4 Traits That Make Remote Teams Lovable
Have you seen the news? Some companies are calling their remote employees back to the office — a forced, cross-country trek to permanently “co-locate” at HQ. Reading the headlines, you may wonder if companies have fallen out of love with remote work.
No — remote work is here to stay. In fact, one survey cited by Harvard Business Review found that remote employees quit half as frequently as their in-office counterparts.
Leading the Aha! People Success team, I see firsthand how lovable remote teams are. We are a fully distributed company with team members all over the U.S. and in a few select international locations.
Despite the distance, we love our work, we love each other, and we love our customers.
For us, a company-wide announcement is usually a good thing. It means we have found a new Aha! to join our team. Growing a remote team is not a simple task, so we take the time to celebrate each new hire.
For every candidate, we look for necessary skills and experience, as well as qualities based on The Responsive Method (TRM). TRM is grounded in the belief that lasting success comes from respecting and serving others. We use these principles to guide us every day at Aha! — so it is only natural that we rely on TRM to hire a world-class team.
The most lovable remote team members are:
Ambitious Do you have a sense of direction in where you are going and what you want to accomplish? You do not need to have your entire life mapped out. Just be ready to explain how your past work experience builds towards something meaningful. And have some notion of where you want to be in five years.
Responsive We value people who have a sense of urgency. Responsiveness is at the core of how we work. It’s especially important for remote teams. We want to know how quickly you turn around work in your current role and how fast you could be up and moving at Aha!
Transparent For remote teams, open communication is critical. Be genuine, honest, and kind in your communication — even when you have to say “no.” This is important for the applicant and for the company, and it starts from the moment you apply, all the way through the interview process.
Team players We hire top performers, but we are on guard for any me-first-always attitudes. This stands out when a candidate says “I” all the time, while never giving a nod to others. We look for candidates who can put themselves and the company first in equal proportion. We seek those who enjoy seeing teammates achieve as much as they do.
Ultimately, people want to accomplish meaningful work and serve others — from the location that makes them happiest.
For us, the flexibility of a distributed company is a big part of this. It is what makes us tick. I can proudly say that Aha! is a happy, productive, and yes, lovable remote team.
We are always on the lookout for more terrific people to join our team! If joining one of the fastest-growing software companies in the U.S. that honors people sounds like your dream job, check out our open positions.
What other traits make remote teammates lovable?
