Thriving in a Remote World: Lessons from Severance | Part 1 - Building Strong Teams at a Distance

Apple TV+’s Severance imagines a workplace where employees’ “innie” selves know nothing about life outside the office. Stripped of context, these workers must rely on one another for support, meaning, and motivation. While the premise is fictional, the dynamics are strikingly relevant for leaders managing remote or hybrid teams. Physical distance, time-zone gaps, and digital-first communication can leave employees feeling just as cut off from one another as the characters on screen.

This article distills practical lessons from Severance and pairs them with proven strategies for cultivating trust, collaboration, and belonging in dispersed teams.

Why Team Dynamics Matter Even More Online

• Performance: High-trust teams outperform low-trust teams on productivity and quality metrics because members share information quickly, ask for help, and course-correct without delay.

• Innovation: Psychological safety fosters idea-sharing, experimentation, and constructive debate, the raw ingredients for innovation.

• Retention: Employees who feel connected to their colleagues are more engaged and less likely to leave, even when job markets tighten.

Lessons We Can Borrow from Severance

Observation from the Show	Practical Takeaway for Real Teams
Shared rituals and mini-celebrations help the “innies” make sense of their confined world.	Create recurring team touchpoints that are social, not just task-based. Quick wins include “virtual coffee chats,” spotlight segments during meetings, or rotating hosts for weekly open-mic sessions.
Storytelling replaces missing context. Characters piece together meaning through stories about company lore and one another.	Encourage employees to share success stories, personal milestones, and lessons learned. Narratives humanize colleagues and build mutual understanding.
Clear purpose counters isolation. When characters discover a collective mission, their relationships strengthen.	Tie every project or sprint back to customer impact and organizational goals so that individual tasks feel connected to a bigger picture.

Putting the Lessons into Practice

Below are initiatives we have adopted internally that any organization can adapt:

1. Virtual Team Games

   A monthly “game hour” featuring low-pressure, high-energy activities (trivia, Pictionary-style sketching, or fill-in-the-blank wordplay) sparks camaraderie without forcing awkward small talk.

   
   

2. Structured Check-Ins

   • Weekly stand-ups keep projects on track and surface blockers early.

   • Company-wide All-Hands Meetings bring everyone together regularly to hear company news, celebrate wins, and stay aligned on future priorities. These meetings help maintain transparency and reinforce a shared sense of direction across teams.

   
   

3. Periodic In-Person Retreats

   When budgets allow, bringing remote colleagues together for two to three days of workshops, brainstorming, and social time can refresh relationships and generate creative breakthroughs that are harder to achieve on video calls alone.

   
   

4. Digital “Watercooler” Channels

   Dedicated chat threads for hobbies, pets, book swaps, or sports scores recreate hallway conversation and give introverts a low-stakes way to connect.

   
   

5. Transparent Goal Tracking

   Shared dashboards (OKRs, sprint boards, or lightweight scorecards) make progress visible and keep everyone aligned on priorities.

   
   
   
   

Looking Ahead

Connection is the foundation; creativity is the next frontier. In Part 2 of this series, we will explore techniques for igniting innovation in remote settings, from asynchronous idea boards to virtual design sprints.

In the meantime, consider which of the practices above could strengthen your own team’s bonds. If you have success stories or challenges you would like us to address, let us know so we can incorporate real-world examples in future articles.