Remote Teams in Mexico: A Management and Compliance Guide

Hiring talent in Mexico to build remote teams is no longer a trend; it’s an established business strategy. Access to highly skilled professionals and cultural affinity make the country a key market for global expansion. However, the success of a distributed team goes beyond hiring. It requires an intentional operational structure, a deep understanding of the local legal framework, and a conscious effort to build a culture of belonging from a distance.

The regulation of telework in Mexico, through NOM-037-STPS-2023, establishes a clear baseline of responsibilities for the employer. Ignoring it is not an option, and compliance is the foundation for a sustainable operation. This guide not only addresses how to comply with the regulation but also how to go a step further to transform a group of remote individuals into a cohesive, productive, and committed team. It’s about building a competitive advantage through exceptional remote management.

The legal framework: practical compliance with nom-037

The Official Mexican Standard 037 (NOM-037) establishes the health and safety conditions for telework. Compliance is the foundation of any remote operation in Mexico and must be a priority from day one. This is not just a bureaucratic requirement, but a framework that protects both the company and the employee, laying the groundwork for a clear and equitable working relationship.

Key employer obligations include:

• Providing work tools: This covers computer equipment, ergonomic chairs, and any other supplies necessary for performing the job.
• Assuming proportional costs: The employer must cover a portion of the worker’s internet and electricity expenses.
• Implementing a Telework Policy: An internal document defining schedules, communication channels, breaks, and the right to disconnect.
• Assessing ergonomic risks: Applying a checklist to ensure the employee’s workspace is safe and adequate.
• Training staff: Offering training on the risks and best practices of teleworking.
• Guaranteeing the right to disconnect: Respecting the team’s work schedules and personal time by avoiding communication outside of the established workday.

A partner like an Employer of Record (EOR) can manage the implementation and monitoring of these requirements, ensuring full compliance and freeing your team from the administrative burden.

The essential tech stack for remote collaboration

Technology is the office for a remote team. Choosing the right tools is critical for productivity, communication, and security. A well-integrated tech stack should be intuitive and solve problems, not create them.

• Synchronous and Asynchronous Communication:
  • Synchronous: Slack, Microsoft Teams (for quick chats, informal meetings).
  • Asynchronous: Loom, Threads (for project updates, demos, and feedback that don’t require an immediate response).
• Project and Task Management:
  • Asana, Jira, Trello (for work visibility, assigning responsibilities, and tracking progress).
• Centralized Knowledge Base:
  • Notion, Confluence (for documenting processes, policies, and decisions, creating a single source of truth).
• Security and Access:
  • Password managers (1Password, LastPass) and VPNs to protect company and client data.
• Culture and Cohesion:
  • Donut (for Slack), Culture Amp (for pulse surveys and team feedback).

Beyond onboarding: asynchronous cultural integration

The biggest challenge in remote management is building a sense of belonging and a shared culture. This doesn’t happen by chance; it requires the deliberate design of interactions and rituals.

1. Immersive Onboarding: The welcome process must go beyond setting up accounts. Assign an onboarding “buddy,” schedule 1:1 meetings with key members from different areas, and create a “Welcome Week” with clear learning objectives about the company, product, and culture.
2. Document Everything: An asynchronous culture is built on writing. Decisions, the reasoning behind them, and next steps should be documented in the knowledge base. This fosters transparency and allows everyone, regardless of their time zone, to be aligned.
3. Intentional Team Rituals:
   • Daily Stand-ups (asynchronous): Use a Slack channel for each member to share their priorities for the day.
   • Weekly 1:1 Meetings: A sacred space for the leader and each team member to discuss growth, blockers, and well-being, not just task status.
   • Demos and Victory Celebrations: Dedicate a bi-weekly or monthly space for teams to showcase their work and for achievements to be recognized.

Strategies for managing performance and growth

Managing performance in a remote environment requires a shift from measuring presence to measuring impact. Trust and clarity are the pillars of this model.

• Define Excellence (OKRs/KPIs): Every role must have clear and quantifiable success metrics. Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) are an excellent framework for aligning individual work with company goals.
• Continuous and Structured Feedback: Don’t wait for the annual review. Implement quarterly feedback cycles and foster a culture of constructive, real-time feedback. Use 1:1 meetings for coaching and follow-up.
• Create Career Growth Paths: Remote work should not mean stagnation. Design clear career plans that show how an employee can progress within the organization. Invest in their development with budgets for courses, certifications, and conferences.

Competitive compensation and benefits in the mexican market

To attract and retain top talent, your total compensation package must be competitive and meet local expectations. In addition to the base salary, consider:

• Benefits Above the Law (Prestaciones Superiores a la Ley):
  • Major Medical Insurance: Highly valued.
  • Food Vouchers: A common and appreciated benefit.
  • Savings Fund: Encourages loyalty and long-term savings.
  • More Vacation Days: Offering more than the statutory 12 initial days is a great differentiator.
• Benefits Focused on Remote Well-being:
  • Home office budget: To improve their workspace.
  • Wellness stipend: For gym memberships, meditation apps, etc.
  • Flexible hours: True flexibility is a key benefit of remote work.

Remote leadership is the key to success

The management of a successful remote team in Mexico ultimately depends on the quality of its leadership. Leaders must be excellent communicators, empathetic, and promoters of autonomy. They must trust their team, set clear expectations, and be available to remove obstacles. Investing in training your leaders to manage distributed teams is as important as investing in the right technology.

Building a bridge, not a branch

In summary, building a remote team in Mexico is an opportunity to access incredible talent and accelerate growth. Success depends on a dual approach: rigorous legal compliance, especially with NOM-037, and a deliberate investment in building a strong remote culture. By providing the right tools, defining clear processes, and leading with empathy, you turn distance into an operational advantage. You are not building a branch office; you are weaving a network of global talent united by a common purpose.

We know that a high-performance team is much more than a list of skills. Your projects can’t wait; that’s why our agile and personalized process connects you with the right profiles to accelerate results from day one. Together, we’ll take your team to the next level. Discover how we can grow together

Glossary

• NOM-037-STPS-2023: An Official Mexican Standard that regulates health and safety conditions in telework, establishing obligations for employers and employees.
• Right to Disconnect: The employer’s obligation to respect the rest times and the end of the worker’s day, refraining from requiring communication or tasks outside of working hours.
• Remote Onboarding: A structured process to integrate new employees into the company, its culture, and its tools in a remote work environment.
• Asynchronous Communication: An exchange of information that does not require participants to be connected at the same time. Examples: email, comments in documents, pre-recorded videos.
• Tech Stack: The set of technology tools and services that an organization uses to build and run its operations, especially relevant in remote teams.
• Employer of Record (EOR): An entity that acts as the legal employer for workers, managing payroll, taxes, and regulatory compliance in a country where the client company does not have a legal entity.

References

1. Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare. Official Mexican Standard NOM-037-STPS-2023, Telework-Conditions of safety and health at work (2023). Official Gazette of the Federation. Accessed: 2025-09-28.
2. Congress of the Union. Federal Labor Law (latest reform, Art. 330-A to 330-K on Telework). ordenjuridico.gob.mx. Accessed: 2025-09-28.
3. National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). National Survey on the Availability and Use of Information Technologies in Households (ENDUTIH) (2024). inegi.org.mx. Accessed: 2025-09-28.