10 Companies Making Remote Work a Success

Today, with Bay Area Times hiring partner Athyna, we are here to explore remote work, and the companies that are succeeding the most, fully remotely. Let’s dive in.

The entire world transitioned to remote work in 2021, but while some are rushing back to the office, some companies have thrived by staying remote. Whether you believe the studies showing people’s happiness increases when working from home, or you focus on data suggesting humans are more secluded and lonely, one thing is certain: remote work, works.

Today, we’ll explore several companies that have not only succeeded but thrived with remote work. We’ll highlight fast-growing tech companies, along with global players that have embraced remote work at scale, and share insights on how they manage to stay productive and innovative.

Redefining hospitality: Airbnb

Airbnb, the world’s go-to platform for vacation rentals, embraced a fully remote work model during the pandemic as well and has continued this approach, allowing employees to live and work from anywhere.

CEO Brian Chesky highlighted that remote work has fueled Airbnb’s growth, particularly as long-term, work-from-anywhere travel has become the fastest-growing segment of their business. Airbnb’s flexible model lets its team members work from any location, ensuring they stay connected to their mission of creating a world where anyone can belong anywhere.

Interestingly, long-term stays and work-from-anywhere bookings are the fastest-growing segments of Airbnb’s business. Chesky himself spending long periods working remotely in recent years.

With millions working from Airbnb, it’s clear that remote work is reshaping industries far beyond tech.

One of the fastest to scale: Automattic

Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, WooCommerce, and Tumblr, has been remote since its inception in 2005. Founded by Matt Mullenweg, Automattic has built a fully distributed workforce that now spans over 1,900 employees across 97 countries.

Their success comes from a clear commitment to transparency, asynchronous communication, and flexible working hours. Employees are empowered to work where they’re happiest and most productive, which allows Automattic to tap into the global talent pool and recruit the best people from anywhere in the world.

One of Automattic's key remote work strategies includes its “P2” internal blog system. This is how teams document everything from decision-making to project updates. It ensures that no matter the time zone or working hours, everyone is on the same page. The company’s ability to scale so quickly with a fully remote team highlights the power of distributed work.

Financially, Automattic's model has been a resounding success. The company is valued at over $7.5 billion, showing how remote work can drive not only operational efficiency but also massive financial growth.

The crypto pioneer: Coinbase

Coinbase, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, shifted to a remote-first model in 2020 under CEO Brian Armstrong’s leadership. The company has embraced remote work as a means to attract top talent globally, allowing its employees to work from virtually anywhere. Coinbase’s approach to remote work aligns with its vision of decentralization and financial freedom, core principles in the world of cryptocurrency.

By closing its San Francisco headquarters and opting for a more flexible office strategy, Coinbase has redefined what it means to be a tech company in the new remote landscape.

“This means that in the future, anyone who wants to can continue to work from an office. That won’t change. What is changing is that (almost) any employee who prefers to work outside of an office, can. For many employees, it will probably be a mix of both,” Armstrong would say.

The e-commerce trailblazer: Shopify

Shopify, the e-commerce platform that enables businesses of all sizes to build online stores, shifted to a remote-first model in 2020. CEO Tobi Lütke famously tweeted that “office centricity is over” and has since doubled down on this approach.

Shopify’s remote work policy allows it to attract talent from a variety of geographies and backgrounds. Its employees work across different time zones, creating a diverse workforce that thrives on innovation and flexibility. Shopify provides its employees with the resources they need to succeed, including home office stipends and mental health support.

Remote work has also played a key role in Shopify's ability to scale rapidly. With its global team, Shopify has maintained a laser focus on building and improving its e-commerce platform, which now serves millions of businesses worldwide.

In 2021, Shopify became Canada’s most valuable company, with a market cap exceeding $190 billion at its peak, proving that embracing remote work can fuel exponential growth.

A rising star in cybersecurity: Snyk

Snyk, a company specializing in developer-first security tools, adopted a flexible remote work model that allows its employees to work from home, from one of their global offices, or a hybrid of the two. This flexibility has been a crucial factor in scaling their operations and attracting top cybersecurity talent.

Snyk’s success is driven by its inclusive work culture. The company emphasizes open communication and uses a variety of tools to keep its remote workforce connected. Snyk's leadership encourages its "Snykers" to contribute innovative solutions regardless of their location, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Snyk employees on Glassdoor consistently praise the company’s commitment to remote work, highlighting its flexible policies, strong support for distributed teams, and a culture that empowers employees to succeed from anywhere.

And, with a valuation of $8.6 billion and a customer base that includes Google, Salesforce, and Intuit, Snyk is a prime example of how remote work can support rapid expansion in a competitive industry like cybersecurity.

Security wizards: Wiz

Founded in 2020, Wiz is a cloud security powerhouse that has quickly climbed to prominence by leveraging a remote-friendly model. Wiz allows employees to choose between fully remote, hybrid, or in-office work, enabling them to attract cybersecurity talent from across the globe. Wiz are also famously ‘the fastest growing company in history, surpassing another startup on this list, Deel, to become the fastest ever from $1 million to $100 million in revenue.

With a $12 billion valuation and a rapidly expanding client base, Wiz emphasizes flexibility and innovation in its work culture. Their ‘Wizards,’ as team members are known, contribute to a mission of making cloud security accessible and scalable from any corner of the world.

The fintech disruptor: Wise

Wise, the global money transfer service founded in 2011, embraced remote work as a core element of its culture even before the pandemic. With more than 3,000 employees across 17 countries, Wise continues to disrupt the finance industry with its low-cost money transfer service.

By offering flexibility and work-life balance to its employees, Wise has attracted top talent from all over the world. The company also runs regular in-person off-sites to maintain a strong company culture and team bonding.

In addition to its global workforce strategy, Wise offers a range of flexible working options that cater to different employee needs. The company promotes a culture of trust, allowing ‘Wisers’ to choose where and how they work best. Whether it's permanent virtual working or their innovative 'Mobile Wiser' scheme—which lets employees work from anywhere in the world for up to 90 days a year—Wise ensures that work-life balance is prioritized. This flexibility not only supports employee well-being but also contributes to Wise’s continued success and rapid global growth.

In 2021, Wise went public via a direct listing, achieving a valuation of over $11 billion. Their success illustrates how remote work can enable companies to scale efficiently and maintain a high level of customer service.

The AI-driven marketing powerhouse: Jasper

Jasper, an AI content generation platform, quickly rose to prominence with a fully remote workforce. The company offers its employees the flexibility to work from anywhere, which has been instrumental in hiring top-tier talent and scaling at an impressive rate.

Jasper's leadership prioritizes remote-first communication strategies, making use of tools like Slack, Notion, and Loom to ensure that team members collaborate effectively, regardless of their location. The company's remote work policy has enabled it to grow rapidly while maintaining a lean structure.

With its innovative AI-driven platform, Jasper has attracted more than 50,000 customers worldwide and secured over $100 million in funding. Their success story shows how remote work, paired with cutting-edge technology, can create a winning formula for growth.

The HR-tech unicorn: Deel

Deel, a global HR platform, has been a key player in the remote work revolution by facilitating global hiring and compliance. The company is entirely remote, with team members working from various countries, enabling Deel to serve clients globally without geographical constraints.

Deel’s CEO, Alex Bouaziz, emphasized that their remote-first model isn’t just a choice; it’s a strategic advantage that allows them to understand and support the needs of globally distributed teams. Deel's services make hiring and paying international employees seamless, helping companies embrace remote work at scale.

Empowering global talent: Athyna

Athyna, our remote-first staffing platform, specializes in building high-performing global teams for businesses of all sizes. With a focus on emerging markets, we help companies to access top talent worldwide while reducing costs.

We are also proudly remote-first ourselves, with 70 people across 12+ countries all around the globe, with engagement scores of 90%+, we like to be another example of what remote work done well looks like.

Final Thoughts: Why Remote is the Future

The companies we've highlighted demonstrate how remote work can be a powerful catalyst for growth. By embracing a remote-first model, they’ve been able to attract the best global talent, foster inclusive cultures, and scale efficiently in highly competitive markets.

Remote work isn't just a passing trend—it’s becoming a standard for companies looking to remain competitive on a global scale. Even in-office workers value flexibility and work-from-home options. Remote work addresses these desires while also offering businesses the chance to cut operational costs and build stronger, more innovative teams.

If you're ready to build a global team, platforms like Athyna can help you find the right talent to elevate your business. Click here to learn more and take the first step in building your global team.

*Sponsored by Athyna. We have equity in the company.

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