Effective Remote Studio Management: Strategies for Long-Term Success

With seven years of experience as a remote working studio, Roll7 has developed a unique approach to making the setup work. Nisha Minhas, Head of People and Operations, shared the studio's learnings at the GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit. Minhas emphasized the importance of adapting to the shift towards remote work, citing its increasing popularity as a secondary event in people's daily lives. Roll7's model prioritizes a smooth onboarding process, introducing new employees to various virtual work processes. The studio has a fixed start time of 9am, with flexible working hours between 7am and 7pm. Employees can arrange their day as they see fit, and a virtual door on Slack helps them indicate their availability. The studio encourages regular breaks and emphasizes the importance of clear communication, often preferring phone calls over written conversations. Minhas highlighted the significance of a great communications tool, but also the need to consider how it is used. Roll7 relies on Slack, with team announcement channels, dedicated channels for specific disciplines and projects, and non-work-related chats. This approach creates virtual spaces that bring people together, eliminating the isolated feeling that can come with remote work. The company's communications tool is essentially its virtual office, where people interact and build relationships. HR plays a crucial role in developing and growing this tool, ensuring it reflects the company's culture and is easy to use. Minhas stressed that using Slack and doing everything online is not enough; HR must also focus on smaller, meaningful work to maintain and build relationships. For example, Roll7 has a unique approach to celebrations, including virtual party parrots on Slack, gift vouchers, and group lunches. The studio prioritizes building trust, giving people autonomy to manage their own day and work at their own pace. However, this autonomy must be balanced with accountability, and clear roles and responsibilities are essential. Roll7 has one in-office day per month, which helps streamline productivity and facilitate collaborative work. The company also practices overcommunication, using various channels to ensure messages are conveyed clearly. Project management tools like Notion and Jira are vital for planning success, tracking project progress, and holding people accountable for their work. Minhas emphasized the importance of adapting to unpredictable situations, working with a growth mindset, and being willing to evolve. The studio has a no-crunch policy, setting clear boundaries and encouraging work-life balance. Finally, celebrating individual and company-wide successes is crucial, and Roll7 has created a virtual team shout out room on Slack and an internal annual award ceremony to recognize achievements. In conclusion, remote working is about creating a culture that fits around people's personal lifestyles. By working with people and not against them, companies can make remote working models last and create a happy workforce.