Zapier's guide to working remotely

Zapier is a 100% distributed company with hundreds of remote employees in 17 time zones and dozens of countries. Whether you work remotely all the time or you've been thrust into it recently, we have tips that will help you thrive. Start with our answers to your remote work FAQs, and then dig deeper below.

Why remote? Our CEO, Wade Foster, wrote about why Zapier has always been 100% remote.

New to remote work? Download our Suddenly Remote starter kit.

Remote work topics

We've divided our tips for remote work into seven categories. Click on the category you need help with, or scroll down for a list of all of our articles.

1. Automation for remote work
2. Teamwork on a remote team
3. Remote work for managers
4. Remote work for employees
5. Remote workspaces
6. Remote work tools
7. The state of remote work

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Automation for remote work

These articles will give you ideas for how to automate remote work processes. You can use them to streamline your work and stay connected from home.

• New to remote work? Try these automated workflows.
• Build culture in your remote team with automation

Teamwork on a remote team

When you're not sitting a few feet from your coworkers, communication and collaboration don't come as naturally. Here we have tips for how to work together on your remote team.

• How to brainstorm remotely
• 7 strategies for running effective remote meetings
• 5 tips for communicating on a remote team
• How to make small talk when working remotely (without being weird)
• Remote team activities: how to have fun when you work from home
• How to collaborate across time zones
• Why remote work makes disagreement hard—and how to do it anyway
• Remote design: How Zapier is building a distributed design culture
• How to work in different timezones

Remote work for managers

Managing remotely is about building trust and a culture of accountability. Here are some tips for how to manage remote workers.

• 7 tips for managing remote employees
• How to build trust on a remote team
• Why remote work shouldn't mean micromanaging—and what to do instead
• How to transition to remote work in a hurry
• Friday updates: Why we do it and how you can too
• How to build culture in a remote team
• A guide to onboarding remote employees
• How to manage a remote team
• How to hire a remote team
• How successful remote teams evaluate employees: A look inside Automattic, GitHub, and Help Scout
• How to run a company retreat for a remote team
• Add remote workers to your business continuity plan

Remote work for employees

If you're worried about productivity in remote work, these articles will give you strategies to be sure you're getting things done when working from home.

• Want to keep working from home? Here's how to ask.
• How to survive on a Slack that's way too busy
• When should you mute yourself during a video call?
• Beyond 9 to 5: A glimpse into some unusual work from home schedules
• Don't work too much when you work from home
• Here's what happens when you work from home without a routine
• 18 work from home tips other companies won't tell you
• 3 things I learned in my first year of remote work
• How to avoid burnout in a remote team
• How to thrive as an extrovert on a remote team
• Lessons learned from working remotely as an accountant
• The remote work survival guide
• The 7 biggest remote work challenges—and how to overcome them
• Be productive anywhere: 8 proven strategies for better remote work
• How to work faster in a remote team
• How to build strong relationships in a remote team

Remote workspaces

If you're used to working in an office, working from home can throw you for a loop. Here you can read about how to make your home office—or wherever you're working—the most productive space possible.

• Beyond your desk: why you need a secondary workspace
• How to find your optimal work environment and boost productivity
• This is what a remote office looks like
• How to work at a coffee shop like a pro

Remote work tools

When working remotely, you'll need more apps than you're used to—to stay connected and get things done efficiently. Here are some tips for remote work tools.

Introducing: Zappy by Zapier, a screenshot tool for macOS that helps your team share what you see in a snap. With easy-to-use annotation tools, Zappy can help you collaborate with your teammates fast. Quickly capture and share screenshots, GIFs, and recordings for free. Learn more about Zappy.

• The best online whiteboards
• The best video conferencing apps for teams
• Video conferencing software showdown: Zoom vs. GoToMeeting
• 10 tips and tricks for Zoom
• Google Meet vs. Google Hangouts vs. Google Chat
• The best screen sharing software
• Work from home apps: The 15 tools we use most at Zapier
• The remote workers' toolkit: 30+ productivity apps and tools
• Remote working: 8 items for every remote worker's wish list

The state of remote work

Remote work is growing in popularity. Read about the state of remote work and how it benefits workers.

• 5 remote work tips college students can use this year
• The remote work report by Zapier
• The benefits of remote work for women
• Are remote workers happier than office employees?

Finding remote work

Looking to find a remote work job? Here are some tips to get you going in the right direction.

• How to find and get hired for a remote job
• 25+ fully remote companies that let you work from anywhere

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Recommended reading

• The best blog posts, articles, and resources on remote work
• Remote meets co-located: How Batchbook builds culture with blended work styles
• 5 reasons to read REMOTE, even if you aren't a remote team

Recommended viewing

This video is a recording of an AMA, hosted by Zapier CEO, Wade Foster, about how to transition to remote work in a hurry. You can read the main takeaways in the blog post as well: How to transition to remote work in a hurry

Below, you'll see the table of contents for our Ultimate Guide to Remote Work here on the Zapier Learning Center. All of the content from that guide is also listed above.

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Table of Contents

1. How to Manage a Remote Team
2. How to hire a remote team
3. How to build culture in a remote team
4. How Successful Remote Teams Evaluate Employees: A Look inside Automattic, GitHub, and Help Scout
5. How to Build Strong Relationships in a Remote Team
6. How to Run a Company Retreat for a Remote Team
7. This is What a Remote Office Looks Like
8. How to Work Faster in a Remote Team
9. How to Find Your Optimal Work Environment and Boost Productivity
10. The pros and cons of working across time zones: What to expect when you work in a distributed company
11. How to Avoid Burnout in a Remote Team
12. How to Thrive as an Extrovert on a Remote Team
13. How to Find and Get Hired for a Remote Job
14. The remote worker's toolkit: The 15 tools you need to work remotely
15. A Special Thanks To Those Who Share: The Best Blog Posts, Articles and Resources on Remote Work