Everybody wants to be happy. Developers are not the exception. And as an employer, it should also be your priority to keep your employees and freelancers satisfied. Happy people make the most efficient and creative workers; and those who are best at what they do earn the luxury of taking risks for the sake of their own happiness. That’s the real power of remote management as a startup: getting A+ people from all over the world, the best in their fields, willing to build your dream with you. So, what can you offer in exchange? That’s what we’re learning today.

Redefining work

Our societal view of work has been very close to a “ball and chain” throughout the years. We have to work, we need the money to live and that’s how you get it. Well, if the digital age has taught us anything, is that work no longer has to be viewed as a 9-to-5 prison.

There is a great percentage of the population who don’t fit in a regular company’s “good employee” mold. However, they can still be hard workers, talented and effective at what they do. The internet has opened up a global market and thousands of new job opportunities, giving these people a space to show their skills, and employers an opportunity to appreciate and harvest that untapped potential.

The question is: How?

4 Guidelines for a remote startup culture

As a startup founder and employer, you need to understand what’s important to your team. If you have their priorities clear, you can sort out your company’s culture from there.

1. Location, location, location

The whole point of working for a Remote Startup is the fact that you can work remotely. Digital nomadism is a great example of how people no longer need to be tied down to an office, a city, a country, or even a continent, to do their job. Your freelancers and employees want to work from and travel to wherever they want. As far as you’re concerned, there’s no problem with that as long as the work is satisfactory.

2. Employee’s growth

Your startup’s growth isn’t the only one you should be worried about. In fact, your company will have a difficult time growing if its members are stifled. Remember: “A rising tide raises all ships.” So, don’t just benefit from their work, give back—allow them to learn, pay for conferences and courses, invest in them to better themselves. They should both inspire and be inspired by their A+ colleagues.

3. The greatest wealth is health

Virgil said that, and boy, was he right. Unfortunately, this lifestyle and its freedom come with drawbacks, and Health is the biggest one. It should be your priority as a remote startup to provide reliable health insurance for the workers and their families. And don’t forget about staying fit—a gym membership can go a long way.

4. Show me the money

Okay, health might be number one, but actual wealth is good too. So, provide high salaries regardless of where your employees live. Remember, you’re getting A+ workers, you should pay them what they’re worth. If they can have a San Francisco salary working from Thailand, that’s going to be a huge advantage for them, and a great tilt of the “employer balance” in your favor.

Managing a startup remotely is a tricky business. There are many factors to be considered, but at least you now have an idea of how to create a company culture that will help your startup grow and keep your team content.

If you want to learn more about this topic, you can check out last week’s post, 5 Tips to effectively manage a startup team remotely. I’m considering creating a full course on “remote management for startups,” so comment below if that’s something you’d like to see.