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

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Want to hear more? Check out distributed.fm

Connect with Jack Hannah