Welcome to the wonderful world of remote work! As you adapt to remote startup culture, you might get the feeling that you’re stepping outside of your comfort zone, venturing into an unfamiliar workplace.
While it’s true that remote startup culture can be distinct from traditional workplaces, you can feel right at home with our tips below. Here we’ll go through key advice from Nexton’s experts to help you transition to remote work culture and thrive in this new, exciting work setting.
10 tips to thrive in a remote startup culture
1. Get into the startup mindset
There are plenty of challenges that startups face as they define and grow their product at ultra-fast rates. You’ll succeed at a startup if you’re willing to adapt and pivot as needed. Don’t get locked into one way of doing things, because it will likely soon change. Keep your mind open.
2. Leave your ego at the (virtual) door
Nobody’s got time for ego, especially at a startup where everything moves so fast. Focus your efforts on collaborating with your remote co-workers and standing with them to achieve your shared goals. Ultimately, remote startups require true team players that share the credit (and the blame) with co-workers.
3. Tend towards over-communicating
Early on, it’s common for team members to feel disconnected in a new remote work culture. To combat this problem, always try to over-communicate and check in regularly.
If you're not 100% sure how to complete a task, ask. If you have an idea for addressing a challenge, share it. If you don’t understand your team’s workflow yet, schedule a meeting to find out. Don’t be afraid to reach out, ask questions and send weekly updates about what you’re working on. The last thing you want to do is become a “submarine” team member who stays below the surface most of the time.
4. Get aligned with your startup’s mission
At times, remote startup culture can feel “messier” than traditional workplaces. Embrace this by understanding your startup’s mission, business model and long-term goals. When you align with this vision, it’s easier to focus on the important stuff and succeed within the startup’s unique, ever-changing processes.
5. Create remote work rituals with your teammates
(Source: Buffer)
According to Buffer’s 2022 State of Remote Work Report, a whopping 24% of remote workers feel lonely. To connect with your team on a regular basis, it’s vital to have regular work rituals that let you bond. Consider creating a ritual such as a weekly coffee break, morning yoga sessions or Friday GIF-sharing sessions. Whatever it may be, try to keep it up to deepen relationships with your teammates over time.
6. Experiment with how to perform your best remote work
Everybody’s different, especially when it comes to work-from-home culture. Be sure to experiment with what works for you in order to build your ideal workday. For example, if you work best in the morning, focus on intensive tasks during AM hours. As you design your schedule, you should also have a clear understanding of your startup’s remote work policy, so that you enjoy flexibility while following their requirements.
Finally, no matter what remote work schedule you define, set clear boundaries between work and home. Commit to a shutdown ritual every day, so that when you log off, you can truly relax and enjoy your personal time.
7. Schedule regular breaks from your screen
It’s easy to get sucked into your screen and lose track of time while working at home. Remember to take breaks and recharge your batteries a few times during the workday. You can do this by setting an alarm, downloading a break app, using the Pomodoro technique, or simply giving yourself permission to take a breather. You’ll find that your quality of work and overall productivity improve.
8. Be relentless about prioritizing
People with no experience in remote startup culture may find themselves stumbling through a never-ending list of to-dos. Since startups grow so quickly, teams often take on the burden of extra tasks that come up. Try not to obsess about zeroing your to-do list. Instead, be relentless about prioritizing your tasks and know that you’ll never be able to get to all of them. Prioritizing can help you focus on high-impact areas that matter most, instead of slogging through endless lists.
9. Don’t hold back on sharing ideas
Startups benefit from remote workers who are 100% committed to making their company vision a reality. One way to thrive in a startup culture is to share your ideas on how to improve processes, tools, strategies, and more.
Don’t hold back. Instead, take the initiative on how the startup could do better. As a remote developer, for example, you could contribute your opinion to ensure the startup is on the right path when it comes to architecture, tools or testing. Speak up if you think the team is making a mistake that could be difficult to correct later on.
10. Keep learning from mistakes
According to experts, startup success hinges on “failing fast, failing often.” You can make the most of your time at a startup by leaning into this mantra. Try to learn from your mistakes, as well as from your diverse remote co-workers. Take in both the good and the bad, so that you can become a better remote developer over time.
Become part of a remote startup culture today
Joining a remote startup culture can be challenging, but highly rewarding at the same time. You can implement these tips above in order to thrive at your startup from day one.
If you’re interested in making a change in your developer career and working for a remote startup, reach out to Nexton. We specialize in connecting technology professionals based in Latin America with exciting remote job opportunities in the tech industry– including with remote startups!
