►
Description
Laurel Farrer, CEO & Founder of Distribute Consulting joins GitLab's Head of Remote Darren Murph to discuss how remote empowers people and allows organizations to invest in great talent worldwide. Beyond health, safety, and cost savings, learn how leaders can maximize team happiness with a distributed workforce.
Check out these resources:
GitLab's Remote Playbook: http://allremote.info/
Remote Work Report: https://about.gitlab.com/remote-work-report/
GitLab for remote teams: https://about.gitlab.com/solutions/remote-work/
A
If
we
adopt
remote
work
is
no
longer
an
option,
this
will
always
be
a
plan
B,
whether
it
be
pandemic,
related
healthcare,
related
transportation.
You
know
or
snow
days
whatever
it
is.
This
is
now
permanently
ingrained
into
the
minds
of
our
society
that
well
I
can
just
work
today.
So
this
every
business
leader
in
the
world
cannot
be
thinking
well.
If
we
implement
remote
works
like
this
is
now
part
of
our
daily
operations.
We
have
to
focus
on
how.
How
are
we
going
to
make
this
more
efficient,
more
optimized,
more
universally
accessible?
B
Hey
all
welcome
to
universal
remote.
This
is
a
weekly
webcast
from
gitlab
talking
all
things
remote,
I'm
darren
head
of
remote
here
at
get
lab
the
world's
largest
all
remote
company,
and
this
week
we're
talking
about
the
socio
economics
of
remote.
I'm
delighted
to
announce
that
law
far
the
CEO
and
founder
of
distributed
consulting
is
joining
us
us
this
week.
Well,
thank
you.
So
much
for
joining
us
give
the
audience
a
bit
of
background
on
yourself
as
well
as
distribute
consulting
well.
A
Thank
you
for
having
me
this
topic
is
near
and
dear
to
my
heart,
so
I'm
excited
to
nerd
out
with
you
on
it.
So
I
am
the
CEO
of
distribute
consulting,
which
at
this
point
is
the
world's
only
consulting
firm
that
specializes
exclusively
in
remote
work.
It
was
a
very
small
kingdom,
a
few
months
ago,
and
now
it's
a
very
big
kingdom,
so
we're
very,
very
humbled
and
honored
to
be
able
to
make
so
much
impact
in
so
many
different
ways
and
the
marketing
of
remote
work.
A
B
It's
huge,
it
is
absolutely
amazing
to
see
the
transformation
you
and
I
have
joked
off-camera
that
we
were
doing
remote
before
it
was
the
sort
of
tongue-in-cheek
but
seriously
I.
Think
the
global
embraces
of
remote
has
been
accelerated
by
at
least
ten
years
and
I'm
sure
you're,
seeing
this
and
feeling
this
and
the
insights
of
having
lived
remote
prior
to
just
a
few
months
ago
and
for
historical
context,
we're
recording
this
in
May
of
2020
is
essential.
B
A
lot
of
businesses
are
in
a
completely
uncharted
territory
and
having
that
advice
from
years
past
and
how
we
got
to
where
we
are
and
what
those
best
practices
are,
is
remarkable.
So
for
anyone
watching,
that's
in
a
limbo
or
transition
type
of
situation
be
sure
to
reach
out
to
Laurel
and
should
be
consulting.
She
is
a
treasure.
B
So
lots
of
lots
of
assets
there
so
I
want
to
jump
into
the
questions.
You've
obviously
spent
a
lot
of
your
career
in
life
writing
and
opining
on
remote
and
I
wanted
to
dig
in
a
little
bit
on
the
four
main
economic
benefits
of
workplace
flexibility.
I,
don't
know
if
a
lot
of
people
really
take
time
to
dig
into
that
and
unpack
it.
A
lot
of
people
see
remote
kind
of
at
the
surface
level,
but
there's
really.
A
A
A
If
a
factory
closes
the
city
dies
and
so
a
really
exciting
thing
that
we're
doing
is
really
distributing
opportunity
outside
of
traditionally
urban
areas
and
diversifying
wealth
and
opportunity.
So
reducing
that
urban-rural
divide
and
bringing
jobs
and
industries
directly
to
a
city
that
needs
it,
and
that
has
immediate
impact,
whereas
the
traditional
economic
development
cycle
takes
years
and
years
and
years-
and
this
is
a
matter
of
days
or
months
until
new,
diversify
tax
revenue
is
generated.
A
But
it's
true
like
just
think
of
what
that
does
for
equal
voice
in
the
equal
context
and
so
yeah
a
diversity,
inclusion
and
then
also
the
fourth
point
and
I'm
aware
that
I'm
rambling
so
much
but
you
you
get
me
started
and
I
guess
why
you're
here,
but
the
last
one
I
think
it's
just
accessibility
in
general
and
again,
if
not
to
make
this.
This
episode
so
specific
to
a
certain
time
period.
But
we
saw
this
massively
in
in
during
the
the
corona
virus.
Turmoil
is
health
care.
A
All
of
a
sudden,
you
can
have
access
to
the
greatest
healthcare
that
is
available
in
your
country
or
even
on
your
continent
or
even
in
the
world,
and
you
can
have
access
to
that
in
a
matter
of
minutes,
so
it
makes
healthcare
and
just
public
rights,
so
much
more
accessible
and
standardized
throughout
the
world.
So
I
could
go
on
and
on
about
14
of
the
17
United
Nations
sustainability
initiatives,
they're
all
impacted
by
remote
work,
and
so
this
is
a
very
massive
conversation,
but
well
we'll
stop
there.
For
now.
That's.
B
Huge
and
you're
right
we
could
do
follow-up
episodes
on
each
of
those
four
and
four
hours.
I
think
the
the
the
key
theme
through
all
of
that
is
options,
and
it
remote
enables
options
that
didn't
exist
before,
instead
of
having
to
choose
between
a
few
urban
centers
of
the
world,
basically
the
best
of
worst
solutions,
you're
able
to
port
your
job
to
wherever
you
need
to
be.
B
Maybe
that's
in
a
specific
midsize
or
small
town
that
has
health
services
relevant
to
a
specific
condition
that
you
have
instead
of
having
to
choose
somewhere
else
and
kind
of
make
do
with.
What's
there
you're
able
to
actually
choose
where
you
live,
based
on
things,
a
lot
more
important
than
your
vocation
to
be
completely
Frank
and
four
cities.
I
spoke
recently
with
some
who
helped
with
Vermont's
initiative
and
Tulsa
remote.
B
This
is
massive
because,
instead
of
having
to
figure
out
what
pocket
of
real
estate
they're
gonna
carve
out
for
a
skyscraper
to
try
to
bring
economic
development
in,
you
think
about
things
that
matter
to
a
lifestyle.
What
kind
of
hospital
should
we
have?
We
need
grocery
stores
within
walking
distance
of
downtown
and
then
just
invite
people
to
come,
live
in
your
amazing
town
and
bring
the
job
with
them
and
as
their
career
evolves
over
time.
You
want
to
build
a
compelling
place
so
that
they
don't
actually
have
to
leave
town.
B
That
is
how
you
build
economic
sustainability
and
I.
Think
that
it's
so
empowering
and
it's
so
incredible
and
it's
happening
so
fast
I
think
the
heads
are
still
spending
for
people
that
are
in
municipality
and
development,
because
that's
just
it
has
not
been
possible
for
so
long
and
now
suddenly
it
is
and
I
think
that's
encouraging.
I
think
that
we're
gonna
see
people
rewire
how
they
think
about
building
towns
going
forward.
Speaking
of
I
want
to
talk
a
bit
about
change
management
and
what
the
adoption
of
remote
work
is.
Gonna
look
like.
B
A
There
was
just
this
surge
of
opportunism
that
everyone
was
oh
I'm,
an
expert
and
oh
I've,
been
working
from
a
home.
For
all
this
time,
everybody
was
was
anxious
to
be
an
advocate.
However,
the
tune
is
going
to
change
and
we
we
know
as
operations,
managers
that
and
the
allowance
of
remote
work
is
very,
very
different
than
the
true
adoption
and
integration
of
remote
work.
The
sustainability
conversation
is
completely
completely
different,
even
the
famous
retraction
stories
of
IBM
and
Yahoo.
They
were
advocates
in
the
beginning
and
they
said
yeah.
A
This
is
fantastic
and
look
at
all
of
these
benefits
and
that's
the
phase
of
change
management
that
we're
in
right
now
as
a
world.
We're
in
the
honeymoon
period
and
so
very
soon,
in
about
three
to
six
to
twelve
months
is
where
companies
are
going
to
start
feeling.
Those
pain,
points,
sustainability
and
they're,
going
to
start
saying
this
isn't
working
as
well
as
we
thought
and
something's
going
wrong
and
I
don't
know
if
this
is
going
to
be
as
as
easy
as
we
thought.
A
We
should
just
go
back
to
the
office,
but
the
problem
with
that
is
that
it's
going
to
coincide
exactly
with
the
second
wave
of
coronavirus
and
if
we
don't
have
larger
immunization
options
in
place
by
that
time,
which
it
looks
like
it
is
not
going
to
be
the
case
and
then
we're
going
to
have
to
shelter
in
place
again.
And
so
businesses
are
going
to
be
forced
to
go
back
to
shelter
in
place.
But
this
time
under
less
happy
circumstances
and
the
novelty
has
worn
off
so
yeah.
A
We're
going
to
see
the
the
tone
of
the
media
coverage
of
remote
work
changed
pretty
significantly
in
the
past
in
the
next
few
months
and
that
there
will
be
a
lot
of
naysaying.
A
lot
of
finger-pointing
and
a
lot
of
problems
of
our
economy
started
start
to
be
blamed
on
remote
work.
And
so
the
true
advocates
I
think
at
that
point
are
going
to
be
the
ones
that
rice
at
the
top
and
are
willing
to
continue
to
defend
remote
work.
Even
amidst
that
negative
coverage
and.
B
I
think,
what's
really
important
here
is
to
to
focus
on
the
reality.
That
change
is
never
easy.
If
you
were
around
in
the
early
1900s,
when
the
assembly
line
came
in
I'm
sure
there
was
quite
a
bit
of
disruption
from
manufacturing
things.
This
way
versus
this
way,
I
highly
doubt
it
was
just
inserted
on
one
day
and
then
the
next
day,
you're
rocking
and
rolling,
no
one's
gonna
complain.
B
I
want
to
go
back
or
anything
like
that,
but
I
think
the
other
element
here
is
going
remote,
helps
businesses
to
de-risk
themselves
and
to
be
to
be
more
isolated
from
future
crises,
and
so,
instead
of
rushing
back
to
the
office,
you
might
want
to
consider
what
elements
do
we
need
to
put
in
place
where
we
would
not
have
to
go
back
to
the
office
if
that,
if
and
when
that
situation
were
to
happen,
so
I
want
to
ask
you
to
touch
on
that.
What
makes.
A
B
Remote
company
different
what
elements
of
their
workflows
are
fundamentally
different
from
co-located
spaces
and
want
to
couch
that
by
saying,
when
I
have
consulted
and
offered
advice
to
companies
when
I
end
up
what
I
end
up
telling
them
is
not
something
that's
exclusive
to
remote.
These
are
workflows
that
work
really
well
and
are
necessary
for
remote
teams,
but
turns
out.
They
also
make
hybrid
teams
and
co-located
teams
more
efficient
than
cohesive
as
well.
B
A
Exactly
and
I
love
that
you
brought
up
the
words
of
if
and
how,
because
that
is
the
big
conversation
change
that,
if
we
adopt
remote
work,
is
no
longer
an
option,
this
will
always
be
a
plan
B,
whether
it
be
pandemic,
related
healthcare,
related
transportation.
You
know
or
snow
days
whatever
it
is.
This
is
now
permanently
engrained
into
the
minds
of
our
society
that
well
I
can
just
work
from
home
today.
So
this,
every
business
leader
in
the
world
cannot
be
thinking
well.
A
If
we
implement
remote
work
like
this
is
now
part
of
our
daily
operations.
We
have
to
focus
on
how.
How
are
we
going
to
make
this
more
efficient,
more
optimized,
more
universally
accessible?
How
are
we
going
to
make
this
better
in
our
organization
and
in
our
communities?
You
know
the
primary
barrier
to
adoption
with
remote
work
and
the
biggest
block
in
the
change
management
process
is
the
mindset
of
management,
and
this
is
the
the
lingering
obstacle,
because
everything
else
that
we
do
and
operations
our
equipment,
our
processes,
our
products,
have
all
been
converted
to
virtual.
A
However,
our
management
styles
are
still
physical,
we're
still
very
sensory.
You
know
this
is
a
byproduct
of
the
Industrial
Revolution.
This
is
not
anybody's
fault.
It's
not
bad!
It's
just
how
business
has
been
operated
for
the
last
200
years,
like
it's,
it's
okay,
but
we
do
need
to
update
it
and
that's
the
last
and
the
usually
the
last
puzzle
piece
that
needs
to
be
converted
over
to
virtual.
So
the
more
that
we
can
focus
on
that.
A
The
leadership
mindset,
the
the
remote
work
policies,
I'm,
really
creating
a
top-down
change
management
process,
the
smoother
it's
going
to
go
so
I
really
encourage
all
companies
to
invest
in
executive
education
and
coaching
as
well
as
leadership
training
as
well
as
workforce
training.
I'm,
really
helping
everybody
to
understand
what
this
new
management
methodology
needs
to
look
like
in
a
virtual
capacity.
A
What
is
the
role
that
everybody
needs
to
play
in
order
to
make
this
successful,
because
it's
very,
very
heavy
on
self
management,
the
manager
empowering
some
workers
to
be
better
self
managers
and
the
workers
stepping
up
to
the
plate
and
increasing
their
scope
of
responsibilities
to
include
self
management?
And
that's
a
that's
a
big
gap
for
a
lot
of
companies
and
so
the
more
that
we
can
focus
on
that
and
and
address
that
gap
and
resolve
it.
The
smoother
that
the
change
management
process
will
go
and.
B
For
someone
that's
worked
across
the
spectrum
of
remote
for
the
past
ten
plus
years.
One
thing
that
I've
noticed
is
that
we
have
needed
this
for
a
very
long
time.
This
is
not
a
new
thing.
It's
just
the
code
that
is
exposing
something
that
we've
we
should
have
been
addressing
for
a
long
time
but
weren't,
and
what
I
mean
by
that
is
remote.
Work
will
very
soon
just
be
called
work,
because
practically
speaking,
most
multinational
companies
have
been
working
remotely
for
years.
A
B
So
none
of
these
things
are
new
elements,
they're
just
becoming
more
urgent
immediately,
and
it
is
it's
a
it's
a
difficult
combination,
because
you
have
leaders
that
need
to
stabilize
and
build
in
business
continuity
at
the
same
time
as
learning
how
to
fundamentally
manage
a
team
differently
when
they
can't
guarantee
that
everyone
will
be
in
the
office
day
after
day.
So
it's
an
it's
an
interesting
mix,
but
I
do
think
long
term.
B
A
Therefore,
it's
just
up
skilling,
so
it
really
doesn't
matter
where
our
people
are
located.
We
need
to
just
focus
more
on
how
we
are
creating
healthy
culture,
healthy
engagements
on
career
development,
the
again
the
more
that
we
focus
on
how
the
less
that
all
of
the
other
elements
like
if
or
where
the
less
that
those
matters.
It's.
B
Such
a
great
point-
and
you
mentioned
in
that
last
phrase-
the
word
healthy
and
I've-
seen
a
lot
of
leaders
get
so
fixated
and
focused
right
now
in
just
getting
the
nuts
and
bolts
the
X
and
O's
correct
that
they
lose
sight
of
the
humanization
of
this,
which
is
we're
all
working
with
people
that
are
in
their
respective
homes,
and
we
shouldn't
lose
sight
of
that
and
we're
in
a
situation.
Now
where
many
people
have
been
thrust
into
remote
work,
they
didn't
have
transitionary
time,
which
is
really
difficult.
B
What
are
the
tips
that
you
would
share
in
terms
of
just
zooming
out
and
enjoying
the
benefits
of
working
remotely
or
enabling
people
to
use
their
imagination
to
restructure
their
day
or
really
think
about
what
their
peak
productivity
hours
are
or
consider
a
nonlinear
workday
to
integrate
family
more
into
work,
and
a
lot
of
people
are
just
stuck
in
trying
to
copy
the
office
environment
and
paste
it
virtually
maintaining
the
same
schedules
and
for
some
people
that
routine
can
be
helpful.
But
what
is
zooming
out
and
focusing
on
the
advantages
and
prioritizing
mental
health?
A
You
know
and
like
we
said
this
is
employee
empowerment
at
its
finest
and
the
reason
that
a
lot
of
people
are
feeling
uncomfortable
is
because,
unfortunately,
our
office
environments
and
just
how
business
has
scaled
over
time
has
really
created
a
cycle
of
dependency
and
of
routine
and
habit.
So
we
drive
to
the
office,
we
all
wear
the
same
thing.
We
you
know
we
sit
down,
we
do
our
work
and
we
come
home.
A
We
are
very,
very,
very
ingrained
on
the
subconscious
level
to
just
do
what
we
are
told
and
to
do
the
same
thing
over
and
over,
and
so
that's
why
it's
feeling
a
bit
uncomfortable
is
all
of
a
sudden.
We
have
this
freedom
and
this
empowerment
to
say
what
do
you
want
your
environment
to
look
like?
What
do
you
want
your
day
to
look
like
what
styles
work
best
for
you
and
all
of
a
sudden?
A
We
have
this
empowerment
and
this
this
freedom
of
choice
that
we
haven't
had
for
quite
a
while
and
and
so
it's
it
is
a
it's
an
uncomfortable
transition
for
a
lot
of
people.
However,
the
more
that
we
can
stop
the
language
of
we're
being
forced
into
work
from
home-
and
this
is
a
you
know-
this
is
you-
know,
retracting
our
our
choice
from
the
government
and
blah
blah
blah,
and
the
more
that
we
can
say
this
is
an
opportunity.
A
This
is
an
opportunity
for
personal
growth
and
innovation
of
our
company
and
the
better,
and
we
we
can.
We
help
our
minds
understand
that
by
thinking
of
this
as
a
literal
workplace
transition,
we
are
actually
moving
from
one
workplace
into
another.
So,
just
as
if
we
were
in
an
office-
and
we
were
packing
everything
in
a
box
and-
and
we
were
gonna-
take
that
box
to
the
new
office,
we
would
think
carefully
about
what
we
put
into
that
box.
A
Right
like
we
would
have
certain
papers
that
we
would
throw
away
or
certain
objects
that
were
like.
You
know
what
this
isn't
worth
hauling
across
the
country,
we're
just
gonna.
You
know
only
the
best
things,
we're
gonna,
keep
and
move
into
the
new
office,
and
that's
exactly
what
we're
doing
right
now,
as
a
society
and
as
business
leaders
and
as
individuals
like
okay.
This
is
how
everything
operated
previously
in
our
office
in
our
traditional
workforce.
However,
this
is
a
time
of
transition.
What
do
we
want
to
keep
and
what
do
we
want
to?
A
Let
go
of
what's
not
necessary
anymore
and
what
is
actually
critical,
and
we
can
do
that
with
everything.
We
can
do
that
with
our
workflows,
with
our
tools
with
our
meetings
with
our
culture
activities,
with
everything
like
what
fits
into
the
new
space
and
what
doesn't
and
and
use
this
as
a
time
of
again
like
innovation
and
celebration
and
and
a
new
start
that
we
can
make
this
new
employee
experience
and
this
new
workplace
into
anything
that
we
want
it
to
be
and
only
keep
the
best
elements.
That's.
B
So
empowering
it's
hey
we're
moving
offices.
What
do
we
keep?
What
do
we
retool?
What
do
we
evaluate?
This
is
an
amazing
time
to
audit
how
we
do
everything
and
it's
an
opportunity
to
change
things.
I've
recommended
that
leaders
look
at
all
spaces
as
being
the
same
as
in
headquarters
or
your
office.
That
you're
used
to
commuting
into
is
just
another
place
to
go
to
work
remotely.
It
is
on
no
higher
pedestal
than
a
we
work
or
than
a
spare
bedroom
or
a
vehicle
wherever
it
may
be,
an
airplane
seat,
a
hotel
room.
B
If
you
focus
your
workflows
on
any
space
being
in
office,
it
puts
you
in
the
mindset
to
consider
where
your
company
needs
to
go.
This
has
been
a
fascinating
conversation.
I've
really
enjoyed
it.
I
want
to
close
with
two
questions.
We
try
to
ask
everyone
two
questions
at
the
end
and
the
first
is:
what
does
your
work
setup
look
like
for
those
that
are
trying
to
get
tips
and
advice
from
folks
that
have
worked
remote
for
a
really
long
time?
Oh.
A
This
is
a
good
question:
I
mean
I.
Can
I
can
show
so
I,
don't
know
if
you
want
to
see,
but
I
am
a
very
much
a
minimalist
I
I
we
lived
nomadically
for
a
little
while
and
now
we
have
a
farm
in
Connecticut
and
so
I'm,
always
a
little
bit
jealous
my
background
like
wave
wait
long
time
ago,
beginning
of
my
career
was
spent
as
an
interior
designer,
and
so
it's
very
ironic
because
I
would
love
to
have
like
this
beautiful
room
in
this
beautiful
setup.
A
Have
my
laptop
raised
on
a
stand
so
for
organ
omics
I
have
a
ring
light
and
a
webcam,
and
that's
it.
That's
my
entire
setup
and
I
like
that.
It's
mobile,
so
I
can
move
around
to
where
my
kids
are,
and
so,
especially
with
like
online
learning
and
distance
learning
happening
and
being
part
of
our
new
normal,
it's
nice
to
be
able
to
go
to
where
they
are
and
not
lock
myself
in
the
office.
You.
B
B
A
You
know
this
is
a
we
were
laughing
about
this
before
the
recording,
because
it's
a
volatile
time
isn't
it,
however,
I'm
feeling
extremely
empowered
today.
First
I
think
this
is
turning
a
bitter
and
sweet
right.
Like
a
few
weeks
ago,
I
was
doing
a
lot
of
research
and
involvement
with
our
government
contracts
and
I
was
just
feeling
very
abandoned
and
just
thinking
man.
A
This
is
this
is
frustrating
that
these
processes
that
are
moving
so
slowly
and
that
the
the
people
as
a
whole,
not
just
in
the
United
States
but
around
the
world,
just
aren't
getting
access
to
the
resources
that
they
need
to
make.
This
massive
change
to
telework
and
the
help
the
adoption,
however,
I'm,
seeing
this,
this
rise
of
the
private
sector,
that,
before
the
public
and
private,
were
very,
very
separate
and
they
lived
in
very
separate
worlds,
and
they
still
are
as
of
right
now
but
I'm.
A
Seeing
a
glimpse
of
this
future
in
which
the
responsibilities
of
leadership
of
our
communities
of
our
socio
economics
of
our
of
our
countries
are
really
shared
with
the
private
sector
and
the
public
sector,
working
together
to
change
and
inspire
difference.
So
yeah,
that's
something
that
I'm
feeling
very
very
hopeful
about
today
is
okay.
We
can.
We
can
each
make
a
difference
like
we.
Every
single
individual
has
a
role
to
play
in
the
new
normal
of.
B
That
love
that
inspiring
words
to
end
on
for
the
audience.
Thank
you.
So
much
for
joining
us
be
sure
to
check
out
Laurel
and
distribute
consulting
on
Twitter,
the
web
and
LinkedIn,
and
you
can
learn
more
about
get
labs.
All
remote
guides
at
all
remote
info
be
sure
to
follow
us
on
Twitter
and
LinkedIn
as
well
and,
more
importantly,
be
sure
to
be
excellent
to
one
another.
Aloha
and
Mahalo.