How large international companies are adopting remote work after COVID-19
Not too long ago, remote work was viewed differently. It was rare to come across somebody who worked remotely, and thinking an entire department or workforce operated entirely remotely was unthinkable.?
Remote work had this perception because people were scared that productivity levels would be low and employees would not do their job the same as if they were being supervised all the time. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, this point of view has changed drastically.
Now, thousands of companies all over the world are hiring remote workers. They’ve found there are many benefits to having teams working remotely.
Below are five big companies and startups switching to long-term remote work. We’ve included information on how this switch has benefited them and how much their companies have grown.
5 Large International Companies That Adopted Remote Work
1. Airbnb
Airbnb is a platform that allows homeowners to rent out their extra spaces and connect with travelers. Airbnb offers comfortable, flexible, and affordable accommodations to anyone anywhere in the world.?
In April 2022, Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky sent out an email to all of his employees, stating that it would allow them to work remotely from anywhere in the world.?
Their new work structure had five key pillars:
This change gave all the employees the flexibility to work from home if they wished to. Brian Chesky hoped to unlock creativity and innovation and to make working for Airbnb more fun.?
Since then, the platform has grown and released “the biggest change to Airbnb in a decade.” The app now offers new features and a more personalized experience for travelers to choose their next destination and for homeowners to showcase their unique abodes.?
2. HubSpot
HubSpot is an inbound marketing and sales platform. Their products help businesses and startups manage website content, publish on social media, grow their blog, and more.?
In September 2020, they published a blog detailing their need to evolve. HubSpot is committed to building a culture where people can do their best work. Two-thirds of their employees planned to work remotely more often once their offices re-opened, so the company decided to shift to a hybrid remote-office model starting in 2021.
Their employees would have three options:
Since then, they’ve seen outstanding leadership and growth in high-performing teams. They also have multiple job openings with fair and transparent hiring processes.
3. Dropbox
Dropbox is a global collaboration platform. It is used by all kinds of people; individuals, business owners, startups, etc. This platform helps people and companies keep files in sync and share and collaborate on projects anytime and anywhere.
They started with a Virtual First approach. Once it was safe to do so, Dropbox facilitated in-person collaboration and team gathering through their existing real estate or other flexible spaces. They called these spaces Dropbox Studios. These spaces are meant for team use only when necessary, and the company urges its workers to work as they feel most comfortable.?
In 2020, Dropbox announced they were making changes to their work design. They decided to make a permanent shift to remote work.
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They introduced non-linear workdays, which allowed employees to design their own schedules. Dropbox still designed core collaboration hours with overlap between time zones, but beyond that, employees are free to work whenever it is the most convenient for them.
They aim to cultivate a sustainable and thriving workplace, allowing them to build an even stronger, more diverse workforce.
4. Shopify
Shopify is a multinational e-commerce company. They’ve developed a multichannel, cloud-based commerce platform for small and mid-sized companies. Their platform allows these companies to design, organize, and manage their stores through many sales channels, like mobile, web, social media, and more.?
In May 2020, CEO Tobi Lutke announced through social media that the e-commerce tech company is now "digital by default." He announced that they would permanently work remotely, that office centricity was over. Before this big change, all of Shopify’s employees worked at an office, with a few exceptions of remote workers.?
The CEO explained that many Shopify merchants already work from their homes. Having Shopify employees working in a similar environment would help them understand their customer’s perspectives and have more empathy towards them.?
They launched Digital by Design, which enabled all employees to focus on their mental, emotional, and physical well-being so their work and productivity could stay on top. They provide their employees with the necessary tools and technology. They’re also focused on building new ways of connecting, collaborating, and building relationships among teams.?
Since then, Shopify has offered 100% remote jobs while offering freelance, flexible schedules and hybrid opportunities for workers worldwide.?
5. Slack
Slack is a messaging program designed specifically for the office, but it can also be for personal use. This platform offers real-time messaging, archiving, and search services to facilitate accessible team communication.?
In June 2020, Slack announced that its office-first work culture would change to allow employees the option to work remotely permanently. Their goal was to prioritize their employees’ health and well-being while offering security and clarity on the company’s plans.?
Most of their employees now have the option to work remotely permanently, and they now hire positions exclusively for remote workers.?
For many, Slack already defines modern-day remote work, and now the company has joined the remote revolution. They wish to create a better future that’s more connected, inclusive, and flexible.
The Importance of Remote Work After COVID-19
Remote work keeps growing in popularity every day. Even before the pandemic hit, remote work caught the attention of many workers and companies. The pandemic only quickened this work revolution.
Companies have adopted a new working system, a hybrid workplace. During the pandemic, employees and business owners could perform their tasks using computers, phones, video conferencing, and many other tools. What came from it was an impressive number of benefits.
According to Kate Lister, president of Global Workplace Analytics , companies that adopt a hybrid workplace can save $11,000 a year on each employee that works remotely. Employees also benefit from this change because, according to a report by Upwork , people can save around $4,350 a year on commuting alone.
Remote work also increases productivity. According to Insider, online collaboration allows companies to have a higher attendance rate, more attentive managers, and simplified communication. This has led to 61% of workers showcasing higher levels of productivity.
The best part is that any company, big or small, can adopt this new working system. You don’t have to be the owner of a big company to start working remotely or in a hybrid workplace. Plenty of startups and small businesses have risen to the challenge and succeeded.?
Join the Remote Work Revolution!
As you can see, plenty of big-named companies have adopted a hybrid or full-remote working model.?
The wonderful thing about remote work is that it is flexible and adaptable to everyone’s needs. Your company can easily transition into remote work in no time. Be inspired by these companies that are evolving and showing enormous growth with the changes happening in the business world.?
Not only large companies can join the “Work from Anywhere” revolution. The benefits of remote work are for all sizes of companies. Want to know more? Book a call with one of our experts here!