Written by Dr. Julia-Sophie Ezinger, Managing Director and Co-Founder at rhome
The remote-first world is not just changing where we work - it’s transforming the very foundation of what we understand as company culture and work-life balance. As a remote-first company ourselves, we’ve come to realize that while remote work brings immense opportunities, it also redefines concepts we once took for granted.
Culture: The Iceberg, But With Different Peaks
In traditional companies, culture is often built around shared physical experiences - morning coffee runs, team lunches, office celebrations. Even the way people decorate their desks. In remote-first companies, these visible aspects of culture don’t disappear; they simply evolve into different "peaks" of the cultural iceberg.
At rhome, our culture isn’t found in physical routines but in the values that guide how we act, how we collaborate, and how we interact with clients. It’s reflected in the clarity of our communication, the trust we place in each other, and the way we celebrate success. These elements are just as visible to us as lunch dates were in a traditional office. They’re simply different.
Remote-first culture also forces a company to put deliberate thought into the "hidden" layers of the iceberg. Values, processes, and ways of working can’t be left to chance or assumption. In a remote-first environment, everything must be articulated and lived consistently because there are fewer informal cues to rely on.
The metaphor of culture as an iceberg remains relevant in the remote-first world, but the peaks above the water have shifted. In a remote environment, the visible parts of culture might include:
- The tone of written communication in Slack or email.
- The responsiveness and thoughtfulness of team collaboration.
- Virtual celebrations and the way success is acknowledged across distances.
- The structure and transparency of processes, which become more visible when everyone is remote.
Beneath the surface, the same foundational elements persist: trust, shared values, and the behaviors that define how work gets done. But in a remote-first model, these foundations must be stronger and more intentional than ever because they don’t have physical proximity to fall back on.
Starting Points Matter: Remote-First vs. Remote-Transitioning
For companies that were built as remote-first, this way of working is second nature. We don’t struggle with building culture because it was baked into our DNA from the start. However, for companies that transitioned to remote work post-COVID, building a cohesive culture that works in a remote-first environment is an uphill battle. These organizations often try to replicate their pre-pandemic traditions in a digital format, but this approach rarely works. Remote-first culture requires rethinking - not just translating - the visible and invisible aspects of how people connect and work together.
Work-Life Integration: A New Trigger for Traditional Employers
Work-life integration in remote-first companies is also fundamentally different. While traditional employers often focus on blending work into life - encouraging activities like team-building events or after-work socials - remote-first companies redefine the boundaries. For many remote-first employees, work is no longer something that needs to integrate seamlessly into their personal lives. Instead, it exists alongside life, bringing different challenges around boundaries and flexibility.
This shift can be deeply unsettling for traditional employers. The idea that employees can "switch off" without losing productivity challenges long-held assumptions about presenteeism and constant availability. But for remote-first organizations, this is a strength, not a weakness. Done right, it allows employees to focus deeply during work hours and live fully outside of them, ultimately fostering better mental health and long-term engagement.
The Critical Question for Organizations
The remote-first world isn’t just about adopting new tools or allowing flexible work locations. It’s about fundamentally rethinking what culture means and how it’s built. For some organizations, this shift will feel liberating - a chance to create something new and inclusive. For others, it will feel like a loss, particularly if they try to impose old models on a new paradigm.
Ultimately, the organizations that thrive in a remote-first world will be those that see this change not as a challenge but as an opportunity to design a culture that reflects the realities, and the possibilities, of the modern workplace. Those organizations who design their new culture around the entire iceberg - including the bits below the water line, as well as the visible peaks that rise above the surface.
RES Forum research
This piece was written for the RES Forum research paper Vision 2030 – the future of talent mobility. Released in January 2025, the paper looks ahead to the world of international and cross-border work in 2030. As well as a comprehensive industry-led piece of research, the paper also explores three potential visions of life and work in half a decade’s time. These scenarios were created following numerous conversations and represent a view of global work in 2030. In response to these visions, we gathered a selection of perspectives from across the RES Forum community. This is one of a selection of pieces to be released alongside the research paper.
About the author
Dr. Julia-Sophie Ezinger is the Founder & CEO of rhome, a company dedicated to simplifying global mobility compliance. With a background in innovation, HR and finance, Julia-Sophie is passionate about enabling compliant, easy and smooth Global Mobiltiy processes with automation and without the administrative headaches. Having built rhome as a fully remote company from day one, Julia-Sophie deeply understands the challenges and opportunities that come with global work flexibility. Their expertise lies in cross-border compliance, process automation, and the future of work. Connect with them to explore how remote work can be both compliant and culture-driven.
