Let me show you some examples of businesses that went completely remote and how they did it.
As you review these examples, you’ll understand why these companies went remote, how they did it, and how you can implement your own.
To create this list, I researched the best remote companies, read their interviews, and combed through multiple reviews to bring you the top 5 picks.
If you already have a remote company or want to transition to one, these examples of successful remote companies will serve as a roadmap for your journey.
Let’s dive in.
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5 Examples of remote companies
Check them out.
See our ultimate guide to managing a remote team.
1. Zapier
Zapier has been a remote company since day one.
The company (named after their product) helps automate business workflows by integrating and stitching different tools. Zapier currently has over 800 employees across 38 countries.
Why did Zapier decide to go remote?
They decided to be remote from day one because they wanted to:
- Enable their team to work from wherever and whenever they want.
- Explore the global talent pool and hire people from around the world.
- Reduce workplace distractions and improve dedication to work.
- Save money on office space and invest their earnings in developing sustainable solutions for their customers.
- Promote a work culture of responsibility, accountability, and initiative.
Check out our guide to workplace culture.
Now, the question comes to your mind. How did they become a fully remote company, and how did they maintain profitability?
As per my research from different interviews and Zapier’s website, here’s how they do it.
- Job fit: When Zapier hires, they vet applicants for passion and knowledge. If the members have already used the product, that’s even better. They also check for knowledge about the company’s tech stack and the necessary skills to define the right fit.
- Interviews: Since there’s no face-to-face interaction between the staff, they make sure to conduct effective online interviews. The company judges the employees in different areas, such as conduct, demeanour, communication skills, technical skills, attitude, and other essential skills for remote work.
- Onboarding: Zapier knows it’s difficult for new hires to adjust to the new remote environment. So, they set up “Welcome team” chats and groups where everyone can communicate and connect.
- Documentation: Zapier uses extensive documents, such as policies, NDAs, and more, that help the team members stay on track with the company’s goals and ensure they follow the rules.
What have you gathered so far that you can use for your remote team?
What are the benefits Zapier got from a remote team?
Back in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shook businesses worldwide, Zapier stepped up in a big way by creating a $1 million small business assistance fund to support its struggling customers.
They were able to set up this fund because the company was remote and could still earn, even during the pandemic.
Zapier also doesn’t have to pay for office space since their team is entirely remote. Hence, they save thousands of dollars in terms of rent and office space management.
Over the years, Zapier has also enjoyed profits and a 100k loyal customer base.
In 2023, Zapier’s revenue reached $250.7M, up from $198.8M in 2022. The company previously reported $198.8M in 2022, $140M in 2021, $100M in 2020, $50M in 2019, and $14.4M in 2017.
What are the lessons you learn from Zapier?
Here are some of mine that will help you.
- Start with a remote-first mindset: Start thinking about your team from a remote POV.
- Hire with remote in mind: Hire candidates who love the remote life and can work without anyone standing behind them.
On to the next one.
2. GitLab
GitLab is an open-source code repository and collaborative software development platform for large DevOps and DevSecOps projects. It is free for individuals.
It is an all-remote company with no offices or preferred working time zones.
Over the years, GitLab has evolved as a top remote company, with over 2130 employees as of January 2024.
Gitlab works better as a remote company because:
- The founders of GitLab wanted a competitive edge, so they hired people from all over the world. Fresh talent and skills from a global team will help leave a legacy worldwide.
- They wanted to avoid unnecessary costs and play on the productivity and flexibility principle. So, their team feels free to work from anywhere and be full of energy.
- They wanted to provide an improved work-life balance for their employees.
- They wanted to help reduce unemployment around the world by hiring people globally.
But, handling a team of around 2000 people won’t be easy, right?
Fortunately, you can take tips from their online playbooks, and I’ve summarised the key points for you as well:
- Documentation is key: Gitlab focuses on answering each question, whether about the operation, customer support, or tech, with their playbooks and official documents. So, no matter what time zone the country is working from, the employees can always find answers to their questions.
- Effective internal communication: There are seperate channels to relay internal messages from department to department. So, if any team works on a project in collaboration, they can have better communication, without the disruptions of connectivity or distance issues.
- Un-conferences: When you operate remotely, you need to keep morale high. As such, the Gitlab team spends most of its time holding impromptu online meet-ups, sharing meals, and going on excursions to bond together. A tip for your remote team, you can also organise yearly trips so the team can come together, bond in person, and enjoy some time away from work.
- Proactivity: Gitlab focuses on bias for action. The founders and executives are quick to reocgnise and praise those employees who take initiative and bring new ideas to the table.
What are the benefits Gitlab got from a remote team?
A testament to GitLab’s efficient remote team is their profit and revenue report.
According to GitLab‘s financial reports, the company’s current revenue is $0.66 B.
In 2023, the company’s revenue was $0.57 B, an increase from $0.42 B in 2022.
This jump in income shows how remote work has allowed company leaders to build a global team capable of earning profits over the years.
The team also enjoys a shift towards innovation since they can commit more time to developing their skills.
What are the key lessons you can learn from GitLab remote culture?
While their team is remote, GitLab has multiple documents to address all problems, including burnouts, overload, or onboarding.
This means you can handle a large remote team with comprehensive documentation and playbooks.
Now, let’s move on to the next example.
3. BaseCamp
BaseCamp has been a successful remote company for 20 years.
While the team is remote, the BaseCamp project management tool is also dedicated to facilitating easy remote work.
The BaseCamp tool allows you to create project timelines, assign tasks, and collaborate with fellow team members via chat.
Basecamp believes that restricting work to a specific region and office space restricts you from hiring talent and exploring the real gems that can help make a company successful.
Why did they go remote?
- Their lease was up. Basecamp’s lease on their office was expiring, and they didn’t think it was practical to renew it. Moreover, their work model was hybrid, so the space was too big, with very few employees.
- Freedom to work without restriction of location. Basecamp wanted to hire globally and leverage talent worldwide.
- They wanted to reduce complexity and provide more scope for innovation.
But how do they handle this transition from hybrid to fully remote?
Here’s the answer:
- Rely on a good project management tool: Basecamp doesn’t try to recreate the same office in its remote workspace. Instead, it uses tech and management tools like Basecamp, Zoom, and others to handle calls, meetings, tasks, and deadlines.
- Automation: By automating most of the tasks, they reduce the scope for error and also save time, as they won’t have to perform repetitive tasks like sending mass emails or messages.
- Change the scenery: To avoid cabin fever and burnout, workers must change their scenery in Basecamp. This means there is an emphasis on changing workspaces, working from cafes, and working from different locations to keep their minds fresh and motivated.
- Building trust: Basecamp believes in its employees’ ability to handle tasks and avoid micromanaging. This establishes a culture of trust and ensures the employees stay with the company for a long time.
Check out our employee experience playbook.
What are the benefits BaseCamp got from a remote team?
As a result of this remote shift, Basecamp allowed its employees to spend more time at home. This boosted morale and promoted a communication culture where everyone took the initiative to build the company.
Basecamp is a $100 billion company that enjoys a high growth rate. Over 1,819 companies currently use it.
You can also learn how they embrace the idea of working in a private space free of distractions and allowing employees to shut out the noise. This promotes innovation and enables deep work.
How can you also enjoy such benefits in your organisation?
Let’s have a look at the lessons you can learn from BaseCamp.
What are the lessons from BaseCamp?
BaseCamp doesn’t promote a toxic work culture but instead embraces work-life balance.
If your employees see how much you care about their well-being, they’ll be more engaged and produce better results.
BaseCamp also teaches us to save time by removing the need to commute.
The less time your employees spend travelling, the more hours they’ll commit to actual working.
BaseCamp, being a project management tool itself, allows employees to be informed of any updates in the tool, which also reflects in the work.
So, the more remote members they have, the more their tool grows.
You can also encourage employees to use the company tools and solutions when working remotely. This way, you can get real-time feedback and implement it in case of drawbacks or glitches.
4. Telebu
You can also check out our organisational structure.
Established in 2003 as an enterprise communications company named SMSCountry, Telebu’s primary offerings are bulk messaging, video conferencing, chatbots, and communications API platforms.
Telebu has employees from the Middle East, India and even Nigeria, which makes this team diverse.
Why did our company go remote?
- The pandemic forced our hands. We were initially an in-house team until the pandemic hit in 2020. We had to go remote to stay productive and active. But since then, we’ve seen more reasons why remote is the way.
- We have clients from different countries. Setting up an office in each country wouldn’t be cost-effective. And since multiple employees are from other time zones or even part-time, a remote workspace is more suitable.
- We wanted our employees to learn and grow beyond the office. The hours they save can be used for valuable things like learning a new skill or brainstorming new ideas for any of Telebu’s solutions.
How did we do it?
Here’s Nisha discussing how the first remote team was created and how we’ve progress since. Watch the video 👇.
Here’s my answer from my experience with the team:
- Using their tools: Telebu has amazing tools, like Talk Magnet or TelebuJoin, that help our team members connect.
- Focus on accountability: Telebu doesn’t believe in a micromanaging culture. Everyone has a supervisor, but most employees are responsible for their tasks and meeting deadlines. This creates a sense of responsibility and ensures each individual grows into a capable future leader.
- Facing challenges: Telebu motivates employees to take up new work challenges and face them together. This builds resilience against failure and also helps them to build a bond.
- Work-life balance: Telebu knows it’s crucial to maintain a work-life balance and avoid burnout. They ensure they know when an employee is in distress. They have a “How happy are you on a scale of 1-5?” section in the EOD report to handle that. If anyone mentions a low score, HR reaches out to them, helping them solve the problem.
Check out the best employee productivity software for your team.
What are the lessons you can learn from Telebu’s remote culture?
The first and foremost thing to learn from Telebu is seamless communication and harmony. The team is very courteous and understands the needs of employees. They treat everyone like a human, not just a company resource.
Another thing you can adapt from the company is to face your challenges with courage. No matter the ups and downs.
Moreover, it’s a company with a thorough interview process personalised to test candidates’ skills. This helps them choose the best fit for their remote way of work.
5. Buffer
Buffer is a fully remote team with members from over 15 countries. Its customers come from all over the world and have a presence in over 11 time zones and counting.
They are a fully remote company that wants its employees to live and work where they are most productive and happy.
The founders raised money and left the US for Hong Kong due to visa issues. They continued to hire people wherever they were, and the team grew in places like Nashville and London, which explains the team’s global presence.
Why did they go remote?
Here’s the reason why:
- The founders left the US and hired people wherever they saw talent, which led them to grow a remote team.
- They wanted to avoid any conflicts within the team. A remote team doesn’t have clashes of interest and can work in better coordination without cultural or personal issues.
- They wanted to hire talent from all over the world.
- Buffer has a 91% retention rate; some say remote employees stay longer and work harder than co-located employees.
How do they handle a large number of remote employees?
- Asynchronous communication: Since the employees work from different time zones, the company usually focuses on asynchronous communication, which allows the team to connect whenever they want.
- Use tools to communicate: Buffer keeps track of the tasks and chat through tools like Slack, Zoom, Threads, Paper, and HeyTaco.
- Set quarterly goals: The managers set quarterly goals every employee follows through and keeps track of their progress.
Check out the top tools to manage teams in different time zones.
These are some of the key ways Buffer manages its remote teams.
Now, let’s examine the benefits.
What are the benefits Buffer got from a remote team?
Buffer has a remote team that focuses on mental satisfaction. For this reason, the employees enjoy a six-week sabbatical after every five years with the company.
Due to its stress on keeping the employees in their best state of mind and body, Buffer enjoys high productivity and high retention rates.
When we talk in terms of profits, the bar is set high.
Below, you can check out what their founder says about the company’s revenues and challenges in the screenshot from their Twitter account.
The company culture is also thriving. As we can see that they are happy to take on challenges in their journey. They tackled the decline in the company by buying back shares, which has brought them back to a profitable state again.
What lessons have you learned from Buffer’s remote team culture?
An impressive thing to learn from Buffer is their consideration of the employees’ well-being.
They provide sick leave as and when needed and recommend that parents take at least 12 weeks leave to care for their children.
This builds motivates the employees to work with total energy. Something called emotional employee engagement.
If you go remote, you should also clarify the leave policy so employees know they’re being cared for.
Another important thing is to learn from mistakes.
The company has emerged from profits, declined, and become profitable again, which shows its will to never surrender or give up.
What are the benefits of becoming a remote company?
Let’s discuss what you stand to gain from working remotely based on the company stories I’ve shared with you so far (and from others not mentioned here).
You may already know some of them, but let’s indulge ourselves.
Shall we?
High productivity
When your employees have the flexibility to work remotely, they are highly productive. This is because it allows them to handle their schedules according to their daily needs.
Basecamp is a great example of this.
For example, if an employee has a sick family member, they can look after them while working from home. This saves on travelling time, and also, no one needs to take a day off unless it’s very urgent.
The employees also work better without distractions, spend their free time developing their skills, and contribute to your company’s growth.
The best part is that they can take a vacation and still work, boosting their energy and enthusiasm for working with a new perspective.
Save costs
If you have a remote company, you won’t have to pay for office, rent, commute, or food. You can simply reach your employees from your home desk, parks, hotels and conduct meetings on virtual platforms.
You can invest these savings into your company to improve your product, generate more profits, and live a better lifestyle.
In addition, remote working allows employees to save for their dreams and projects, which motivates them to stay with your organisation.
Better work-life balance
Employees often quit due to burnout in companies. Overloading work and the stress of visiting the office daily can develop bitterness among employees.
Remote working solves this problem.
By working from home, you gain flexibility and create space to invest more time in your personal life, friends, and family. This balance keeps you and your team engaged, motivated, and happy.
However, it’s important to remember that even though the work is remote, maintaining structure and clear communication between your employees is how you ensure productivity.
Here’s what I mean. Balancing flexibility with accountability is the key to thriving in a remote environment.
Flexibility
Remote jobs offer flexible schedules. As such, you will have employees starting work from different time zones.
As long as tasks are completed and results are strong, this flexibility can be extremely helpful when your organisation has team members from multiple countries.
Satisfaction among employees
Work, life, or pursuing hobbies, remote work helps employees achieve better results in all aspects of their lives. The comfort of home and financial stability allows them to work without stress and reduce the company’s absenteeism rate.
Since your employees won’t be stuck in traffic or have to commute daily, they can log in on time and log off accordingly.
Wrapping it up
If you are also looking to transition to a remote company or want to improve communication flow, you can use tools like Talk Magnet.
This tool allows for instant chats and calls with your team members. You can use Talk Magnet for your company chat so it doesn’t get mixed up with personal contacts and messages.
Try it today for free, or schedule a demo to see how it works.
