Scaling a Remote Engineering Team

Remote-First, Not Remote-Tolerant

There's a difference between a team that allows remote work and one that's built for it. At Oak Techx, we've been remote-first since day one, and we've learned that it requires intentional systems.

Async Communication

Default to async. Write things down. If a decision was made in a call, it didn't happen until it's documented. We use Linear for project tracking, Notion for documentation, and Slack for quick coordination — never for decisions.

Hiring Across Time Zones

We hire across a 6-hour timezone spread (UTC-1 to UTC+5). This gives us enough overlap for collaboration while benefiting from extended coverage. The key is establishing core overlap hours and protecting them.

Culture Without an Office

Weekly team rituals, monthly game sessions, and quarterly in-person meetups. Culture doesn't happen by accident in a remote team — you have to engineer it.