Being Remote-First Requires Excellent Communication

TASA ID: 22108

In the evolving landscape of remote work, Jonathan Treble, CEO of WithMe, Inc., has positioned his company at the forefront by embracing a remote-first model. With a workforce spread across the United States and five different countries, Treble has successfully navigated the complexities of remote work, leveraging technology to enhance communication and collaboration. In a recent interview, Treble shared insights into how WithMe has thrived as a remote-first organization and the critical role communication plays in this success.

The Shift to Remote Work

WithMe, a provider of technology-powered amenities to multifamily real estate operators, initially made the transition to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Treble recounts, “Like many companies during COVID, as soon as everyone went into lockdown, we went from our office in Chicago to having everybody work from home.” This sudden shift, though challenging, revealed unexpected benefits. Employees found that they had more time in their day without the need for long commutes, which not only improved their work-life balance but also their productivity.

As the company adapted to remote work, they embraced tools like Slack and restructured their meeting cadences. Treble notes, “We realized that it was a big unlock for us.” The ability to recruit talent from a broader geographical area further solidified the decision to remain remote. Treble explains, “The greater Chicago population equates to about 2.8% of the US population today. By extending our reach, we could access a much larger talent pool.”

Prioritizing Employee Satisfaction

For WithMe, the shift to remote work was driven largely by a focus on employee satisfaction. Treble emphasized the importance of this factor, stating, “Our team was really enjoying the remote style, and I didn’t want to pull the rug out from under them.” By allowing employees to work from wherever they chose, WithMe could retain and attract top talent who valued the flexibility that remote work offers.

Treble’s approach to maintaining high levels of employee satisfaction involved careful consideration of communication strategies. With remote work, the potential for burnout due to constant connectivity is high. To mitigate this, WithMe established clear guidelines for communication, setting expectations for response times and ensuring that employees were not overwhelmed by notifications.

Efficient Remote Communication

One of the biggest challenges of remote work is ensuring efficient communication. Treble shared that WithMe had to learn quickly what worked well and what didn’t. “We had to set up our Slack instance very thoughtfully. We have the right channel groups for different teams, leadership groups, and hybrid groups across teams that interact a lot together,” he explains.

WithMe also implemented service level agreements (SLAs) for communication channels to manage expectations and prevent burnout. Slack messages are expected to be responded to within a couple of hours, while emails have a turnaround time of about 24 hours. This structured approach helps employees prioritize their tasks without feeling constantly tethered to their devices.

Onboarding and Mentorship

Onboarding new staff in a remote setting presents unique challenges. Treble acknowledges, “There’s a certain special vibe about onboarding in an office where you can bump into people left and right.” To replicate this experience remotely, WithMe designed a regimented onboarding process for the first two weeks, involving intensive training sessions led by HR and department heads.

Maintaining the momentum beyond the initial onboarding period is crucial. Treble admits that mentorship is an area where WithMe continues to improve. “We require weekly one-on-one meetings between supervisors and reports,” he says, emphasizing the importance of these check-ins for soliciting feedback and ensuring employee satisfaction.

Drawing on best practices from other companies, Treble is considering implementing a more formal mentorship program. My recommendation, which he found helpful, was to set up a hybrid mentoring system. I have helped several clients implement this system, and it has proved to be impactful in overcoming the frustrations and challenges inherent in hybrid work models. A highly effective approach involves pairing new hires with both a peer mentor from their team to learn their team dynamics and direct work tasks, and a mentor from outside their team, which functions to foster cross-departmental relationships and facilitates a more comprehensive integration into the company culture.

The Future of Remote Work at WithMe

Looking ahead, Treble is focused on continuing to refine WithMe’s communication strategies to support the company’s growth. “For a company that’s nearly doubled every year, things are kind of breaking and needing to be rebuilt every 18 months,” he observes. Ensuring that communication remains effective as the company scales is a top priority.

Treble believes that balancing the right amount of communication is key. “It’s top-down communication, peer-to-peer communication, cross-department communication, getting really intentional about that, doing it with a thoughtful balance to not over-communicate but not under-communicate,” he explains.

The success of WithMe as a remote-first organization underscores the importance of excellent communication. By prioritizing employee satisfaction, setting clear communication guidelines, and continuously improving onboarding and mentorship processes, Jonathan Treble has created a thriving remote work environment. As companies navigate the future of work, WithMe’s experience offers valuable insights into the benefits and challenges of a remote-first model.

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