One of the most common concerns I hear from remote-first founders, especially when they’re feeling the pressure, is: How do I know my employees are working?

In the early days, when you’re running lean and know everyone personally, trust is easy. But as your company scales, that trust becomes harder to maintain. And during periods of rapid growth, many founders are so focused on expansion that they don’t worry about it. But when the business hits a downturn – and it almost always does at some point – suddenly, doubts creep in. Is my team really working? Are they slacking off?

Let me share a story about a founder who responded to this concern in a way that’s all too common and deeply damaging.