At Zillow, we believe that people do their best work when they have the freedom to think big, move fast and work in the way that suits them best. That belief is at the core of our Cloud HQ model — and the results speak for themselves. In fact, our Chief People Officer Dan Spaulding recently shared with Fortune, we are consistently outperforming residential real estate, shipping product faster, voluntary attrition is down, and employee sentiment about working at Zillow is up. We haven’t seen a dip in any productivity measure we track since moving into this modality.
We’re honored to be named one of the 2025 100 Best Companies to Work For® by Fortune and Great Place to Work®. But more than the accolade itself, what makes this recognition meaningful is what it represents: feedback from our employees that Zillow is delivering on its promise to build a workplace where they feel valued, supported and inspired to make an impact — all in service of helping more and more people get home.
A workplace built for innovation
When everything changed in 2020, we had a choice: to wait for normal to return or to build something better. What started as a temporary shift to remote work became an opportunity to rethink how work should work, unlocking new levels of collaboration, innovation and impact.
That’s when we built Cloud HQ, a model designed to support how people work best and where they work best. We listened to our employees and leaned into what was already working: asynchronous workflows and technology that made it easy to communicate, collaborate and share information across time zones. Today, we are intentional about how we gather, striking the right balance between flexibility and in-person connection. Teams have the focus and autonomy to do their best work daily, while zRetreats bring people together for the moments when real-life collaboration matters. And for those who want to connect or collaborate in person more often, our offices remain open and available anytime. We have seen firsthand that teams are moving fast, collaborating well and staying focused on high-impact work.
Most importantly, we realized that removing geographic barriers didn’t just expand how people could work, it also expanded who could work here, bringing in more perspectives and top-tier talent from across the country.
Now, as a core part of our strategy for innovation and growth, Cloud HQ is permanent. Our teams have the freedom to work where and how they work best. As a result, they’re delivering breakthrough solutions, driving business momentum and delivering on our goals faster than ever.
This recognition from Fortune and Great Place to Work is about the employees who make Zillow an incredible place to work. Their feedback confirms what we already knew: When people are trusted with flexibility, they deliver. Our employees consistently show up, stay focused on impact and take ownership of their work. And as we continue to evolve Cloud HQ, we’re proving that the future of work isn’t coming — it’s already here.
Employee experience drives business success
This accolade is based on what our employees say about working at Zillow, and their feedback speaks volumes. In the Great Place to Work survey, which helped us earn this ranking, our employees told us:
- 97% felt welcomed when they joined the company.
- 96% have a good working environment, thanks to Cloud HQ giving them control over where they work best.
- 95% tell others that they are proud to work at Zillow.
- 94% believe Zillow’s management is honest and ethical in business practices.
- 94% can take time off when they need it.
Our people are thriving. When our people thrive, our business does, too. Cloud HQ has enabled us to recruit top talent nationwide, build more inclusive and high-performing teams, and create an environment where impact, not location, determines success.
The future of work? We’re already living it.
We don’t claim to have all the answers. We’re still testing, learning and evolving. But what we do know is this: Cloud HQ is working.
At Zillow, we don’t just talk about the future of work — we are the future of work. We’re innovating how we work just as much as we’re transforming the real estate experience for renters, buyers and sellers. And this recognition from Fortune and Great Place to Work is one more sign that we’re on the right track.
Want to be part of Zillow? Check out our careers page and see how you can help us with our mission of getting more people home.