Ask HN: My startup is going remote-only. Is this a giant red flag?
My startup company, located in a major city, is going remote-only. Meaning, we are currently in a shared office space, but some time in the coming months, we will no longer have that space and will be a remote-only org. A variety of reasons were given for this decision, including the fact that we already have a bunch of remote workers. Has your startup successfully transitioned to be remote-only or is this a flag I should start looking for other jobs?
14 comments
Remote can be far more effective than offices. From what I see, full remote actually works much better than partial remote.
If you go partially remote, communication tools are disjointed; you'll have meetings with some, lunch with some, Skype with some. Skype as a core communication tool is a red flag.
But if everyone is full remote, you start to adopt more effective communication methods. Instead of status update meetings, people stay up on Slack 24/7, shitpost constantly, which also includes regular status update. You'll start adopting project management tools as a way to maintain project updates. Little private channels form up where people can vent disagreements or flag problems with the rest of the team.
If the team is only partially remote, this doesn't happen. Problems fester, tools like Slack or Trello fall apart because they're unused by upper management or the people doing the work. And these tools will be unused when there are "better" tools like face to face meetings.
I actually get a lot more honesty from remote teams because the can speak up on issues which they wouldn't face to face. Regular shitposting on Slack also breaks the ice better than doing team building outings.
If you go partially remote, communication tools are disjointed; you'll have meetings with some, lunch with some, Skype with some. Skype as a core communication tool is a red flag.
But if everyone is full remote, you start to adopt more effective communication methods. Instead of status update meetings, people stay up on Slack 24/7, shitpost constantly, which also includes regular status update. You'll start adopting project management tools as a way to maintain project updates. Little private channels form up where people can vent disagreements or flag problems with the rest of the team.
If the team is only partially remote, this doesn't happen. Problems fester, tools like Slack or Trello fall apart because they're unused by upper management or the people doing the work. And these tools will be unused when there are "better" tools like face to face meetings.
I actually get a lot more honesty from remote teams because the can speak up on issues which they wouldn't face to face. Regular shitposting on Slack also breaks the ice better than doing team building outings.
Does your company leadership keep its employees up to date on the financial health of the company?
If not, that’s a red flag IMO. Small startups have no excuse not to keep their employees informed on this topic. If the company is in dire straits, employees deserve to know. Similarly if the company is doing well, employees deserve to know.
Of course executives will balance that obligation with the need to keep morale. If the company is in trouble, but it’s not catastrophic yet, I could see why they might choose to keep that information from employees. The last thing they want at a critical make-or-break juncture like that is a stampede out the door or a bunch of engineers interviewing for new jobs.
If you have a good relationship with your manager (or the CEO in the case of a small startup), I would recommend discussing your concerns with him/her. If you do not have such a relationship, well... that’s a red flag.
If not, that’s a red flag IMO. Small startups have no excuse not to keep their employees informed on this topic. If the company is in dire straits, employees deserve to know. Similarly if the company is doing well, employees deserve to know.
Of course executives will balance that obligation with the need to keep morale. If the company is in trouble, but it’s not catastrophic yet, I could see why they might choose to keep that information from employees. The last thing they want at a critical make-or-break juncture like that is a stampede out the door or a bunch of engineers interviewing for new jobs.
If you have a good relationship with your manager (or the CEO in the case of a small startup), I would recommend discussing your concerns with him/her. If you do not have such a relationship, well... that’s a red flag.
Could be a number of legitimate reasons, do you have previous experiences of your managers lying to you about things to make you not trust them about this or is it just normal start-up paranoia?
Follow your feeling on this as you are closer to the details, and set up a contingency plan and in the meantime enjoy the lifestyle remote work could bring you.
Follow your feeling on this as you are closer to the details, and set up a contingency plan and in the meantime enjoy the lifestyle remote work could bring you.
I wouldn't say so. Going remote has many benefits and can unlock a lot of flexibility for the team which can result in a higher quality of life for everyone. Going remote alone isn't a red flag. Many successful companies are remote - Zapier, GitLab, Chargify, Aha! Buffer, etc.
If you're concerned about anything I recommend you ask your manager and/or the CEO directly.
If you're concerned about anything I recommend you ask your manager and/or the CEO directly.
The fact that you’re concerned is a red flag. If things were good you wouldn’t be worried.
as a rule of thumb, you probably get better mileage out of always looking for other jobs, even when you have a decent one --- than say, working long hours without paid overtime, or so on.
remote-only could be great. https://www.remoteonly.org/
remote-only could be great. https://www.remoteonly.org/
I think it's only a red flag if you don't want to work remotely. I've been doing it for about 1.5 years straight now with a 6 month stint in the past a couple years ago. With a wife and young kids, it's great. I can have lunch with them. I don't have to deal with as much office politics. My employer keeps us fairly well informed about the health of the startup.
Are there pain points? Yes, communication can be difficult and the transition can be difficult for managers. People seem to really vary in their ability to comprehend how async communication can work (as in, what needs to be a group announcement on a call versus just an update in Slack or email).
So I personally wouldn't see the change as a red flag. Having had my current experience, I would be delighted and would be considering where to move to maximize taking advantage of being remote. But it really is a "your experience may vary" based on what you're looking for.
Are there pain points? Yes, communication can be difficult and the transition can be difficult for managers. People seem to really vary in their ability to comprehend how async communication can work (as in, what needs to be a group announcement on a call versus just an update in Slack or email).
So I personally wouldn't see the change as a red flag. Having had my current experience, I would be delighted and would be considering where to move to maximize taking advantage of being remote. But it really is a "your experience may vary" based on what you're looking for.
Wasn't there an established (startup maybe, but which had been around a while) company that announced they're going remote only because their office space simply doesn't get used?
Unfortunately I forgot the name, but maybe some other HNer remembers.
This doesn't answer your question, but it's a data point that it has happened before. Unless you work for them :)
Unfortunately I forgot the name, but maybe some other HNer remembers.
This doesn't answer your question, but it's a data point that it has happened before. Unless you work for them :)
It's Automattic, WordPress parent company. Previous discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14536410
Mozilla is another where they have some (really nice) office space and most of the team chooses to be remote.
I haven't done startups. But I do work with a mostly remote company. I would imagine that it would be easier to establish a remote-only work culture earlier on then try to transition to it later (where you might need to jetison some established employees who aren't interested in remote work).
if you are getting paid, what's the issue? office space can be very expensive and being remote is a great way to save cost and extend the runway. remote companies work best when everyone is 100% remote, but it's also very difficult and painful to figure out if you don't have experienced folks running it.
Off topic, I had posted an ask HN thread, it does not seem to be appearing , does it take a while to trend please?
Thanks
many ask HN threads disappear off the first page very quickly. Since your account is very new that might factor into the ranking, but I'm not sure. I recommend building up your karma and trying again in a week or two.