8 ways to build a strong culture in remote team - TimeDive

Building culture in a remote team feels like trying to have a pizza party over Zoom. It’s tricky. But not impossible.

If you’ve ever stared at a Slack thread and thought, "How do I make my team feel connected when we’re oceans (or timezones) apart?" - you’re not alone.

We’ve been there too. When we first started our remote team at TimeDive, culture felt like the missing puzzle piece. But with some intention, small tweaks, and a bit of trial and error, we figured out a few ways to make it work.

These aren’t just theories or gyaan- they’re things we’ve actually tried that moved the needle. So let’s dive in.

1. Be ridiculously clear about your values

Ever notice how the best teams seem to just get things correct? That’s not luck - it’s clarity.

Remote teams don’t get the luxury of watercooler or coffee talk. That’s why your core values need to be really loud and clear. And no, it's more than a dusty, old "About Us" page.

We made ours part of employee onboarding, performance reviews, even Slack emojis. For example, one of our values is "Take ownership of your tasks". Every time someone shows initiative, and leads it, we celebrate it publicly with a 🎯 emoji. Small? Yes. Powerful? Big YES.

Action tip: Write down 3–5 real values (not buzzwords) that actually resonate with you as a leader, and weave them into everyday communication.

2. Create rituals - yes, even silly ones

We have a weekly GIF-off every Friday. It sounds silly (and it is), but it’s now a beloved ritual.

Rituals create rhythm, and rhythm builds culture.

Whether it’s Monday coffee chats, Thursday shout-outs, or a monthly “Show & Tell,” these little moments give your team something to look forward to and something that makes them feel connected.

What kind of team traditions can you start this week?

3. Overcommunicate the why

In remote setups, people don’t get to hear your tone, see your body language, or peek at the whiteboard sketches in your office. That’s why context behind every decision, every task, is the king.

When you assign a task or change direction, always explain the why. It builds trust, eliminates confusion, and helps everyone feel part of the bigger picture.

I once had a teammate thank me for a Loom video I made explaining a product change. At the end of the call, he said “I didn’t just understand what to do - I understood why it mattered,” and that stuck with me.

4. Give feedback regularly and kindly

Feedback shouldn’t feel like a courtroom trial which scares your teams.

In remote teams, silence can feel like disapproval and neglect. So, create a culture where feedback flows freely, both positive and constructive.

Be timely, specific, and human.

We do short monthly feedback rounds -not formal reviews, just honest reflections about their monthly progress, their personal goals and how best can we align with those. They’ve led to some of our biggest growth moments, and stronger, deeper relationships too.

5. Invest in asynchronous bonding

Zoom fatigue is real. Not everyone wants another “happy hour.”

Instead, find async ways to connect. Think: a #book-club channel on Slack, a shared Spotify work playlist, or weekly “fun facts” posts. Create a custom notification for your Slack channel using TimeDive and post the message.

We once did a “Share your desk photo” thread, and it blew up. We saw everything from cute pets to standing desks on milk crates. It brought so many laughs—and made us feel more human to each other.

6. Celebrate everything, even the small stuff

When you’re remote, small wins can just fly by and go unnoticed and that's definitely going to hurt your team morale, Don’t let that happen.

Whether it’s a project milestone, a quick bug fix, a birthday or work anniversaries - make noise about it. Public praise boosts morale and reinforces what you value as a team.

Pro tip: Have a dedicated #wins or #celebrate channel. We use ours daily - it’s like a virtual high-five wall.

7. Encourage ownership and autonomy

No one likes being micromanaged or invasive leader. Especially not remotely.

One of the best ways to build culture is to trust your team to lead. Give them the project and trust them to drum up the details and execution plan. Let them run meetings. Pitch ideas.

The more ownership people feel, the more engaged and invested they become.

I remember the first time a new hire rewrote our internal docs without being asked. She saw something broken and fixed it. That’s when I knew our culture was working.

8. Make space for real talk

Not every day is perfect, and that’s okay. Everyone struggles through some part of life and as a leader, you need to support team. Strong culture doesn’t ignore problems - it makes room for them.

Have 1:1s that aren’t just about tasks. Ask, “How are you really doing?” Let people be honest. Vulnerability leads to connection, and connection builds unbreakbale trust.

Remote culture isn’t built in all-hands meetings - it’s built in moments like these with you really connect with them beyond work.

Final thoughts: It’s not about perks - it’s about people

Let’s face it: no amount of virtual Friday trivia nights can replace a culture that’s rooted in trust, communication, and care.

So where can you start today?

Maybe it’s writing down a doc with your team values. Or starting a Slack ritual. Or just schedule a quick 15-min call and ask your teammate how they’re really doing.

The point is: you don’t have to do everything at once. Pick one or two of these ideas and run with them.

Culture is a living thing - it grows when you feed it.

And hey, if you’ve got any fun rituals or culture hacks that worked for your remote team, we'd love to hear them.

Drop a comment or let’s swap notes. We’re all figuring out to make our team culture rich together.