Remote: a work arrangement in which employees do not commute to a central place of work
Hybrid: when workers split their time between conventional in-office work and working remotely
Read more about the ten models of remote and hybrid teams.
In this video, GitLab Director of Global People Operations Carol Teskey shares her view on the many benefits of all-remote, and the competitive advantages that come along with it.
Reimagining how one's day can be structured, and how that can easily vary from one 24-hour period to the next, is empowering. The freedom and flexibility that comes with all-remote enables employees to view work in an entirely new light.
Rather than forcing one to build their life about a predefined daily schedule that involves an unavoidable commute, all-remote shifts that responsibility back to the individual.
A number of studies from the likes of Google, Buffer, FlexJobs, and IWG show that driven individuals who place a high degree of value on autonomy and flexibility can experience new levels of joy and productivity in an all-remote environment.
In the GitLab Unfiltered video above, two GitLab colleagues discuss the benefits of all-remote. For those with friends and family in various locales, team members are empowered to spend time with loved ones, investing in those relationships, without the dread of counting vacation days.
An added benefit that I didn't anticipate, but have taken full advantage of, is being able to visit friends and family that are in locales that aren't necessarily close to where my home base is. Otherwise, I'd have to take paid time off (PTO) just to visit them.
I've seen friends and family in Nashville, Raleigh, Iowa, New York, Boston, and all over the west coast. It's not just visiting for a weekend. It's being there for friends, family, birthdays, baby showers, and weddings. Across the board it has been a huge benefit [of all-remote at GitLab]. - Jackie G., Manager, Marketing Programs at GitLab
It’s important for employees to truly take advantage of the freedoms and possibilities enabled by remote, rather than simply remaining where they are and switching an office desk for a room in their home. This is the core benefit of remote as compared to work-from-home.
Consider relocating to a lower cost-of-living environment, and look to integrate work into life rather than vice-versa. Remote work enables you to optimize for things like superior air quality and medical facilities, a healthier community environment, and better schools for your children. All of this requires premeditated action — to embrace the reality that work is now decoupled from geography.
In the home, aim to create a dedicated working space (or work from a coworking space, external office, or cafe). It’s vital to intentionally separate work and life to prevent burnout. Moreover, don’t stop engaging with people. You may not fill your social quota entirely from work interactions, which enables you to pay closer attention to family, neighbors, and community opportunities.
Be intentional about replacing your recovered commute time. Whether it’s fitness, cooking, cleaning, spending time with family, or resting, be deliberate about reclaiming that time and using it to improve your overall wellbeing.
From family time to travel plans, there are many examples and stories of how remote work has impacted the lives of GitLab team members around the world.
“The flexibility makes family life exponentially easier, which reduces stress and makes you more productive and motivated. You can’t put a dollar value on it – it’s priceless.” - Haydn, Regional Sales Director, GitLab
Remote enables a more diverse and inclusive workforce, greater efficiency in workflows, and broader global coverage in servicing clients. It significantly de-risks a business, making it more resilient in the face of crises and able to maintain continuity regardless of whether an office is open or closed.
Companies may need to create a remote leadership team and invest in manager training. However, there is little debate on whether this is an option. Remote work will soon simply be "work," with global flexibility an expectation. Companies which have multiple offices already have teams which are remote to one another, and thus need a solid baseline of remote fluency to operate in optimal fashion.
Limiting your company's recruiting pipeline to a certain geographic region, or sourcing employees who are able and willing to relocate, is a competitive disadvantage.
Not only does this create a less inclusive hiring process which reaches a less diverse set of candidates, it forces your organization to compete primarily on the basis of salary.
In the GitLab Unfiltered video above, two GitLab colleagues discuss the benefits of living in a lower cost-of-living environment near friends, family, and community.
Research from the University of New Hampshire has found that "35% of rural counties in the United States are experiencing protracted and significant population loss." Speaking to shrinking towns across Europe, a 2016 report from the European Parliamentary Research Service notes that "younger members of society prefer to migrate to more economically vibrant regions and cities in search of better job prospects as, in most of these territories, professional opportunities remain limited and confined to specific fields (e.g. agriculture and tourism)."
We believe all-remote has the power to pause, and perhaps even reverse, these trends of depopulation.
Working remotely gives each person the autonomy to serve in a place that matters to them – a place that has shaped them – contributing significantly to the wellbeing of a population that may be at risk of losing its foundation, should talent continue to flee to the usual job centers.
Remote enables a more diverse and inclusive workforce, greater efficiency in workflows, and broader global coverage in servicing clients. It significantly de-risks a business, making it more resilient in the face of crises and able to maintain continuity regardless of whether an office is open or closed.
Companies may need to create a remote leadership team and invest in manager training. However, there is little debate on whether this is an option. Remote work will soon simply be "work," with global flexibility an expectation. Companies which have multiple offices already have teams which are remote to one another, and thus need a solid baseline of remote fluency to operate in optimal fashion.
Limiting your company's recruiting pipeline to a certain geographic region, or sourcing employees who are able and willing to relocate, is a competitive disadvantage.
Not only does this create a less inclusive hiring process which reaches a less diverse set of candidates, it forces your organization to compete primarily on the basis of salary.
Remote organizations are able to hire great people no matter where they live. For example, GitLab has a truly global footprint, with team members in 65+ countries.
With employees located all over the world working asynchronously, contributions can continue even when one time zone's working day is over.
Employees are more productive with fewer distractions, so long as leadership is supportive in equipping teams with the requisite tools, structure, and culture to thrive.
Despite all-remote having many advantages, remote work isn't for everyone. It can have disadvantages for employees depending on their lifestyle and work preferences, as well as the organization. In the spirit of transparency, we've outlined potential drawbacks and solutions to these challenges here.
We're nearing a tipping point with all-remote. Instead of remote teams having to justify why they do it, it's going to be colocated companies having to justify why they don't.
All-remote work wouldn't be possible without the constant evolution of technology, and the tools that enable this type of work are continuously being developed and improved.
While job sites and common conversation can lump each remote role into a single category, it's important to realize that not every remote role is created equal. Just as colocated roles need to be evaluated in totality, those seeking to transition into a remote role for the first time should ask certain questions during the interview or evaluation phase.
There are various stages of remote work, which can be easily pictured as a sliding scale. From no-remote to hybrid-remote to all-remote, and all points in between, a remote worker's experience in each setting will likely vary. Below, we're highlighting key topics to cover when seeking an understanding of how you'll be treated in a full-time remote role. Additional questions should be considered depending on your specific scenario and familiarity with the hiring company.
While there are a growing number of freelance gigs which can be completed remotely, this article is centered around full-time remote careers.
All-remote work promotes:
"Remote is not a challenge to overcome. It's a clear business advantage." -Victor, Product Manager, GitLab
GitLab is one of the world's largest all-remote companies with team members located in more than 65 countries around the world.
Our all-remote workforce implementation is featured in The Journal of Organizational Design. It is also the centerpiece of case studies authored by Harvard Business School and INSEAD.
Click around to learn more about what "all-remote" really means, how it works at GitLab, some tips and tricks for remote teams, and resources to learn more.
GitLab believes that all-remote is the future of work, and remote companies have a shared responsibility to show the way for other organizations who are embracing it. If you or your company has an experience that would benefit the greater world, consider creating a merge request and adding a contribution to this page.
Return to the main all-remote page.
