As offices worldwide adapt to the sudden shift to remote work due to COVID-19, companies like Clearbit are seeking guidance from remote-first pioneers such as GitLab, Zapier, and InVision. GitLab, a long-time remote company, offers insights through its CEO Sid Sijbrandij and Head of Remote Darren Murph, highlighting the benefits of hiring globally and the need for well-designed systems to support remote work. They emphasize the importance of fostering social bonds through intentional informal communication and maintaining rigorous process documentation to avoid the pitfalls of hybrid-remote models. GitLab's approach involves creating opportunities for social interaction, such as company-wide offsites and virtual hangouts, and maintaining a "handbook-first" policy to ensure all processes are well-documented and up-to-date. As companies consider hybrid models post-COVID, GitLab advises against them, suggesting full remote work can enhance productivity and employee satisfaction. This remote-first strategy is gaining investor confidence, with GitLab's success showing cost efficiencies, high retention rates, and access to top talent globally, positioning remote work as a viable long-term solution for modern businesses.