Spotify engineer on the role of trust with Pavel Hubich

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Distributed.

Jack Hannah, Tuple

34 episodes

7 hours ago

Remote work is here to stay. Whether you’re firmly in the return to office camp or die hard distributed, the cat’s out of the bag for the industry. The Distributed podcast, from Tuple, deconstructs how world-class engineers and their teams navigate the challenges (and opportunities) remote work creates. Host Jack Hannah uncovers stories of teams and individuals overcoming technical challenges, working through interpersonal dynamics, and battling their own distractions. Through these conversations, we’ll unpack the practical side of how folks work together in this new normal, and dig into the social emotional piece so often overlooked in programming.

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Spotify engineer on the role of trust with Pavel Hubich

Distributed.

39 minutes 26 seconds

6 months ago

Spotify engineer on the role of trust with Pavel Hubich

Trust, collaboration, and adaptability define the best engineering teams.

In this episode of the Distributed podcast, host Jack Hannah sits down with Pavel Hubich, Software Engineer at Spotify, to explore the realities of remote and hybrid work. Pavel shares his journey navigating career shifts, relocations, and the challenges of distributed collaboration. He opens up about why he prefers working in person, how hybrid work can create communication bubbles, and what teams can do to foster trust despite physical distance.

They also discuss the impact of structured rituals like daily standups and the Swedish tradition of Fika, how mob programming transformed his team’s efficiency, and why balancing autonomy with connection is critical for engineers working remotely.

Highlights:

Navigating career transitions from frontend to backend engineering while relocating across continents
Why hybrid work can unintentionally create communication bubbles—and how teams can bridge the gaps
The role of standups, casual rituals, and structured collaboration in building trust remotely
Using mob programming and Architecture Golf to reduce context switching and improve team alignment
Finding a balance between focus, flexibility, and human connection in a remote-first world

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) – Kicking things off with Pavel Hubich

(01:24) – From EPAM to Spotify: Pavel’s software journey

(05:18) – Relocating to San Francisco for on-site work

(08:01) – Why Pavel prefers the office over remote

(13:56) – Rituals and loading screens: creating mental transitions

(16:03) – The real challenge of remote work: earning trust

(18:24) – Standups and Fika: building connection remotely

(21:45) – When high output doesn’t equal team cohesion

(26:29) – How mob programming brought the team back together

(29:53) – Using architecture golf to share context and collaborate

(34:29) – Making hybrid work without creating bubbles

(36:25) – Building trust without burning out

Where to connect further:

Connect with Pavel Hubich on LinkedIn

Follow Tuple

Want to hear more? Check out distributed.fm

Connect with Jack Hannah