The Remote Work Revolution: Milana Martinovic of Onsite Hub On Building Strong Cultures in a Digital World
An Interview With Chad Silverstein
I also always say, there’s no such thing as 100% remote. Even the best fully remote organizations thrive when they incorporate at least 10% in-person time. These meetups, when designed with intention, act as a catalyst for motivation, alignment, and collaboration. They help employees reconnect with the company’s mission, strengthen relationships, and recharge their engagement.
The remote work revolution has transformed how we think about work, but it has also raised important questions about maintaining culture and connection in a virtual world. To explore this important topic, we are interviewing Milana Martinovic.
Milana Martinovic is a remote work expert with 15 years of experience managing and optimizing distributed teams. She honed her skills at Airbnb and other remote-first tech companies, developing efficient processes for distributed work. As the founder of OnsiteHub, she now specializes in organizing impactful retreats for fully remote organizations.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
Sure, thanks for having me! From the start of my career, I was drawn to roles that offered flexibility in where and when work got done. I’ve always thrived in fast-paced, high-ownership environments, so joining Airbnb as one of its first European employees was a dream come true. That experience led me to various roles in operations, support, and internal communications across other distributed teams.
One of the main reasons I was drawn to remote working was for the flexibility it allows — people tend to keep their passions and hobbies alongside successful careers. As a woman, I’m especially passionate about the fact that remote work has allowed many women to step up their careers without having to sacrifice motherhood, and vice versa.
About seven years ago, I transitioned into consulting, working with an agency that specialised in company retreats for remote organisations. As more companies embraced fully remote work — especially post-pandemic — I saw a growing need for well-designed in-person gatherings. That inspired me to start my own business, focusing specifically on events for distributed teams. It’s these in-person events that really fuel the culture and success of fully distributed organizations and combine the best of both worlds.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began working with remote or hybrid teams?
One of the most interesting aspects of working with remote and hybrid teams has been the incredible variety of people I’ve met and collaborated with. Everything from networking with what turned out to be future clients on the beaches of Bali to being inspired by progressive ideas at digital nomad and remote work conferences.
I’ve noticed that those who gravitate toward remote work often have strong passions outside of their professional lives — whether it’s travel, the arts, or other personal pursuits. Remote work gives them the flexibility to design a lifestyle that balances both.
Personally, I’ve embraced that same flexibility, living in four different countries and traveling the world while building my career. It’s been the best thing where I’ve been able to meet my location needs with my current life needs (i.e. moving to an island to live a quiet life after having kids).
You are a successful leader in the remote work space. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
I believe three key traits have been instrumental to my success in the remote work space:
1. Organizational Skills
Being analytical and focused on processes is essential when you can’t simply walk over to a colleague’s desk. In remote settings, strong documentation and clear systems aren’t just helpful — they’re crucial. For example, when I joined Pond5, a stock media marketplace, 11 years ago, I introduced a companywide newsletter and set up a Wiki with regular departmental updates. This ensured that everyone stayed informed and aligned, even from a distance (the company was spread between offices in Prague and New York as well as a number of fully remote employees).
2. Autonomy and Ownership
Remote work demands a high level of personal accountability and the ability to shape your own role. In my previous agency, I was given the chance to build the operations function from scratch. I embraced the opportunity to define my role, which eventually evolved into the position of COO. This experience reinforced that taking ownership and proactively carving out your lane can lead to significant professional growth, especially in a fully remote organisational setting.
3. Resilience
Progress in remote environments can sometimes feel slow or vague due to the lack of immediate feedback. Resilience has been key to navigating these challenges. Drafting out clear goals and the way to achieve them coupled with determination have been key to making remote work successful. For example, when I managed the operations for a team where the founders were based in Asia, the marketing team in Australia and Operations in Europe, it was crucial that we understood and made the best of asynch communication. We turned timezones and delayed feedback into a robust operating system where people didn’t depend on immediate input to be able to do their best work.
Let’s now dive into the focus of our interview. When the shift to remote work became widespread, what was the biggest challenge you faced in maintaining a strong workplace culture? How did you address it?
I had already been leading remote teams long before the pandemic, so we didn’t face many immediate challenges. However, I noticed that a lot of leaders struggled with similar concerns:
- How do we maintain company culture without in-person interactions?
- How do we ensure high productivity without micromanaging?
- How do we keep employees motivated when they don’t get the same informal, daily feedback?
The key to all of this? Trust.
A strong remote culture is built on trust and ownership. When employees feel trusted to manage their work without someone constantly looking over their shoulder, they stay more motivated and engaged. This also eliminates the need for micromanagement and creates a culture where people take responsibility for their own success.
One major mistake I saw was companies trying to replicate the office experience in a remote setup rather than designing an intentional remote-first culture. Many organizations simply handed employees laptops and expected business as usual. But an office comes with built-in, informal ways of working — like spontaneous conversations and unspoken rules — that don’t translate easily to remote work. Companies that lacked strong documentation and structured processes struggled the most because they had relied on these in-person interactions to keep things running smoothly.
The organizations that truly thrived in this transition were the ones that embraced remote work as its own unique system — one that prioritizes clear communication, autonomy, and trust over outdated office norms.
What are some of the unique challenges that remote or hybrid teams face when it comes to creating a sense of connection and belonging?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve seen is recreating the sense of connection that naturally happens in an office. Without spontaneous hallway chats, after-work drinks, or even those casual “how was your weekend?” moments, it’s easy for people to feel a bit disconnected.
For example:
The loss of informal conversations. In an office, relationships build naturally through random encounters. Online, if everything is strictly about work, it can feel transactional. Those spontaneous watercooler moments don’t happen unless we make space for them.
The lack of nonverbal communication. So much of how we connect is through body language, tone, and facial expressions. Relying mostly on written messages (Slack, emails) often makes conversations feel robotic, leading to misinterpretations and a lack of personal connection.
New hire onboarding is challenging. Without casual office interactions, new employees can often struggle to feel like part of the team, hesitate to ask for help, or simply not know where to find information. This is especially challenging for junior employees who would normally benefit from shadowing colleagues or getting real-time mentorship.
Celebrating wins feels different — this is probably the biggest downside of remote work in my opinion. In an office, you might high-five a teammate after landing a big client, go for drinks to celebrate hitting a major goal, or gather around for cake on someone’s birthday. In a remote setup, these moments can slip away unless we find new ways to mark milestones.
Feedback and new ideas don’t flow as easily — In-person, feedback happens naturally — whether it’s a quick “Hey, great job on that!” or an impromptu brainstorming session. In a remote setting, these moments have to be intentional, which can actually be a good thing. Structured feedback loops and dedicated spaces for idea-sharing can actually help teams communicate more effectively but they have to be designed in a specific way.
What tools or technologies have you found most effective in fostering communication, collaboration, and team alignment in a remote setting?
In a remote-first environment, clear documentation and structured processes are absolutely essential. They provide employees with the guidance they need, even if no one else is online at the moment. Without them, ambiguity can creep into daily work, leading to confusion and inefficiencies.
Some of the best practices for documentation and process clarity I’ve found include:
Notion, Coda, Slite, Asana, Confluence, ClickUp. These platforms make it easy to centralize knowledge, outline workflows, track projects and ensure everyone is aligned. For example, a well-maintained Notion page can act as a company wiki, making onboarding smoother and reducing repetitive questions.
Video notes. While written documentation is essential, sometimes a quick video explains things much faster and feels more personal. Tools like Loom allow teams to record screen-sharing walkthroughs or short video updates, helping convey complex ideas with tone and visuals.
Informal Communication & Culture Building tools. One of the biggest challenges in remote work is missing those casual office conversations that build camaraderie. To bring this dynamic online, I’ve seen organizations find success with:
- Slack watercooler channels (e.g., #random, #pets, #music) to encourage fun, off-topic conversations.
- Donut (Slack integration), which randomly pairs team members for casual chats, helping recreate the “bumping into someone in the hallway” experience.
- Pre-meeting social time, where the first 5 minutes of calls are dedicated to non-work conversations, mimicking the natural small talk that happens in an office setting.
Finally, one of the most powerful tools we’ve seen is bringing remote teams together in person for intentional face to face collaboration, celebration and culture building in amazing locations.
What role does leadership play in building and sustaining a strong company culture in a remote or hybrid work environment?
More than in a traditional office setting. Leadership must be aware of intentionally leading by example and setting up an environment where an asynch culture can thrive. This means having strong leadership throughout People and Culture roles, clearly defined objectives and expectations and a set of tools allowing a healthy remote culture to thrive.
For example, if an organization relies on ownership and trust without micromanagement, leaders shouldn’t passive-agressively check in on Slack every hour to see if a task is completed. Or if someone needs to step away from their computer for a couple of hours to run a personal errand (emergency school pickup etc), they shouldn’t be reprimanded for not being on during “working hours” (unless there are specifically defined office hours for the sake of customer support, sales etc).
What advice would you give to leaders who are struggling to maintain employee engagement and motivation in a fully remote workforce?
The easiest answer is usually the most obvious one — ask your team!
Every person is different, what drives one employee might not work for another. Some will thrive on public recognition, while others just want to know their work is making an impact. Take the time to check in and understand what they need to stay motivated. If possible, adapt your team’s workflows, communication styles, and even reward structures to support different personalities and working styles.
In a virtual world, some employees will naturally shine in written communication, while others often struggle to feel seen and appreciated. Without regular feedback, it’s easy for people to feel isolated or undervalued.
I’ve found that the key to this is intentionality. Make sure there are clear communication channels for recognition, feedback, and casual check-ins. Whether it’s through structured 1:1s, shoutouts in team meetings, or dedicated Slack channels for celebrating wins, creating space for connection goes a long way in keeping your team engaged and motivated.
Ok, let’s explore actionable insights. Based on your experience, can you share “5 Strategies to Build a Strong Workplace Culture in a Remote Work Environment”? If you can, please include examples or stories for each.
1. Prioritize Intentional Communication
- Why it matters: Remote teams don’t have the luxury of spontaneous office conversations, so communication must be structured and intentional.
- Example: Pond5, a stock media marketplace that’s been remote/hybrid long before the pandemic, the company implemented a weekly newsletter and a company wiki to ensure transparency and alignment across remote and hybrid employees. This helped employees stay connected despite being spread across multiple locations.
2. Encourage Social Connection Beyond Work
- Why it matters: Without casual in-person office interactions, remote teams risk becoming purely transactional.
- Example: Testlio, a fully remote company, introduced an initiative they call “A Cup of Kindness”. This is a monthly sponsored (non alcoholic) drink initiative to encourage their employees to step out of the house and take a loved one, family member or friend for a cup of coffee, tea or similar. The only condition is to post a photo of it in the dedicated Slack channel — encouraging people to share about their personal lives and interests beyond work and create personal connections.
3. Encourage Autonomy and Trust
- Why it matters: Micromanagement kills motivation. Employees perform better when they feel trusted to manage their own work.
- Example: At Doist, one of the original pioneers of remote-work (the company has been around for 15 years, fully remote from day one) , the leadership emphasizes outcome-based performance and asynch communication rather than strict working hours. This allows employees to manage their schedules while ensuring accountability through clear goals and expectations.
4. Celebrate Wins and Milestones
- Why it matters: Recognition fuels motivation, but remote teams often miss out on the spontaneous celebrations that happen in offices.
- Example: Mural, a large remote-first organization, uses everything from Slack (sales lead “ring the bell” channel to celebrate closed deals) to a weekly newsletter sharing companywide wins (also shared in the All Hands). Many companies also hold virtual award ceremonies to highlight contributions across the organization.
5. Organize In-Person Meetups
- Why it matters: The best remote cultures are fueled by in-person interactions.
- Example: At OnsiteHub, we’ve found from working with hundreds of fully remote teams that team offsites are one of the most impactful tools in creating a strong remote first culture. While fully remote and flexible work allows employees to nurture their lifestyles, regular intentional meetups allow companies to nurture company culture. From strategic alignment sessions to social connections like curated meals or simple downtime interactions, this in person time is what acts as the strongest glue in remote-first teams.
How do you address potential feelings of isolation or disconnection that employees may experience in a remote work environment?
It’s crucial to have regular check-ins and informal communication channels on a day to day basis.
I also always say, there’s no such thing as 100% remote. Even the best fully remote organizations thrive when they incorporate at least 10% in-person time. These meetups, when designed with intention, act as a catalyst for motivation, alignment, and collaboration. They help employees reconnect with the company’s mission, strengthen relationships, and recharge their engagement.
A good rule of thumb on offsite cadence? The impact of an offsite lasts about 3–6 months. That’s why many of the most successful remote companies hold company-wide gatherings once or twice a year and smaller team meetups on a quarterly basis. Finding the right balance between remote flexibility and in-person connection is key to building a thriving remote culture.
Can you share an example of a remote work initiative, policy, or program that you implemented which had a significant positive impact on your team?
Since our team has been remote from day one, there isn’t just one standout initiative. Coming back to this topic again, one of the most impactful things we do is regular in-person meetups.
Every time we get together, there’s an undeniable energy boost. It’s like hitting the reset button on trust, connection, and motivation. After a few days of breaking bread, having casual conversations, and spending relaxed time together, the entire team feels recharged and ready to tackle new challenges.
What makes these meetups so effective isn’t a packed schedule full of structured team-building activities, it’s actually the opposite. The best connections happen when there’s space for organic interaction. Instead of forcing engagement with back-to-back workshops, we focus on curating the right environment and letting the team naturally bond. A little bit of work talk, a lot of shared experiences, and just being present with each other, it’s a simple but powerful way to strengthen culture in a remote team.
How do you strike the balance between flexibility (one of the main benefits of remote work) and ensuring accountability and productivity?
It all starts with trust. I’m a strong believer in personal responsibility and giving people the freedom to own their work. Remote work thrives when individuals have the autonomy to structure their day in a way that suits them — as long as they also fully own the outcomes. No micromanagement. Just real, meaningful ownership.
That said, trust doesn’t work in a vacuum. It has to be supported by intentional systems and clear expectations. In today’s world — with AI, no-code platforms, and powerful project management tools at our fingertips — there’s simply no excuse not to build a remote-first operational framework that’s rock-solid.
When you pair transparency (through documentation), clarity (through well-defined processes), and accountability (through clear ownership), you create an environment where flexibility and productivity don’t compete — they reinforce each other. That’s the future of work, and it’s already here.
What trends or innovations in remote work are you most excited about, and how do you see them shaping the future of workplace culture?
I’m especially excited about how traditional industries — like manufacturing and engineering — are embracing remote and hybrid work models.
For a long time, remote work was seen as something only tech companies or desk jobs could support. But with advancements in technology, even industries that once required a physical presence are finding innovative ways to introduce flexibility. Whether it’s using AR/VR for remote troubleshooting, digital twins for real-time monitoring, or AI-driven automation, these fields are proving that remote work isn’t just a trend, it’s the future.
This shift is huge because it reinforces that remote work isn’t a temporary experiment but rather a lasting transformation. As more industries adopt flexible work models, both employees and employers gain access to a much larger talent pool and broader job opportunities. Companies can hire the best people, regardless of location, and workers can find roles that truly fit their skills and lifestyles.
Ultimately, this is going to reshape workplace culture across all sectors, making work more accessible, efficient, and adaptable than ever before. And that’s something to be excited about!
In your opinion, how does building a strong culture in a remote work environment impact not just employees, but also customers, clients, and the company’s overall performance?
It absolutely benefits everyone involved. In my experience, when employees feel empowered and supported in a remote environment, they can work more efficiently and flexibly. This means faster turnaround times, better decision-making, and improved responsiveness. For example, instead of waiting for multiple approvals, employees in a strong remote culture have the autonomy to make informed decisions quickly. Similarly, scheduling a customer call becomes much easier when neither party has to factor in commuting or rigid office hours.
Beyond efficiency, a positive remote culture leads to happier employees, which translates to happier customers. With employees enjoying a healthy work-life balance, they bring more energy, creativity, and enthusiasm to their work. All of this leads to better service, stronger client relationships, and ultimately, a boost in overall company performance.
In short, it’s a win-win-win: Employees thrive, customers receive better experiences, and the business benefits from improved productivity and satisfaction all around.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people through better remote work cultures, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
If I could start a movement to improve remote work cultures, it would be called “Trust First: Treat People Like Adults.”
Seriously, one of my biggest pet peeves is when companies micromanage their employees or operate under the assumption that people can’t be trusted to do their jobs. If we’ve already hired someone (and spent a lot of money on the process) based on their skills, expertise, and potential, then the default approach should be trust and ownership, not control.
Imagine a work culture where employees are given the freedom to manage their time, make decisions, and take real ownership of their work. Instead of rigid rules and unnecessary approvals, they’re empowered to deliver results in the way that works best for them. This kind of autonomy doesn’t just lead to higher productivity, it creates an environment that’s conducive of higher motivation, creativity, and overall happiness. People feel valued, engaged, and inspired to do their best work.
And the best part? When employees are happier and more motivated, businesses thrive. Customers get better service, teams collaborate more effectively, and innovation flourishes. It’s a ripple effect of positivity that benefits everyone.
So, if there’s one thing I’d love to see more companies embrace, it’s treating people like capable, responsible adults. Trust them, give them autonomy, and watch them exceed expectations. That’s the foundation of a truly great remote culture.
How can our readers further follow you online?
I post regularly on LinkedIn on topics of remote work, team offsites and entrepreneurship.
We also have a company blog on our website, at OnsiteHub.eu
This was great. Thank you so much for the time you spent sharing with us.
About the Interviewer: Chad Silverstein is a seasoned entrepreneur with 25+ years of experience as a Founder and CEO. While attending Ohio State University, he launched his first company, Choice Recovery, Inc., a nationally recognized healthcare collection agency — twice ranked the #1 workplace in Ohio. In 2013, he founded [re]start, helping thousands of people find meaningful career opportunities. After selling both companies, Chad shifted his focus to his true passion — leadership. Today, he coaches founders and CEOs at Built to Lead, advises Authority Magazine’s Thought Leader Incubator.
The Remote Work Revolution: Milana Martinovic of Onsite Hub On Building Strong Cultures in a… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.