“I spend several months a year in Gran Canaria.” – Recruiter at Kooku
It’s been over 2.5 years now, but I can still remember my job interview at Kooku. I started my career during the coronavirus pandemic, so remote working is a matter of course for me – it’s the only way I know. Nevertheless, this statement from my colleague Nina Alpers surprised me. Remote work from abroad? It seemed too good to be true.
But Kooku made it possible. Almost two years ago, I packed my bags and boarded the plane to Cyprus. Conclusion: one of the best decisions of my life.
1. what personally motivated you to work from Cyprus?
It has always been a big dream of mine to live by the sea. Before I moved to Cyprus, I lived in Düsseldorf in the middle of the city. That was also an exciting experience, but I felt the desire for more idyll, freedom and a connection to nature. For me, this is one of the great advantages and privileges of remote work and working in Cyprus.
2. what does your typical working day look like – what has changed compared to Germany?
In most respects, my working day hasn’t changed much. I still have my “remote work” routine. Get up, make coffee, start the working day. What is different, however, is my work-life balance. If I get stressed or exhausted, a short break on the balcony with a view of the sea helps me – or a few laps in the pool on a hot day.
3. what specifically do we do at Kooku to foster team spirit remotely?
From clearly structured virtual onboarding and formats for regular professional and personal exchange to short decision-making paths via teams: Kooku has firmly integrated remote work into everyday working life. Even when I’m working independently on a project, I’m still in contact with my colleagues every day. This helps me to be part of the team, even though I’m so far away.
4. how do customers perceive your remote work – does your location even matter?
My clients often don’t even know that I work remotely from Cyprus at first, because it usually doesn’t matter. As a recruiting agency, we work with companies from all over Germany and beyond, so most of our collaboration is virtual anyway. When the topic does come up, my clients usually react with interest or positively. It shows that we don’t just preach remote work, but also practice it ourselves and that strengthens our credibility as a modern, remote-first recruiting agency.
5. do you have the feeling that your work is of the same quality – or even better – from a distance?
As I’ve never actually worked in an office on site, it’s difficult for me to make a direct comparison. However, I did notice that my energy and concentration levels fluctuated significantly more throughout the day before I moved to Cyprus.
The idyllic surroundings, the sea air and the breaks, which I prefer to spend on the balcony, make me feel much better, more balanced and fitter at work.
6. what would you say to companies that fear remote work or are hesitant to implement it?
Remote work may mean a structural change at first, but it’s worth it, both for employees and for companies. As a recruiter, I notice very strongly that companies that rely on remote work attract many more and much better qualified applicants than companies that shy away from it. Remote work promotes flexibility, independent work and loyalty.
7. to what extent can remote work help to open up new target groups or strengthen team diversity?
Remote work greatly increases the talent pools for companies. Many target groups, such as parents with young children or people who no longer want to live directly in the city, now rely on remote work. Remote work has also become indispensable for millennials and Gen Z. So if companies want to bring together perspectives from different generations and groups of people, remote work is an important prerequisite.
8 What should companies bear in mind if they want to create remote-enabled roles?
Remote work only works well if companies create clear processes, good communication tools and a culture of trust. It is not enough to simply say: “You can now work from anywhere”. It is important that all team members, no matter where they are, feel involved, are allowed to take responsibility and receive transparent information. Good technical equipment and structured onboarding are also crucial.
9. what surprised you? And what would you no longer want to do without?
I was surprised at how well everything worked out. The decision to emigrate to Cyprus was spontaneous in many ways and yet, on the whole, everything worked out. Of course, this is also thanks to Kooku and the support I received from the company and my colleagues.
I wouldn’t want to miss the quality of life I’ve gained: the sea, the relaxed mentality and the knowledge that I can do my work from anywhere. That gives me an incredible amount of freedom and self-determination.
➡️ If you want to read more about our employees’ experiences with remote work, take a look at Josi’s post about her experiences with remote work in Bali.
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Many companies report that their remote work experiences have been surprisingly positive – especially in terms of productivity, employee satisfaction and access to new talent pools. The experiences of our employees show: With clear processes, digital tools and a practiced culture of trust, location-independent working not only works – it becomes a competitive advantage.
Studies and practical remote work experience show that employees often work more concentrated and efficiently when they organize themselves well. The decisive factor here is not the place of work, but a stable setup: clear goals, asynchronous communication and regular exchanges. Our team at Kooku has shown that even international team members deliver consistently high results – with more energy and balance.
Remote work requires consciously cultivated rituals to maintain the team spirit. Our remote work experience shows this: Digital onboarding, regular video formats (also informal) and collaborative tools such as MS Teams or Miro help to promote closeness and trust despite distance. Remote team culture doesn’t happen automatically – it has to be shaped.
Remote-capable jobs have been proven to increase the number of applications. Companies that actively enable remote work are tapping into new target groups – e.g. parents, people in rural areas or digital nomads. Our remote work experience at Kooku shows: The clearer the remote structures are, the stronger the employer brand – and the more suitable the applicants.
Successful remote work requires more than laptops and VPN access. Based on our remote work experience, we recommend: clear communication rules, tool standards (e.g. for meetings, feedback, documentation), structured onboarding and transparent goals. Without these basics, companies risk chaos instead of flexibility.
Trust is created through transparency and results. Our remote work experience shows this: With KPI-based controlling, regular check-ins and a focus on outcomes, managers quickly gain confidence – even without a daily presence in the office. Trust is not a one-way street, but part of a modern corporate culture.
