Krister Haav (Toggl) - Creating a Fun and Playful Culture in Remote Teams

Today on the show we have Krister Haav, the CEO of Toggl, a simple (yet powerful) time tracker that helps you learn how much your time is worth. If you’re familiar with Toggl, you’ve probably already noticed that they have a super playful brand. They’re not afraid to experiment with comics, or even this addictive startup simulator game: https://toggl.com/startup-simulator/

In this episode, we discussed how Toggl evolved from a software consulting company to a product company, the importance of brand authenticity for remote companies, and why playfulness is an important element of Toggl’s culture.

I had a very fun chat with Krister, and there’s a blooper at the end. So you can skip directly to the end, OR listen to the whole episode, maybe learn a thing or two, and then get to the blooper. Up to you!

We covered:
07:23 — Why “playfulness” is important to Toggl’s culture
11:51 — Does brand authenticity = a higher employee retention rate for Toggl?
13:51 — How Toggl “transfers the vibe” of team culture within the organization
20:45 — The hiring and onboarding process at Toggl
35:45 — Is it possible for remote teams to hire for potential?
40:13 — Krister’s advice for companies who want to start hiring remote employees
Mentioned Resources:
Toggl
Teamweek
Hundred5
Krister’s Toggl page
Toggl Unicorn Startup Simulator
5 Ways to Have Killer Meetings

What We’ve Learned Building a Remote Culture by Nick Francis