Remote First Company Culture | Marleen Kappert & Sebastiaan Bekker | Beyond Coding Podcast #125

Building Trust

Building trust in a remote-first company requires intentional efforts and open communication. Patrick Akil highlights the importance of creating a safe space where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns. Marleen Kappert explains how incidents and open channels during the early COVID months helped foster trust within their team 1.

Everyone does the best that they can. There's no wrong thing there. And it's all about keeping the pressure down so you can keep on thinking.

--- Marleen Kappert

Sebastiaan Bekker adds that trust is built through consistent and transparent feedback, which helps team members feel valued and understood 2.

   

Paradox of Trust

The paradox of trust in remote work environments is a recurring theme. Patrick Akil introduces the concept by emphasizing the need for deliberate actions to build trust 3. Marleen Kappert and Sebastiaan Bekker share their experiences with remote team bonding and the importance of setting clear expectations 4.

How do you as a team, bond remotely? And also, how do you deal with setbacks remotely?

--- Marleen Kappert

They stress that while remote work presents unique challenges, it also offers opportunities for innovation in team dynamics and communication.

   

Maintaining Trust

Maintaining trust remotely involves continuous learning and adaptation. Sebastiaan Bekker discusses the importance of being honest about the limitations of remote work and finding ways to make it effective for everyone 5. Marleen Kappert highlights the role of a clear purpose in uniting remote teams and ensuring everyone is aligned with the company's goals 6.

If you have the interviews as well, people are really looking. Okay, what are you going to do? Why are you here?

--- Marleen Kappert

They conclude that trust and culture in remote teams are ever-evolving, requiring ongoing effort and commitment.