← Remote Work Glossary

Remote-First

A company built so that working remotely is the default, with no head office acting as the centre of gravity.

A remote-first company designs its processes — decisions, documentation, hiring and promotions — to work without an office. This differs from "remote-friendly," where an office stays central and remote staff can end up with less visibility and fewer opportunities.

Remote-first teams write things down, work asynchronously and treat every employee equally regardless of location. Our guide to the best remote-first companies shows how to spot a genuine one, and you can browse remote-first jobs directly.