The Important Distinction Between "Remote-First" and "Remote Friendly"

When one uses the term “remote work,” it can indicate a wide variety of circumstances. It’s helpful to get clarification, especially from companies you’re interested in working for, exactly what their version of “remote” actually means.

Because of remote work's infancy in the mainstream, there is no standardization around terminology yet.

Different experts, hiring websites, job boards, and the average layperson uses different jargon, companies don’t have firm remote policies (especially in the flux of the pandemic), and job seekers are often left confused about what to believe.

Therefore, one of the most important distinctions you can make as a remote job seeker is understanding a company's BELIEFS about remote work and the intentionality in which they use it. This shapes their policies, culture, and ultimately the support you receive as an employee.

It takes some additional research and critical thinking, but it's worth it. In this newsletter, I'll cover a couple of the most prevalent belief systems that shape a company's version of "remote work."

Not All Remote Work is Created Equal

Companies look at remote work differently based on numerous factors: tax laws, regulations, location of incorporation, leadership experience, and much more.

Think about it like this: If an organization went into business without first considering its remote work policy and the legal implications involved, it’s impossible to retroactively create that foundation of their culture. It's possible to change course, yes, but there will be many obstacles and a huge learning curve.

The Danger of Remote Friendly (aka Remote OK or Remote "By Accident")

In this case, a company may allow its employees to work remotely as a choice, but with some baggage. There’s a distinction between being OK with remote work and being remote-first. This is the difference between allowing and supporting.

As GitLab describes, “Some employers reason that remote employees are bypassing a commute, therefore no additional support is warranted.”

As a job seeker, be wary of a situation like this. In these companies, the infrastructure to promote great remote work collaboration isn’t quite there, and you may be left feeling less than valued. Many companies defaulted to this stance after becoming “remote by accident” during the pandemic, then realizing they’d lose too many good people if they forced them back to an office. But again, tolerance doesn't equate to encouragement.

The Remote-First Distinction

These are organizations that lead with remote work policy at the forefront of their culture, usually from day one. They are supportive and encouraging of remote work, and even if they have offices, they don’t centralize operations there.

“They create documentation, policies, and workflows that work when assuming that 100% of the organization is remote, even if some continue to visit a company-owned office,” notes Gitlab.

When you work for a remote-first company, the standard operating procedures, collaboration tools, and processes are intentionally designed to fit a remote workforce. Personally, I get really excited to see how many companies are starting as "remote-first" nowadays! It's quickly becoming the DEFAULT option because of all the obvious advantages.

This week's newsletter is sponsored by Clipboard Health, a globally distributed remote-first company! They are hiring for all sorts of fully remote roles here. Shoot me a DM if any of them stand out to you!

How to Identify Remote-First Companies

Now that you've got a good handle on defining the differences between these two remote belief systems, next week's newsletter will be focused on finding remote-first companies and some of the important criteria to consider.

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