Has your company embraced the remote work revolution?

A new global ranking

Quartz has covered the remote revolution from its slow, early stages to the extraordinary events precipitating a wholesale relocation of work to home offices, sofas, and kitchen tables all around the world. We envision a future where jobs are as mobile as the workers who fill them, where creating a productive and welcoming environment for remote staff is a business priority, and where real career growth is untethered from proximity to a particular office building.

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Some companies are building that future already, and we’re launching a program to recognize them. Quartz’s Best Companies for Remote Workers is an opt-in global ranking based on employee surveys conducted by the Best Companies Group, with the results to be published in Quartz in mid-2021.

Is my company eligible?

To participate, organizations must have at least 25 full-time permanent employees who are remote workers. For employers with more than 100 permanent full-time employees, at least 25% of the workforce must be remote.

A “remote worker” is defined, for the purpose of this program, as someone who performs their job in a location that is neither affiliated with nor fully furnished by their employer, for at least 75% of the time.

Why should my company participate?

Remote work makes it possible to attract the best talent, wherever it may be. Beyond a source of pride, the distinction of being on Quartz’s Best Companies for Remote Workers list will help potential employees across the globe to understand your company’s brand and its approach to remote work.

What are the details of how I submit/enter?

When you enter the program, Best Companies Group will contact your company and arrange to conduct a two-part survey (several languages will be available). In part one, the employer completes a questionnaire about its policies, practices, benefits, and employee demographics. In part two, BCG conducts online employee engagement and satisfaction surveys to gather detailed data about each participating firm, in a range of categories determined by Quartz.

Employees complete a survey of in-depth statements using a scale of 5 points ranging from “Agree Strongly” to “Disagree Strongly.” The survey also includes demographic and open-ended questions. Temporary or seasonal employees, per diem, independent contractors (1099), interns, and consultants are not counted as full- or part-time permanent employees and are not included in the survey process.

Best Companies Group analyzes the data and determines the rankings, which will be published mid-2021 in Quartz at Work, Quartz’s edition about the modern workplace.

What is the Best Companies Group?

Best Companies Group is an independent research firm specializing in identifying and recognizing great places to work. With more than 15 years of experience, the employee survey provider manages programs worldwide, including in the US, Canada, and the UK.

What does it cost to participate?

Participation in the online survey is free. All participants then have the option to purchase their Employee Feedback Report, detailing the firm’s employee responses, along with national employee and employer benchmarks.

When will I find out about if my company made the list?

Quartz will publish the results in mid-2021.

What now? Can this be a moment of real change in the practice of influence peddling by private interests? As executives and boards consider their options, we can hope they take advantage of the political “off-season” to refresh protocols and consider anew if their actions align with intentions when it comes to support for institutions of democracy.

I think these three questions might be clarifying for boards and executives attempting to figure out their next move:

1. What is the aim of our political activity?

While there are a number of companies that engage their lobbyists in broad coalitions working for the public interest—from gun control to environmental protections—and while we hope to see more action on solutions to climate change by both companies and trade groups, this is not how most of the lobbying dollar is spent.

Most of the activity is aimed at attaining or protecting advantages and subsidies to help a company or industry be more profitable. Economists have a name for it: rent-seeking.