Toggl, a company known for its fully remote, results-driven culture, has cultivated an approach to work that champions autonomy and accountability. We spoke with Dajana Berisavljević Đakonović, Head of People at Toggl, who has been with the company for eight of its ten remote years, to understand the philosophy behind their “Results and Accountability First at Toggl” (RAFT) model.
The Philosophy Behind RAFT
What fundamental shifts in work philosophy led Toggl to develop and implement RAFT?
“There was no shift in philosophy. Freedom and autonomy were there from the start, part of our DNA thanks to the founders,” Đakonović explains. “The way we work didn’t change, it just wasn’t written down. As the team grew and more people joined remotely, we started noticing things like people sticking to 9–5, expecting classic structures. That’s when we realised we needed to make our way of working more explicit. That’s how RAFT came to life. Not a change, just putting into words what’s always been true here.”
Why does RAFT offer greater individual freedom compared to a 4-day workweek?
“When we introduced RAFT, the 4-day workweek was all over the place, everyone was talking about it, and we seriously considered it too,” Đakonović reveals. “But the more we dug in, the more we saw how often it just meant cramming the same workload into fewer days. That’s not freedom, that’s compression. We didn’t want stricter rules, we wanted more flexibility. Maybe someone needs Friday off, maybe it’s half of Monday or just a quiet Wednesday morning. RAFT was our way of saying: you own your time. Paired with async communication, it gives people the space to plan work around their life, not the other way around. One-size-fits-all just doesn’t fit us.”
“RAFT was our way of saying: you own your time.”
Implementing and Managing Autonomy
How does Toggl cultivate a culture where trust thrives without leading to disengagement or a lack of accountability?
“Our culture is built on trust, and we rarely see people taking advantage of it. It starts with hiring: we look for people who thrive in flexible, trust-based environments and who align with our values,” Đakonović states. “Then we make sure expectations are crystal clear, everyone knows what’s expected of them and what success looks like. On top of that, our People Ops team works hard to create a workplace people genuinely want to be part of, from thoughtful team meetups and bonding activities to engagement surveys that help us listen and adapt. It’s never just one thing—it’s the mix that keeps people engaged, accountable, and proud to be here.”
What support mechanisms help employees achieve work-life harmony under RAFT?
“One of the key enablers of RAFT is strong leadership,” Đakonović emphasises. “At Toggl, we follow an ‘extreme leadership’ approach, our own take on Jocko Willink’s extreme ownership. That means every leader is fully responsible for everything that happens in their team: delivery, performance, wellbeing. Leaders don’t micromanage, but they stay close. They check in regularly, make sure expectations are clear, workloads are healthy, and no one’s drowning. It’s this kind of leadership, hands-off but deeply supportive, that helps people truly work smarter, not longer.”
How does Toggl ensure team cohesion with high levels of autonomy?
“Freedom definitely comes with responsibility, and RAFT makes that crystal clear,” Đakonović says. “The golden rule is simple: you can be offline or away whenever you want, as long as you’re not blocking anyone or anything. It’s all about ownership. People are expected to communicate proactively, wrap things up or delegate before stepping away, and make sure others aren’t left waiting. Beyond that, everything’s flexible. Our norm is a 24-hour response window. Async is the default, and it works because people are clear on expectations, take responsibility seriously, and trust each other to deliver.”
Impact on Employee Experience and Business Outcomes
How has RAFT demonstrably impacted employee well-being, engagement, and retention at Toggl?
“From my perspective as Head of People, RAFT has made a real, lasting difference in wellbeing, engagement, and retention at Toggl,” Đakonović confirms. “Our average tenure is over 4 years, and our retention rate is well above industry average, rare for a remote-first tech company. People stay longer because they’re trusted to work in ways that fit their lives. Burnout cases are rare, and when they do happen, people feel safe speaking up early. Engagement scores stay high, even in remote settings, because RAFT creates space for deep work, focus, and ownership.”
What organisational advantages has Toggl observed since fully embracing the RAFT model?
“We don’t have a dashboard that shows ‘RAFT → business results,’ but we’d argue it’s all connected,” Đakonović notes. “When you have a team that’s trusted, clear on expectations, and actually enjoys how they work, you get better outcomes. RAFT helps us attract people who thrive in high-autonomy environments and keeps the team focused and committed without burning out. It’s not magic, it’s just common sense: when people aren’t busy performing work, they get to actually do it.”
“It’s not magic, it’s just common sense: when people aren’t busy performing work, they get to actually do it.”
For other HR leaders considering a shift towards more results-oriented models, what are the most crucial pieces of advice or potential pitfalls to be aware of?
“Challenge your idea of what performance actually means,” Đakonović advises. “Are you rewarding real results, or performative stuff like long hours, fast Slack replies, and constant busyness? RAFT will push you out of your comfort zone, especially if your culture isn’t already rooted in trust. You’ll have to let go of control and visibility in the traditional sense. That’s the hard part. But once you do, the upside is huge: more focused teams, better outcomes, and a way of working that actually respects people’s lives.”
“Challenge your idea of what performance actually means.”