Remote Work Won't Break Creativity. But a Lack of Leadership Will

Serendipitous interactions don't exclusively happen in office hallways

When companies started issuing return-to-office mandates, their leaders threw remote work under the bus. The reasoning varies. But one common thread used—particularly in creative businesses—was that remote work stifled collaboration and creativity. As if those things only live in offices. They don’t.

These companies may be back in the office, but many of their employees still have to work across time zones—especially large multinationals. Now that they’ve returned to their cubicles, so much of what we learned from collaborating remotely is being tossed aside, even though those practices would help teams achieve better outcomes.

Leaders now prioritize proximity over performance, an office over culture and meetings over creative momentum. But it doesn’t mean better work.

The best work happens where trust, clarity and ownership live—regardless of whether people are working from offices, home or collaborating with colleagues in different cities.

Ultimately, company culture should grow out of the work. And getting the best work comes from happy, engaged teams. Serendipitous interactions don’t just have to happen in a hallway; it is a practice you can create with quick drop-ins, shared digital spaces plus clear feedback and direction, even in remote and distributed settings. Employer flexibility is a performance tool that protects energy and keeps talent around.

Here are some ways leaders can keep creative teams engaged, whether they lead fully remote teams or large teams distributed across the globe.

Drop-ins Over Scheduled Meetings

The best ideas often come from unplanned moments. Traditional calendar meetings put us in a mindset of preparing, presenting and performing, which can stifle spontaneity. We’ve found it more productive to send a quick Slack message and jump on an impromptu call to kick ideas around. It keeps the mood easygoing and the ideas flowing naturally.

The Power of a Shared Digital Concepting Space

Using Figma, digital tech and AI to concept and share ideas and collaborate is a hyper-productive, more inspiring version of the in-person whiteboard. No one accidentally erases anything. We can reconfigure notions and images infinitely. And we can move seamlessly from sketch to prototype to final execution, all in the same space.

Get to Work, Fast

We encourage our creatives to dive right into solving the problem. Putting pencil to paper quickly is critical to our process. With distributed teams, it’s especially important that each person produces something tangible early, whether it’s UI design, a moodboard, a concept write-up or an experience idea.

It’s often easier to get started, too. In-person creative work frequently involves hurdles: booking rooms or waiting for everyone to gather. Remote teams, on the other hand, can jump straight into creation. This helps everyone find their footing, gives creative leadership insight into each person’s strengths and accelerates the collective process.

Let the Team Own the Work—and Their Time

We empower teams to own the success of their projects. We provide a framework, a tight brief, a clear timeline and a definition of success. Then, we trust our leaders to guide the team in the right direction.

We also give them the flexibility to take care of themselves on their time. Doing so breeds a long-term ability to harness that superpower out of those people because they don’t get burned out.

Create a Spark

In person, teams feel pressure to solve creative blocks live. But remotely, you can intentionally build in pause time. When a team is stuck on an idea, we have to look for ways to reignite creativity. That spark might come from adding fresh perspective. A reset can unlock new ideas. Getting the team to share what’s been inspiring them lately can also work. Often, those inspirations connect beautifully to bold and breakthrough ideas.

Celebrate the Team and the Work

Host semi-regular virtual work shares where teams present and celebrate what they’ve been creating, as well as the quiet contributions—the smart feedback and the elegant design systems that all contribute to the work.

It’s a powerful way to showcase collective effort, exchange inspiration, and strengthen bonds across the company. For a remote workforce, these moments of visibility and connection are essential, especially since teammates might never meet in person.

This can even be extended to your frequent freelance community, regardless of whether they are currently working on a project for your company.