In an insightful conversation at The Desk, Tony Jamous, CEO of Oyster, sat down with Samara Jaffee, Co-Founder and GM of Transform, to share his journey and the innovative work his company is doing to democratize employment worldwide. He joined us from the beautiful island of Cyprus, and Tony highlighted Oyster’s mission and the unique solutions they offer in the global employment landscape.
Oyster is a global employment platform designed to help companies hire talent from anywhere in the world without the complexities of setting up local entities or navigating foreign employment laws. “We help companies around the world to hire anyone anywhere without the need of setting up entities, finding lawyers, benefit providers, and payroll providers,” Tony explained. This streamlined approach allows businesses to focus on what they do best while Oyster handles the administrative burden.
Tony’s passion for this mission is rooted in his own experiences. Originally from Lebanon, he moved to Europe as a teenager, seeking better opportunities. “I’m from a country called Lebanon, which is a failed state. There are no employment opportunities for people. So, I had to immigrate,” Tony shared. His personal journey inspired him to create a platform that enables people to work for global companies from their home countries, eliminating the need for brain drain.
The demand for such a solution is clear. “There are 85 million jobs going unfulfilled in the West, resulting in an 8.5 trillion economic loss annually,” Tony noted. At the same time, emerging economies are producing over a billion knowledge workers who need access to these opportunities. Oyster bridges this gap by connecting companies with a vast pool of previously hard-to-reach talent.
Oyster’s approach to building a successful remote culture is intentional and methodical. With 500 employees spread across 70 countries, maintaining a cohesive and productive team requires clear communication and trust. “We intentionally build trust in how we treat each other, assume the best intent, and default to transparency,” Tony explained. Additionally, Oyster focuses on clear work processes and success metrics to ensure everyone is aligned and productive.
Tony’s commitment to an inclusive and flexible work environment is evident in Oyster’s gender-equal workforce and diverse representation from over 100 nationalities. This diversity is a statistic and a core value that drives the company’s innovative spirit and success.
Despite the challenges posed by the global pandemic and economic uncertainties, Oyster has experienced tremendous growth. “We grew faster in our first year than Google did in theirs,” Tony mentioned proudly. This rapid expansion underscores the effectiveness of their model and the growing demand for flexible, remote work solutions.
One of the most inspiring aspects of Tony’s leadership is his dedication to sharing knowledge and resources. Oyster has open-sourced many of its practices and tools through the Oyster Reef, a public documentation platform. They also offer the Oyster Academy, which provides free training for remote workers and people leaders. “Everything is available on our website,” Tony said, emphasizing their commitment to empowering others.
During the interview, Tony’s insights highlighted remote work’s transformative potential and the importance of flexibility and trust in modern employment. His vision for Oyster is not just about business success but also about creating opportunities and reducing inequality on a global scale.
As Tony aptly said, “When you give people the freedom to choose where they live, their engagement and productivity go up.” Oyster is proving that companies can build thriving, inclusive, and productive remote teams with the right tools and mindset.
Tony’s advice for organizations looking to attract global talent is clear: “Build your employee brand around what you offer to your employees, and remember that the number one need for employees these days, especially top talent, is freedom and flexibility.”
Tony Jamous and Oyster are paving the way for a more inclusive and connected global workforce, demonstrating that with innovation and commitment, the future of work can be bright and accessible for all.
Be sure to check out more insightful conversations at The Desk to learn from the community and be inspired.