GitLab is one of the world's largest all-remote organizations. As we've scaled remote, we've documented over 40 individual guides that comprehensively cover the proven principles of remote-first work, culture, process, and optimization. The foundational elements are distilled in The Remote Playbook.
For some, there's still a looming question: How do I know if we're running a great remote operation?
Enter The GitLab Test: 12 Steps to Better Remote. Kudos to The Joel Test for the nomenclature inspiration.
The great part about this test is it takes around 10 minutes (or less, if you read quickly). Each question is a quick yes or no. A score of 12 is perfect and 11 is tolerable. 10 or lower indicates that there are significant office-first strongholds which are preventing your organization from reaching the goal of Phase 4 of Remote Adaption— Intentionality.