Rethinking Remote Engagement: Flexibility, Autonomy & Belonging

At MakerX, we're a remote-first R&D studio building more than just world-class products, we’re building a culture that respects individuality, supports curiosity, and invites people to belong in their own way. Our approach to remote engagement is simple, create opportunities to connect, not obligations. Let people opt in when it feels right. Trust that connections will grow when there’s space to be themselves.

It’s important to us that we don’t try to fit everyone into the same box, because we know people connect in different ways, at different times, for different reasons. That’s why we’ve created a range of opt-in initiatives designed to give people choice and autonomy.

Here’s a peek at what that looks like:

🍩 Donuts

We use Donut to randomly pair people across the company for 1:1 virtual catch-ups. These aren’t work meetings, they’re a chance to connect with someone new, talk about your weekend, your latest side project, or what happened on last week’s episode of White Lotus.

Donuts are a great way to break down silos. When you’re spread across time zones and teams, it’s easy to only interact with the same people every day. Donuts introduce intentional randomness, you get paired with someone you might not normally talk to, which helps build cross-team relationships. 

💬 Personalised Check-ins

One-on-one check-ins are a powerful way to stay grounded and supported in a fully remote team. At MakerX, we’ve deliberately not taken a one-size-fits-all approach here.

Some Makers like regular structured support catch-ups that focus on career growth, mentoring, or just pulse checking. Others prefer a more fluid approach: reaching out when something’s on their mind. And some people may not always ask for support, but benefit from a gentle nudge or a regular touchpoint.

That’s why we offer personalised check-ins, completely tailored to each individual’s needs, preferences, and rhythms. It’s up to you who you check in with (yes, that includes Matt our CEO, and Rob our CTO—no need to be shy), how often, and what you talk about. Whether it’s bouncing around an idea, unpacking a challenge, getting advice, or just catching up, we’re here for it.

🧠 Temp Checks

Every few months, we run a Temp Check; a company-wide feedback loop designed to understand how people are really feeling.

We ask thoughtful questions, listen carefully, and surface trends: what’s working well that we can do more of, and what’s not landing that we need to rethink. Then, we share the findings transparently with the team and start working on the gaps we find.

It’s not about replacing real-time feedback, far from it. This is just one way we step back and look at the big picture, making sure we’re not missing important signals in the day-to-day. It gives us data, insight, and direction, all in service of building a better, more human workplace.

😃Fun Stuff

Connection doesn’t always have to come from structured programs or formal conversations. Sometimes, it’s just about having a good time together, and we’ve got plenty of that too. Whether it’s BakerX, our lil baking club where folks can whip up scones together; speed chess tournaments for those who like fast thinking and friendly competition; or regular Dungeons & Dragons sessions that let us adventure through fantastical realms. These pockets of fun give people a way to connect over shared interests, creativity, and good times. It’s not about everyone joining everything, it’s about giving people space to show up where they feel most themselves.—------------------

There’s of course more that contributes to how we approach remote engagement at MakerX, like ways of working together, but I’ll save that for a future blog! In the meantime, if staying connected involves baking blue berry muffins, or slaying a dragon along the way? Even better.