Remote Work Secrets from Remote CEO Job van der Voort

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-09

What does it take to build a company where your team spans 10 time zones and every single person feels like they matter equally? Job van der Voort, CEO and co-founder of Remote, knows the answer better than most. He sat down with us to share the real story behind scaling a remote-first team from scratch. ### From Neuroscientist to Startup Leader Job didn't start in tech. He trained as a neuroscientist. That background taught him how to think systematically and ask better questions. But when he moved into startups, he had to unlearn a few things. "In academia, you aim for perfect precision," he says. "In startups, speed and action matter more. You learn by doing, not by waiting." That shift in mindset is something every founder can relate to. You don't need to have all the answers upfront. You just need to start. ### What Employees Really Need Job's experience at GitLab and Remote showed him something surprising. Most employees don't just want more money or better perks. They want flexibility and trust. They want to be treated as equals, no matter where they live. He noticed that traditional office work comes with hidden costs. Commuting, rigid schedules, and the pressure to be visible in the office all drain energy. Remote work removes those barriers, but it also creates new challenges. How do you keep a team connected when they never meet face to face? ### The Key to Global Team Culture Job believes the answer is asynchronous communication. You can't expect everyone to be online at the same time. Instead, you need to document everything, write clearly, and give people the freedom to work when they're most productive. But that doesn't mean you never talk live. "You still need some human overlap," he explains. "Even just a few hours a week where people can connect in real time makes a huge difference." ### The Remote vs. In-Person Debate There's a lot of noise right now about whether remote work is better than in-person work. Job thinks the debate misses the point. The real question is: what works for your team? Some tasks need collaboration that's hard to replicate online. Others are better done with deep focus at home. The future of work isn't about picking one side. It's about building a system that gives people the best of both worlds. ### Practical Lessons for Founders If you're hiring talent worldwide, Job has a few pieces of advice: - Start with clear documentation. Write down everything from how you communicate to how you make decisions. - Invest in onboarding. A great first week sets the tone for the whole employee experience. - Treat every employee the same, regardless of location. That means equal pay, equal benefits, and equal opportunities. - Don't underestimate time zones. Plan for overlap, but respect people's off hours. ### The Bigger Picture Job's journey from neuroscientist to CEO of a company transforming global employment is a reminder that the best leaders never stop learning. They adapt, they listen, and they build systems that put people first. Remote work isn't just about where you sit. It's about how you think about work itself. And if you get that right, the rest follows.