As a “unicorn” technology business started by co-founders living 7,000 miles apart, Auth0 barely blinked at the onset of the pandemic work-from-home revolution. More than 60% of its team of 750 people were already working remotely from offices in London, Seattle, Buenos Aires, Sydney, Tokyo and Singapore.

The business, set up in 2013, aims to provide secure login access to applications in one click or less and safeguards billions of logins each month for customers around the world, making the internet a safer place. Location is a detail when it comes to recruitment: “We hire the best talent, no matter what country you are in,” the company said. It looks for “curious, excited, boundary-pushing team members”, adding: “If you're a big thinker who is nimble and adaptable, Auth0 may be the ideal place for you to shine.”

Co-founder and CEO Eugenio Pace stepped up communication with his scattered team over this tumultuous time with weekly bulletins as well as fireside chats with managers. Flexible working hours were extended to help team members with family responsibilities. Twice-yearly surveys and more frequent pulse surveys provided valuable feedback to guide strategy for the company, now valued at nearly US$2 billion after its latest $120 million funding round. The results of surveys are shared with staff and there are updates about any improvements made in response to feedback.

Before Covid-19 restrictions applied, the company took all employees away for a week to celebrate their success at resorts in Panama and Mexico.