How Rapid7’s Global Culture Makes it Easy to Find Community — And Thrive

 When Neville O’Neill goes into the office, he sees city workers bustling across Queen’s Bridge with coffees in hand, while beneath them, the River Lagan steadily glides toward the sea.

Based in Belfast, he has seen a fair Northern Irish drizzle more times than he can count — but not all teammates at Rapid7 can say the same. With colleagues located across Northern Ireland, the U.K., the United States, Canada and the Czech Republic, O’Neill has learned just how vastly different people’s experiences can be, and how complex cross-continental collaboration can be as a result. 

By navigating the highs and lows of globally distributed teamwork, he shared that he and his peers have learned many valuable lessons, such as the importance of active engagement. 

“People are often busy, and we may hesitate to reach out, thinking they won’t have time or that we might be a bother,” O’Neill said. “However, this can lead to a breakdown in communication and dialogue.” 

To overcome this, companies like Rapid7 place an emphasis on collaboration and proactive communication, which is supported by programs like the company’s Insight Coffee chats.  

“These casual conversations allow us to connect, learn about each other, and return to work feeling refreshed and inspired,” O’Neill said, adding that the Insight Coffee program ultimately creates an environment where all employees are encouraged to make time for each other.

For employees at Rapid7, staying in sync across time zones is a matter of embracing the right practices — and the right mindset. Commercial Account Executive Shilan Aliyali believes these efforts are buoyed by a galvanizing, transparent culture, which has allowed her and her peers to balance structure with support. 

“At Rapid7, our tradition of being open and understanding we’re all working toward the same organizational goals ensures that internal structures or hierarchy does not stop us from asking questions, collaborating and learning more about areas of the business,” she said. 

While Aliyali works out of the company’s Reading, U.K., office, she says it feels as though there’s little distance between her and her peers across the pond. 

According to Senior Manager of Product Management Tyler Terenzoni, based in Boston, this cohesiveness is amplified by opportunities to engage both virtually and in-person through team and community-based events. These include regular stand-ups, team-building events and celebrations.

“Bringing people together helps create a sense of connectivity and motivation across the entire team, regardless of where individuals are located,” he said. 

By prioritizing strong collaboration and a unifying sense of community, Rapid7 has built an all-encompassing international culture; one that’s “actively celebrated” all year long, as Terenzoni described. 

 

Bridging the Regional Gaps

Imagine it’s 4 p.m. local time in Boston, and you have a burning question for a colleague who lives in Prague, where it’s 10 p.m. What do you do?

Terenzoni has faced this question before, and over time, he has found the best solution to this common issue. 

“Ultimately, these types of scenarios have come up, and the best way to address and overcome them is to set clear boundaries on the team,” he said. 

He explained that team members are encouraged to send or schedule Slack messages for less urgent questions, with the understanding and expectation that the response will come during local working hours of the recipient. Setting this expectation takes away the immediacy often associated with messaging tools, and gives team members the autonomy to find a balance that works for them. In his mind, it’s all about keeping things moving forward in due time without stretching the limits of the workday. 

O’Neill added that collaboration tools are critical to maintaining transparency and coordination across regions, while an open-source automation service helps support continuous integration and deployment. In his mind, all of these technologies and more play a critical role in building the kind of culture that fuels progress. 

“These tools empower our team by promoting effective communication, seamless project management and a collaborative, inclusive culture,” O’Neill said. 

 

 

Aside from a robust tech stack, collaborating in person when possible is perhaps the key ingredient to success in his mind. 

“As a global team, it’s important to bring people together to help build a stronger connection. This allows us to leverage different perspectives and expertise, enhancing our ability to innovate and solve problems effectively,” O’Neill said. 

 

“As a global team, it’s important to bring people together to help build a stronger connection. This allows us to leverage different perspectives and expertise, enhancing our ability to innovate and solve problems effectively.”

 

With this emphasis on in-person teamwork comes a heightened focus on strong communication. Aliyali noted that it’s important for team members to create open and direct lines of communication and ask questions frequently, especially when opinions and approaches may differ. 

“If there’s a disagreement, it’s important to first determine the goals each collaborator is working toward,” she said. “When you can understand someone else’s perspective and goals, you can work toward a mutually acceptable resolution.”

For some disagreements, it may be necessary to bring in a manager to help find the solution and the best path forward. Aliyali said managers at Rapid7 are trained to offer support and guide teams through difficult conversations, so employees should never be afraid to confront issues head-on. 

“At the end of the day, we’re all working toward the same business goals, so disagreements aren’t taken personally when it’s about getting the best outcome for our customers,” she explained. 

According to Aliyali, the company cultivates these values and associated behaviors through each stage of the employee journey, creating the same sense of community upon which the company was founded. “Our culture is something that’s experienced by bringing people together,” she said.

 

‘Where Trust, Honesty and Collaboration Thrive’

“We recognize that diverse perspectives drive better solutions while creating an environment where trust, honesty and collaboration thrive,” O’Neill said.

That’s where Rapid7’s Impact Groups come in, which he described as “employee networks that are designed to celebrate and uplift the community they are created to serve.” These groups are dedicated to various communities, including women, LGBTQ+ individuals and allies, veterans, neurodivergent individuals and more. Each Impact Group has its own platform to communicate its mission and host events that celebrate, educate and drive support and awareness.

Apart from programs and initiatives, having the right mindset is essential to building a global culture grounded in community. According to Aliyali, it starts with authenticity. 

“If you can be yourself, you will be comfortable enough to voice the thoughts and questions that you have,” she said. “Doing so will put you in a much better position to understand what your team needs. This will absolutely drive efficiency and empower you to drive impact at both an individual and group level.”

 

“If you can be yourself, you will be comfortable enough to voice the thoughts and questions that you have. Doing so will put you in a much better position to understand what your team needs.”

 

By sharing one’s own perspective, and listening to the needs and experiences of others, Rapid7 team members help drive success for themselves — and the wider organization. And as a result, O’Neill expressed, the work they accomplish together becomes that much more impactful. 

“Active listening and empathy are crucial to understanding the nuances of different working styles,” he said. “By being open-minded and adaptable, you can create a cohesive and empowered team environment, despite geographical distances.”