TeamOut (YC W22)

Return-to-Office Mandates: Story Time I stopped asking my team to take PTO when they travel. At first, it feels counterintuitive. Travel = time off... right? But over time, I noticed something. They had optimized everything: - Noise-canceling headsets - Paid wifi when needed - The right tools and Clear priorities - And most importantly: the remote mindset, to get things done wherever So I changed the policy: Don't take the PTO. Just do your best Then the company gets 4-5 hours of focused output. No delays in our deadlines. No backlog piling up. Things keep moving My team keeps their PTO for what actually matters: Family, Friends, Real rest, passions That's a win on both sides. If we were working under an RTO mandate, that productivity would’ve been impossible, and they wouldn’t have even wanted to work during that time. Leadership needs to realize what they’re losing by enforcing outdated RTO policies. 🌍 Let people work where they want to work, when they want to work. Your company will be better off for it.

Imagine two people working in tech: Emily works for a remote-first company. She wakes up at 7, works out, eats a real breakfast, and sits down at her desk by 9 with a clear head. By 5, she's done, actually done. She sees friends, picks up a hobby, sleeps well, and repeats. Daniel commutes to an office five days a week. His CEO wants everyone to work in-person His alarm goes off at 6. He squeezes onto a packed train, grabs an overpriced coffee, and arrives already tired. Between the "quick syncs," the open-floor distractions, and the lunch that somehow costs $18, he gets maybe 4-5 hours of real work done. He finally leaves at 6, makes it home by 7:30 pm and needs to get in bed by 10 pm or else he’s risking his 8 hrs/sleep to fit in a social life or workout (good luck doing both!). So who’s more productive? Here's the thing nobody talks about enough: Emily isn't working more hours, she's just not wasting half her energy before the work even starts. Daniel isn't lazy, he's stuck in a system that rewards presence over output. That's the real case for remote work. Not pajamas and Netflix, but better energy, deeper focus, and actual output. And for companies? A healthier team that performs better, without burning cash on office space. Remote work isn't a perk, it's a performance advantage. Agree or Disagree?

I have been fully remote for 10 years, and it's completely changed my life. And now, as an employer, I truly don't understand why companies are forcing employees back into offices. Here is what remote actually gives people that no return-to-office policy can replicate. It gives individual contributors the quiet they need to do their best work. No open-plan distractions. No performative presence. Just focus. It gives immigrants and people with family abroad the ability to travel home more often and spend real time with the people they love, not just a rushed week at Christmas. It gives new parents a fighting chance. Our founder spent genuine time with his newborn this year. A six-month-old grows fast. Remote meant he did not miss it. It gives people their health back. You can actually schedule a doctor's appointment on a Tuesday. You can go surfing before your first meeting. You can take a walk at noon without it feeling like a rebellion. It gives people their finances back. No commute costs. No expensive lunches. No dry cleaning bills. It gives companies financial clarity too. We save around 400k annually in office space alone. It gives people depth. When you work remotely from a new country for a few months you meet people, discover cultures, and come back to your work with a perspective that an office park simply cannot offer. This photo is me in San Francisco, one of the many trips I took this year while staying fully productive and deeply connected to my work. Remote work does not make people less productive. It makes them more whole. And whole people do better work. If you’re planning your next team offsite, check out TeamOut.com, it’s what we do best.

Had such a great time at the Highgate Viceroy Santa Monica Event with my colleague Madeleine DeFrank . It’s always nice to put faces to the names of our amazing hotel partners! TeamOut (YC W22)

Biggest startup superpower. At TeamOut (YC W22) , our team retreats are our secret to staying in a great mood, always.

TeamOut is at the GBTA Conference this week! Join our session on Tuesday at 9:30 AM for "Balancing Agility and Control" in Room 401. We're also excited to meet customers, prospects, and partners so please stop by to say hello at booth 314. It should look like the picture below...or at least very similar 😏 🌴 #GBTA #Conference

The $2M myth about corporate retreats: Everyone thinks luxury venues = better team experiences. After planning 1000+ retreats, I can tell you this is DEAD WRONG. We analyzed data from our most successful retreats and found: • The most impactful retreats weren't the most expensive • Teams bonded better in some $2000/person retreats than $4,000/person ones • Activities (only 5% of budget) created 80% of the memorable moments The secret? It's not WHERE you meet, but HOW you structure the experience. This insight has saved our clients over $2M in unnecessary venue costs. Want to know what actually matters for team connection? Check out my first comment below. #CorporateRetreats #TeamBuilding #LeadershipDevelopment