The Future of Work - Digital Nomads

During the onset of the pandemic, many companies collapsed suddenly. The economy was affected in numerous ways, people panicked, and going to work was no more a risk-free task. While many opted to work from home, others wanted another alternative that seemed more interesting. Many wanted to combine work and travel and leave 9-5 jobs for good. Why not travel with your laptop and live life to the fullest?

Work-from-home and virtual workspaces have been around for a while and are growing more common. Many people push their limits to become globe-trotters who not just discover new locations, but also make their home in those places. This expands and drives one’s career in many dimensions as the people you meet come from different walks of life. Depending on where you live, the people you meet may even help in boosting your career.

To accommodate the growing number of digital nomads, many places, and shared working spaces have begun springing up in cities like Chang Mai, Thailand, and Bali, Indonesia. That is, working for yourself, living abroad where costs are lower, and possibly starting a side business so you can pursue the ideal work-life balance. According to the Washington Post, the rise of the "digital nomad" has caused some cities to experience "over nomadism," with the coming of a "young class of jet-setters" driving up rent and gentrification.

Digital nomads are individuals who do not stay put or work in one specific location and who depend greatly on technology. All you need to bring with you is some creative talent and/or technical know-how. The title of "digital nomad" has been made to look feasible by writers and designers, social media managers, developers, and business owners in related industries. All they require is a laptop and a reliable internet connection - minimal equipment to support their work/travel lifestyle.

Digital nomadism is becoming a thing of the future. There are many co-working cafes and spaces that are springing up in major cities throughout the world. Also, as we talked about in the last few blogs, even digital nomad villages are becoming more trendy day after day. Various nomad programs are in place that support every documentation and other needs when it comes to travelling as a digital nomad. Websites like RemoteYear.com take care of your lodging, settling in, and work necessities while you continue to work remotely so that you can only concentrate on your nomadic life and business. You can be in a different country every year and not worry about paper works. They also take care of your health insurance, conduct workshops to help you find gigs, and much more.

Life among nomads is already changing. It has become more common to huddle together in a getaway home some place far or in new cafes. Some even gather in homes! It’s all about comfort at the end of the day, isn’t it? For nomads, who crave some office atmosphere when it comes to work, co-working spaces have become the latest trend. These spaces are great for nurturing one’s professional growth and productivity. For a freelancer, it’s a goldmine of opportunities.

Although it is impossible to accurately estimate how many nomads work remotely because they are constantly on the move and challenging to contact for surveys, there is growing evidence that this is indeed changing. According to Dell, its website for digital nomads receives tens of thousands of hits each month.

So, what’s the future of work like?

McKinsey’s recent analysis of the potential for remote work to persist looked at 2,000 tasks used in roughly 800 jobs in eight focus countries. It showed that 20 to 25 per cent of workforces in advanced economies could work from home in the range of three to five days a week—which is four to five times more remote work than pre-COVID-19.

According to The Guardian, In 2020, nearly one in five Airbnb guests used the site to travel and work remotely. In 2021, 74% of people across its five-country survey expressed an interest in living somewhere other than where their employer is based. Brian Chesky, the Airbnb chief executive, said: “The boundaries between travel, life, and work are blurring."

Although many companies have completely moved to remote work, it has in some form or another affected social connectivity and bonds. Despite this, the spike in digital nomadism has not stopped.

Communities like Escape the City are becoming more and more famous. Since 2010 they have been on a mission to help 1,000,000 quit their corporate jobs and find work that matters to them and the world. In 2010, escaping wasn’t that easy. But today, with the boom in technology and attitude shifts, location-independent jobs are becoming more and more mainstream. And so are communities like Escape the City expanding and growing with digital nomads. Untethering to office space has become the widest trend in work culture. Flexibility in work is the new norm. Travel brings people together and also helps local communities flourish. So many governments work hand in hand with communities to boost the digital nomadic culture in their own unique way. Companies like Airbnb have noticed this need and have been closely working with many destination partners ranging from countries to small towns to make it convenient for digital nomads when it comes to accommodation facilities. Just like Escape the City, famous communities like Nomadlist and Dynamite Circle have thousands of members who have left traditional jobs and permanent locations to travel and work. Factors like internet speed, weather conditions, safety for solo travellers, and air quality are some of the variables that these communities measure making it easier for digital nomads to pick their destinations.

The most popular destinations according to Nomadlist include:

1. Bangkok, Thailand
2. Buenos Aires in Argentina
3. Canggu, Bali in Indonesia
4. Mexico City in Mexico
5. Madeira in Portugal
6. Chiang Mai in Thailand
7. Gran Canaria, Canary Islands in Spain
8. Ericeira in Portugal
9. Timisoara in Romania
10. Medellín in Colombia

In the upcoming blog posts, we’ll be talking about these 10 destinations and what makes them so popular.