The Human Side of Distributed Work: Building Culture and Psychological Safety in Digital Teams

As organizations embrace distributed and remote work as the new normal, a critical question emerges: How can we foster a sense of belonging, inclusion, and psychological safety when teams are no longer co-located? At Publicis Sapient, we believe the answer lies in intentionally designing digital environments that empower people to connect, collaborate, and thrive—no matter where they are in the world.

Beyond Remote: The Distributed Work Mindset

Remote work is often seen as a logistical arrangement—employees working from locations outside the traditional office. Distributed work, however, is a mindset and an organizational model. As John Maeda, Publicis Sapient’s Chief Experience Officer, puts it: “You can be working alone, remotely; but need to work in a group to be distributed.” Distributed work is about intentionally designing collaboration, culture, and technology to enable teams to thrive together, regardless of geography.

The Five Pillars of Distributed Work

Our approach to distributed work is anchored in five foundational pillars:

Collaboration Over Cooperation: Cooperation is working at arm’s length; collaboration is about embracing shared goals and outcomes. Distributed work requires teams to break down silos and work as tightly knit units, leveraging digital tools for real-time feedback, live editing, and seamless communication.
Digital Place-Making: In a distributed environment, “place” is no longer a physical office or a time zone. It’s a digital space where teams gather, share, and create. Establishing a strong digital foundation—through platforms that foster connection and transparency—creates a sense of belonging and purpose.
Psychological Safety and Inclusion: No technology can compensate for a lack of psychological safety. Distributed work flourishes when people feel safe to share ideas, take risks, and be themselves. This means prioritizing inclusive practices, supporting diverse perspectives, and ensuring every voice is heard.
Purposeful Technology Adoption: The right tools are essential, but technology must serve people—not the other way around. Successful distributed organizations deeply understand both their technological capabilities and the needs of their people, selecting tools that enhance productivity, mindfulness, and well-being.
Continuous Cultural Evolution: Distributed work is not a static state. It requires ongoing attention to culture, values, and behaviors. At Publicis Sapient, we use digital channels and frameworks to reinforce our core values, share new thinking, and help both new and existing team members stay connected to our evolving story.

Building Psychological Safety in Digital Teams

Psychological safety is the foundation of high-performing distributed teams. Without it, even the best tools and processes fall short. Creating psychological safety in digital environments requires:

Clear and Authentic Communication: Leaders must model transparency and vulnerability, sharing not just successes but also challenges and learnings. Regular check-ins, open forums, and feedback loops help ensure everyone feels heard and valued.
Role Modeling and Change Champions: Successful transformation needs clear vision from leadership, but also relies on champions at every level who embody and reinforce core values. Recognizing and rewarding those who cultivate inclusion and trust helps embed these behaviors across the organization.
Two-Way Feedback: Employees should be invited to share feedback throughout the transformation journey. This enables organizations to operate with agility and more effectively connect with employee needs along the way.

Digital Onboarding and Ongoing Learning

A sense of belonging starts on day one. Digital onboarding journeys should be designed to:

Introduce Core Values and Culture: Make values, behaviors, and objectives accessible through internal apps and digital channels, ensuring alignment and clarity across a global workforce.
Foster Community: Use online communities and self-service platforms to connect new joiners with mentors, peers, and resources, reducing the isolation that can come with remote work.
Enable Continuous Learning: Provide ongoing access to learning and development opportunities, so employees can upskill and stay connected to the organization’s evolving mission.

Leveraging Technology to Reinforce Culture

Technology is a powerful enabler of distributed culture when used with intention:

Digital Collaboration Suites: Real-time editing, feedback, and transparent communication tools help teams work together seamlessly, regardless of location.
Dataful Experiences: Inspired by John Maeda’s framework, experiences should be light (easy to use), ethical, accessible, and dataful—leveraging data to iterate and improve continuously.
AR/VR and Immersive Platforms: As these technologies mature, they offer new ways to create visceral digital experiences that bring distributed teams closer together.

Best Practices for Leaders

Redefine Leadership for Digital Teams: Set new norms for digital collaboration, model inclusive behaviors, and foster environments where experimentation and learning are encouraged.
Codify and Communicate Core Values: Use digital channels to make values and expectations visible and actionable for all employees.
Prioritize Well-being: Mindfulness, time management, and work-life balance are critical. Technology should enable—not erode—employee well-being.
Experiment and Iterate: Encourage teams to try new tools and ways of working, learning from both successes and failures to continuously improve the distributed model.

The Future of Distributed Work is Human

The next frontier of distributed work will be shaped by emerging technologies—augmented and virtual reality, AI-driven collaboration, and more immersive digital experiences. But the heart of distributed work remains human: building trust, fostering inclusion, and enabling people to do their best work together, wherever they are.

At Publicis Sapient, we believe distributed work is not just a response to change—it’s a catalyst for transformation. By embracing the five pillars and committing to ongoing cultural and technological evolution, organizations can build workforces that are not only resilient and productive, but also collaborative, inclusive, and ready for whatever comes next.

Ready to unlock the future of work? Let’s start the conversation.