Remote done right 👨🏻‍💻 12 rules that matter

Building teams that thrive (anywhere)

Last week’s Millennial Masters deep dive into the future of work got a huge response, so it’s clear: remote and hybrid are here to stay, even though most teams are still figuring it out as they go.

After interviewing over 35 founders and operators who’ve adapted their businesses across industries and time zones, one thing stood out. Success is all about building trust, setting expectations, and sweating the practical details. It’s unglamorous work, but it pays off.

Welcome to the age of slipperboard meetings. Illustration: ImageFX/MM

The biggest myth? That remote teams run on autopilot. The reality is, it’s more hands-on than ever. Smooth calls and happy teams are built on constant check-ins, feedback, and small, intentional nudges behind the scenes. Founders who get it right focus less on hacks and more on real human connection, plus a lot of invisible work when nobody’s watching.

So this week, I went back through the most useful tips, mistakes, and rituals that make remote and hybrid actually work. Here are 12 battle-tested ways to keep your team productive, connected, and motivated, wherever they are. 👇🏻

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The new rules for running a remote team

According to 11 Millennial Masters…

1️⃣ Build culture with intent, not perks

Gemma Price (HubGem) banned internal emails and built a “wellbeing check-in” channel on Slack, so anyone can share how they’re feeling with a single emoji. For her, “culture is everything” and it’s about making people feel seen.

2️⃣ Set up clear systems and document everything

Francesca McClory (FutureCloud Accounting) insists on systems for onboarding, day-to-day tasks, and bookkeeping, with step-by-step docs anyone can follow. She uses Scribe to capture and share processes so “everyone can get on and read” what’s expected.

3️⃣ Bring people into decisions early

Remote teams fall apart if you spring big changes on them. Francesca’s rule: Get everyone in the room (virtual or not) and ask for input before making the call. Don’t just announce a new remote policy, ask what your team wants.

4️⃣ Give real autonomy, with support

William Stokes (Co-Space) gives his team freedom to set schedules and solve problems, but always checks in informally to offer help. Peter Watson (Featured Group) stopped micromanaging: “With me, you don’t need to earn trust. You’ve got it already. If you break it, you’ll never get it again.” Joshua Western (Space Forge) takes a similar approach: “The team come in when they need to, they get the tasks done when they need to. If the work wasn’t getting done, then I’d be concerned. But we know that it is.”

5️⃣ Check in regularly, don’t wait for problems

Tom Wallace-Smith (Astral Systems) does regular one-to-ones and quick, informal check-ins, especially with remote team members. “Make the time and space for those sorts of discussions, it’s essential.”

6️⃣ Keep decision logs so nobody is left out

James Augustin (Particle Execution) makes it a habit to document all key processes, decisions, and who’s responsible. “If you don’t get crystal clear on what’s happening and who owns it, you just automate the chaos.” Share the context, not just the outcome.

7️⃣ Hire on character, not just credentials

Gemma gets her team to recommend friends who’d fit the culture. Nick Telson (Trumpet) prefers “blank slates” who can learn, not just impressive CVs. Hiring for values and attitude builds a stronger remote team than skills alone.

8️⃣ Trust your team to own outcomes

Delegate outcomes, not tasks. If someone falls short, address it fast and clearly. Will Polston (North Star Thinking): “I delegate the outcome, not the activity… this is the outcome I want you to own.” Kieran Jones (Freethought Group) cares about results: “I’m interested in the output, not really how you do it.” The key: outcome over process.

9️⃣ Flex around real life, not just work

Gemma lets her team walk their dogs or take breaks for family, trusting they’ll get the work done. Her philosophy: happy, trusted people do better work and stick around. She says, “If I found out someone was working over their contracted hours, that’s a me problem.” Autonomy beats clock-watching.

🔟 Experiment with tools, but don’t overload

Kieran trialled Slack, then switched to Teams when it worked better for async chat. Francesca picks tools that fit her process, not the latest trend. The rule: keep tech simple and review it often.

1️⃣1️⃣ Keep teams lean and focused

James keeps his core team small and performance high: “It’s better to have a few people with tight lines of communication than 20 who are just chipping in.” Small, committed teams beat bloated, distracted ones.

1️⃣2️⃣ Make time for real connection, even remotely

Noel Andrews (JobRack) builds fun and connection into his remote team with monthly coffee calls, birthday cards, and games. “Little rituals add up to a really, really great team culture.” Even a quick meme or casual chat can boost morale.

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Distributed, not disconnected

Remote teams aren’t held together by software or policies, but by people who bother. It’s messy, it’s relentless, and it rarely looks like the stories in management books.

Those who make remote work actually work are the ones willing to push through the awkward, the boring, and the uncomfortable bits: awkward feedback, ruthless clarity, and no hiding behind “async.”

If you’re hoping remote will fix what’s broken, it won’t. It just exposes the cracks faster.

But if you do the hard, deliberate work, with clear standards, honest feedback, actual human connection, distributed teams become sharper, faster, and more resilient than any office ever could.

For teams that sweat the details and choose trust over control, remote becomes an unfair advantage. The hard way is still the only way.

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More real insights from Millennial Masters:

Work, unplugged 🔌 The old rules are dead

3 leadership traps you don’t notice until it’s too late 🧱

Burnout warning signs 🧯 and how to fix them

Adapt or exit 🚪 AI’s cull is already here

How a pair of Crocs killed the deal 🚩