While many corporate leaders enforce return-to-office mandates, Zillow's CEO Jeremy Wacksman is taking a bold stand for remote-first work. Since taking the helm in August 2024, Wacksman has championed a model called CloudHQ, which has dramatically expanded the company's talent pool.
Recruiting success: Zillow now has employees in all 50 states, compared to just a handful before. "There is talent everywhere in this country," Wacksman said on the Fortune Leadership Next podcast. This approach contrasts sharply with tech giants like Amazon, Meta, and Apple, which are pushing for more in-office days.
Cultural shift: Zillow wasn't always remote-first. Before the pandemic, it had a strong in-office culture. But the company made a conscious pivot, rebuilding cultural norms around remote work. Even Wacksman works from home when not at company retreats or town halls.
Challenges and solutions: Remote work isn't perfect. Wacksman emphasizes transparency about both benefits and drawbacks. A key challenge is fostering bonding and collaboration without daily in-person interaction. Zillow addresses this with intentional in-person gatherings where employees "travel instead of commute," focusing on problem-solving and skill-building together.
Performance and collaboration: Being remote-first has forced Zillow to improve systems for measuring performance and collaboration, driving data-driven conversations.
Zillow's commitment to remote work shows that flexibility can be a competitive advantage in attracting top talent across the country.
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