N3TWORKED

Thriving in a distributed workplace.

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Welcome to N3TWORKED!

This is a quick guide to best practices in our fully distributed company. Some of what we’ll share you may already be practicing (in which case, awesome), some will be common sense.

Please give it a full read, and you’ll likely pick up a few tips and tricks that will help you, and by result, everyone else at N3TWORK, too.

Our Values

N3TWORK’s values inform and permeate this guide.
Consider it a companion to our Culture Book.

GREATNESS, DELIGHT, OWNERSHIP, DIALOGUE, ACTION

These values, along with our people and practices, define our culture. If we get the culture right, all the other stuff follows – delighted employees and customers, great products and business.

Go check out the N3TWORK CULTURE BOOK for more insights.

Time

Let’s use our most precious resource purposefully.

CALENDAR

  • Dedicate certain time blocks for certain types of work modes.
  • Actively manage your calendar so you leave time to produce and think.
  • Use the Daily :30 minute Planning “Hold” to manage and plan asynchronous commitments.

ASYNCHRONICITY

  • Use asynchronous collaboration tools like Notion and Google Docs.
  • Post asynchronous EOD updates to provide context.
  • Be selective about which meetings you attend.

Respect your teammates’ time and your own.

  • Post your normal working hours.
  • Be mindful of interrupting others’ flow and concentration.
  • Do not schedule meetings outside someone else’s normal working hours.
  • Be flexible about availability for key meetings.

COMMUNICATION

Let’s have clear rules of engagement.

ASSUME POSITIVE INTENT (API)

  • Since 90% of communication is non-verbal, tone and nuance can be misinterpreted.
  • Assume the communicator operates with positive intent – whether in writing, in video, or phone. We’re on the same team.

USE ENGLISH, PLEASE

  • As we become more distributed – hiring diverse talent from different locations who speak other languages – we will still use English as our single language for communication.

WRITE CLEARLY

  • We’ll all be writing a lot more than we have, so try to be as specific as possible regarding your requests and answers.
  • Default to the written word (over meetings) to share context, where everyone can process the information asynchronously.

COMMUNICATION

Let’s have clear rules of engagement.

SET EXPECTATIONS

If you’re the writer, be crystal clear and explicit about why, what, when, and how.

If you’re the receiver, acknowledge receipt of said request and respond with a timeline.

BE PRESENT

Always have your video on during a videoconference (see API above).

Show you’re paying attention: actively listen and feed back what you’re hearing. Focus on the person on the screen. Single task.

BE TRANSPARENT AND RESPECTFUL

Speak up: communicate honestly and intentionally.

Admit mistakes: do not judge others mistakes – only learn from them.

Workspace

Dedicate a space in your home for work and equip it properly.

MENTALLY “COMMUTE”

“In this space, in this time, I am working”.

GET COMFORTABLE

The right chair, desk, and temperature.

ENSURE FAST INTERNET

Avoid AV lags and disconnects.

HAVE GOOD LIGHTING

So others can see your expressions clearly.

TEST YOUR CAMERA

Before your calls begin.

CHECK YOUR AUDIO

People need to hear what you have to say.

Wellness

Daily rituals ensure you’re taking care of yourself.

  • EMBRACE THE CALM

    Join a N3TWORK meditation session or use your dedicated stipend for a wellness app.

  • TAKE A MOMENT

    Use N3TWORK’s 30 min Personal Break to refresh and clear your mind.

  • PLAN FOR SCREEN BREAKS

    Stretch, eat, whatever.

  • GET PHYSICAL

    Walk, bike, even do a N3TWORK Yoga session.

  • SET YOUR WORK HOURS

    Define a start and end time to your work day – and stick to it.

Tools

Always use the right medium for each communication.

SLACK

For matters that require a timely response. Also great for team-wide statusing, context sharing (#dpm) & social (#pets-of-net). Use DMs and @yourname. During work hours, please respond promptly to DMs and @mentions.

GOOGLE MEET

For face-to-face real-time conversations. Be present and ensure other N3TWORKers can see and hear you clearly.

NOTION

For asynchronous project collaboration, organization, and management.

Tools

Always use the right medium for each communication.

EMAIL

Still great for less time-sensitive comms. If you require a response, be specific about the timeframe. Respond to inquiries within 24 hours.

PHONE/SLACK CALLS

For quick less formal communication.

EOD UPDATES

A great way to share what you’re working on and thinking about.

Meetings

Here are our two meeting modes:

ASYNCHRONOUS

Collaboration & Communication that happens over time and through a digital artifact. (eg. Google Doc, Notion, email thread)

SYNCHRONOUS

Real-time/Live N:N meetings that happen over video conference, or over the telephone.

Meetings

Here are our meeting types:

ASYNCHRONOUS

SHARING
Meant to bring team members up to speed with progress updates, or request feedback. (eg. Status, Alignment, Feedback)

EITHER

SOLVING
Specific to an initiative or project and focused on solving for challenges or opportunities. (eg. Live Ops, Bug-fixes, Coaching)

SYNCHRONOUS

STEERING
Helps maintain the operational and directional heartbeat of the company. (eg. All Hands, Active Standups)

SPONTANEOUS
2-3 people jamming on ideas, 1:1 virtual coffee (eg. Brainstorming)

Meetings

Synchronous meetings require preparation to maximize success.

APPOINT AN OWNER

One person should be responsible for meeting quality and outcomes.

25 + 50 MINUTE MEETINGS

Don’t schedule full or half-hour meetings – allow for time to mentally reset.

PREPARE IN ADVANCE

If you are the meeting owner, please send the following at least 24-48 hours in advance:

  • Calendar Invite
  • Agenda and Topics
  • Presentation Materials

If you are a participant, please thoroughly review all Presentation Materials ahead of time.

BE PUNCTUAL

Begin and end on time – try to finish early.

TAKE NOTES

During your meeting, open an active Google Doc or Notion page to take notes and memorialize the source of truth.

LIMIT PRESENTATIONS

Only used in STEERING meetings.

RECORD (OPTIONAL)

For people who couldn’t attend.

RECAP

Owner closes with a recap, next steps, and actions items.

Knowledge

Capture and share knowledge to accelerate learning and inflect quality of execution.

MEMORIALIZE

  • Write up your learning – make it as clear and actionable as possible.
  • Post all your learnings in the N3TWORK Knowledge Container.

SHARE

  • Use an All Hands spotlight to shine a light on a new or improved tool, process or technology.
  • Host a Lunch & Learn to deep dive into more complex questions.
  • Set up time with the peer group you believe would most benefit from the knowledge.
  • Ensure it’s on your lead’s radar for maximum visibility.

Bond

Make time to socialize with your colleagues.

GET LOCAL

Meet up with fellow N3TWORKers in your area.

REACH OUT

Find colleagues with common interests or have virtual coffee with someone you’ve never met.

SHARE SNIPPETS OF YOUR LIFE

Hobbies, pets, shower thoughts.

GET A LITTLE HAPPY (HOUR)

Set up a themed happy hour for you and your buddies.

Freedom

Embrace the benefits of a distributed work company.

YOUR OFFICE RULES

Crank the tunes. Turn up the heat. Whatever works to make yourself comfortable and ready to get after it.

WORK FROM (NEARLY) ANYWHERE*

Sick of the city? Head to the country! As the long as the WiFi is good and the timezones work for other team members, you can live there.

MORE FAMILY/FRIEND TIME

Enjoy being home on time for dinner or a sunset hike with friends.

MORE “YOU” TIME

Bike at lunch. Pick up the guitar. Use the extra time and flexibility to do something good for yourself.

*Contact Biz Ops to figure out what’s possible for you.

Thank You!

N3TWORK Studios Inc.

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