Openly Company Culture & Values

How would you describe your company’s approach to remote-first work? What have been the greatest successes thus far and what obstacles have you overcome in building a remote team?

Openly uses a remote-first structure to balance a highly connected culture and support a diverse employee population across over 40 states. Successful remote work requires a deliberate effort to create an inclusive, engaging and inspiring environment.

Our greatest success is the MicroCultures initiative. These regional employee groups foster a sense of belonging through local meetups (20 physical hubs) or virtual groups (eight virtual ones). In 2025, over 20 MicroCulture events were held, including Top Golf, volunteer events and art classes.

A key challenge is combating work-related distractions, such as multitasking in meetings or replying to Slack notifications. These distractions reflect a broader modern attention issue; research shows many workers switch tasks every 40 to 47 seconds, making focus a workforce challenge, not just a remote one. Openly views obstacles as opportunities, utilizing the core value of “Urgency” to be nimble. We leverage collaboration tools like Notion, Slack and Lattice to ensure alignment and focus on company and department goals, confirming we are all working toward the same direction.

How does your team stay connected in a remote-first office? Are there specific tools you rely on to communicate and collaborate together?

We invest heavily in our people, connectivity and tools to make remote work seamless. Openly relies on multiple communication and collaboration avenues like Slack, email and Zoom, while constantly evaluating new systems to enhance our connectedness. From traditional meetings to podcast-style training, we ensure connection is easy for our employees.

We also understand the value of face-to-face interaction. We hold regularly scheduled department, cross-functional and strategic planning off-sites when in-person time is beneficial. These off-sites are intentionally designed for project work, strategy development and team bonding. Although work-focused, we always allocate time for fun, including local pro sports events, volunteer activities and exploring local cuisine as a team. These intentional moments strengthen us as an organization and energize employees, carrying that momentum and connection back home.

How does your company build culture in a remote-first office? What specific rituals or initiatives does your team use to create a more inclusive, engaged environment?

We measure engagement through the universal ritual of our camera-on approach in meetings; while not mandatory, it is our norm. When someone is off-camera, they share why — let’s face it, salads and soups can be a challenge on camera.

A clear sign of investment is our Openly swag culture; employees routinely sport branded gear and use Zoom backgrounds, showing their connection.

Our DEI committee is a vital culture driver, hosting two to four educational events annually. We aren’t afraid to facilitate conversations that matter, holding panels for Women’s History Month, Pride, neurodivergence and mental health. We published an “Openly Cookbook” with personal and cultural recipes and provide quarterly DEI awareness calendars.

This focus on inclusive practices, education and communication ensures our remote-first people feel supported and connected.