobby of mine!) Remote-first at Dscout gives me the grounding of a strong team and the freedom to build a work life that actually fits my life outside of work.
How does your team stay connected in a remote-first office? Are there specific tools you rely on to communicate and collaborate together?
Slack is our digital home base. It’s where we plan, brainstorm, check in and occasionally share the perfect GIF at the perfect moment. The mix of async communication and lightweight, intentional touchpoints helps us stay aligned without feeling glued to our screens.
And even though we’re remote-first, we’re not remote-only. I’ve been able to travel for work and build in-person connections in ways I didn’t expect, from visiting customers in Minneapolis, Seattle and London, as well as Los Angeles, where I shot a customer video in their studio (and visited Los Angeles for the first time!). Those moments of in-person collaboration add a layer of closeness that rounds out the day-to-day digital connection.
How does your company build culture in a remote-first office? What specific rituals or initiatives does your team use to create a more inclusive, engaged environment?
Culture at Dscout shows up in small rituals and big company moments. One of my favorites is Tuesday Tea, where a teammate shares a personal passion like sailing, yoga or plant propagation. It is a clear reflection of who we are as a company: curious, thoughtful and a little quirky in the most endearing way.
On the larger side, we have Midpoint, our summer all-company gathering and Sales Kickoff, which brings our go-to-market teams together in Chicago. These moments create real connections and help anchor our remote culture. Even though most of us work in different places, we still find meaningful ways to show up for each other and that makes the day-to-day feel just as connected as when I used to work in an office every day.
HopSkipDrive is a technology company that solves complex transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, equity and care.
How would you describe your company’s approach to remote-first work? What have been the greatest successes thus far and what obstacles have you overcome in building a remote team?
Our remote-first model is built on flexibility and trust. We believe the best talent is everywhere, so we hire nationally to bring diverse perspectives to our work. We’re headquartered in Los Angeles and support employees in over 30 states. This broad reach is key to our success: it ensures our internal team is as geographically and demographically diverse as the population of schools, riders and caregivers we serve, as well as the community of CareDrivers who work with us. We offer a hybrid option for Los Angeles-based employees and many teams host annual in-person gatherings to strengthen connections, but our baseline is remote.
How does your team stay connected in a remote-first office? Are there specific tools you rely on to communicate and collaborate together?
Slack is the central hub for all our team communication, both for collaborative work and informal conversation. We have a variety of popular channels that go beyond project tasks, like #hopskipdogs, #hopskipparenting and #hopskipfoodies, as well as niche groups such as #hopskiplego and #hopskipspooky. This variety helps people genuinely connect on a personal level.
To ensure employees can meet colleagues outside of their immediate teams, we use Donut, a tool that randomly pairs people for casual virtual coffee chats. We also use a tool for peer recognition, which is a simple and public way to celebrate great work across the organization. For video calls and team meetings, we primarily use Google Meet or Zoom.
How does your company build culture in a remote-first office? What specific rituals or initiatives does your team use to create a more inclusive, engaged environment?
We build a strong remote-first culture through a combination of company-wide traditions and team-level initiatives. Our primary company tradition is the bi-weekly all hands we call Town Hall, which ensures everyone stays connected to organizational updates. A favorite segment is “Shoutouts & Gratitude,” where team members can publicly thank a coworker and share something they’re personally grateful for outside of work. We also encourage colleagues to give voluntary presentations (similar to Show & Tell) to share their hobbies, memorable experiences or community involvement.
To foster local connections, we run a “hub program” that gives any metro area with at least five employees a dedicated Slack channel and a quarterly budget for local events like dinners or bowling.
We also prioritize inclusivity by celebrating cultural holidays with themed virtual events, such as a Diwali escape room or Black History Month trivia. To cap off the year, we host annual virtual holiday parties, featuring hands-on classes.
Spark is a mission-driven company helping independent Medicare brokers build the insurance business of their dreams.
How would you describe your company’s approach to remote-first work? What have been the greatest successes thus far and what obstacles have you overcome in building a remote team?
We’re a remote-first, people-first organization that supports employees as whole humans. Our goal is for everyone to bring their best selves to work, wherever they are. One of our proudest achievements is maintaining a vibrant Slack culture as we’ve grown to 130-plus people — from lively #random threads to celebrate Sparkiversaries with custom emojis. These moments help us stay connected and highlight what matters.
As we scale, we stay intentional about hiring and nurturing a culture that prioritizes people. Remote work lets us find incredible talent nationwide and gives our team the flexibility to navigate life changes without sacrificing their careers. This mobility has strengthened retention, reduced attrition and allowed individuals to live where and how they choose — all while remaining fully part of our community.
How does your team stay connected in a remote-first office? Are there specific tools you rely on to communicate and collaborate together?
At Spark, communication is core to how we work remotely. Our Spark Operating System turns daily habits into high-performance outcomes by emphasizing clarity, connection and collaboration. It’s built on three inputs — calendar mastery, deep work protection and communication excellence — which fuel the Spark Flywheel to drive performance, growth and well-being, ultimately creating a high-talent, high-performing team.
Most SOS habits live in Slack, our central hub for updates, collaboration and culture — though it can get noisy. To keep communication effective, we encourage intentional messaging, assuming good intent, cleaning up or creating channels as needed, using tools like statuses and managed notifications and being clear about urgency while reserving tags like “ASAP” or “@here” for true priorities. Slack should make work easier, not busier.
How does your company build culture in a remote-first office? What specific rituals or initiatives does your team use to create a more inclusive, engaged environment?
Our industry is complex and seasonal, so new hires must ramp quickly and gain deep context. Our culture supports this through fast, structured onboarding and rituals aligned to the natural rhythm of the business. We’ve introduced an F1-themed onboarding experience to bring clarity and momentum, with cross-department touchpoints and hands-on demos that help new team members build relationships and understand the business from day one.
Year-round, we reinforce connection through social and wellness events, cross-team lunch and learns and small values-driven gestures like sending flowers for life milestones. We’re also intentional about in-person time, shifting our offsite to a calmer point in the business cycle so people can be fully present. Overall, our culture is built on clarity, shared context and intentional connection — supporting a remote-first team in a fast-moving environment.
Zapier is an AI orchestration platform. By connecting over 8,000 of the most popular work apps, Zapier empowers its users to make the most of the tools they already use.
How would you describe your company’s approach to remote-first work? What have been the greatest successes thus far and what obstacles have you overcome in building a remote team?
Zapier has operated as a fully remote company since the beginning, but our approach has evolved as the business has scaled. Today, we take a highly intentional, outcomes-driven view of remote work. Two beliefs guide us: talent is global and in-person connection becomes more important (not less!) during periods of reinvention. Rather than “hire anywhere,” we now take a more strategic approach to where we build specific capabilities while honoring our commitment that no one relocates. This gives us talent advantages while still enabling operational excellence. We’ve also refined how we bring people together. Traditional retreats have been replaced with customer-centered Summits where connection happens through co-building. And for deep, cross-functional collaboration, we run “solution sprints” — short, targeted missions sponsored by executives to drive specific outcomes. Our biggest success is proving that large-scale global teams can move quickly and stay aligned without relying on an office. The challenge has been building systems that scale with us — but standardizing how we run work (DRIs, single-page specs, metrics, timelines) has turned remote from a constraint into an advantage.
How does your team stay connected in a remote-first office? Are there specific tools you rely on to communicate and collaborate together?
Connection at Zapier isn’t left to chance. Slack functions as our virtual headquarters, where work, culture and communication all happen in the open. Channels keep teams aligned, automations streamline the operational heartbeat of the company and async updates ensure decisions never get bottlenecked by time zones. Coda is our system of record. Every project, spec, goal and decision lives there, which means context is never trapped in someone’s head or a meeting. Teams collaborate asynchronously, build shared visibility and move faster because the information architecture supports remote work rather than fighting us. Together, Slack and Coda create a balance of real-time connection and structured documentation. They’re the backbone of how an 800-person global team collaborates as one cohesive organization, without needing an office to hold us together.
How does your company build culture in a remote-first office? What specific rituals or initiatives does your team use to create a more inclusive, engaged environment?
Culture at Zapier is built through shared purpose and intentional rituals — not physical proximity. Every initiative is designed to foster inclusion across 42 countries and dozens of time zones. Our weekly all-hands alternates meeting times so everyone has equal access to live content and leadership visibility. And instead of traditional company retreats, we now host Summits where customers join us to co-build products. When teams collaborate on real outcomes, connection forms naturally. For more targeted collaboration, we rely on “solution sprints” — five to 18 person cross-functional missions with clear DRIs and executive sponsorship. These create alignment, accelerate learning and deepen relationships through meaningful work. Day-to-day culture shows up in Slack through interest communities, recognition rituals and programs like Zonut chats that pair teammates randomly for conversation. These small, consistent touch points strengthen belonging and help people build relationships outside their immediate team. By blending purposeful in-person gatherings with robust remote rituals, we’ve created a culture that’s inclusive, engaged and firmly rooted in shared ownership of our mission.
