Working from home has become a controversial topic in the business world. Some CEO’s publicly vent about the dangers to productivity, efficiency and competitiveness with remote working while others tout and praise the benefits of a hybrid or fully working from home structure. While the efficiency and productivity numbers are debated, there is no doubt that workers welcome and approve of remote working. One group has taken it a step further and practices working from anywhere. These ‘Digital Nomads’ set up shop in any corner of the world and combine travel exploration with their careers. And the statistics paint a very encouraging picture for Digital Nomadism. A recent survey from TechReport suggested that 80% of digital nomads were satisfied with their jobs versus 59% who work in traditional settings. That survey also estimated around 40 million digital nomads in 2023 and 40% of them originating from the United States. Mobile and connectivity technology plays a crucial role in enabling a digital nomadic lifestyle and innovations will continue to improve efficiency and productivity, even while abroad.
Technology Enables Work From Anywhere
The Covid-19 pandemic put remote working in the spotlight but work from home (WFH), and more recently, Work From Anywhere (WFA) have been around since portable and mobile technology became accessible on a mass scale. Key tools for nomads start with a high performance laptop with multiple modes of connectivity. Digital nomads rely on smartphone devices for communication as well as organization and for entertainment use. The increasing popularity of eSIMs simplifies data and voice connectivity in foreign countries. Satellite based internet providers, such as Starlink, offer internet connections in most regions around the globe. The popularity of remote and work from anywhere has spurred innovations in technology that offers conveniences for digital nomads. Portability has come to full size monitors with folding screens, full size keyboards that fold neatly and compactly and routers that can use SIM cards to connect multiple devices to data networks from anywhere. The majority of digital nomads work within or around the technology industry and having powerful connectivity and productivity tools are a must to maintain individual output, even while abroad.
It’s Not Always Paradise
Job and personal satisfaction may be high with digital nomads, but the lifestyle is not without its stresses. Regional limitations on infrastructure can impact connectivity and affect productivity but the most important concern for digital nomads is the country’s visa requirements and systems. Immigration laws and worker regulations are entirely different from country to country and some areas consider digital nomads as workers while some regions offer very short duration visas with strict limitations on what visitors can do while in-country. Digital nomads have to carefully plan the next destination by addressing immigration concerns, as well as assessing technological needs and setting up basics, such as housing and connectivity. Working abroad can have emotional effects as working in isolation is common and loneliness can affect mindset, work quality and output. But as most digital nomads are happy with their jobs (and environment?), these cons may be worth it to free spirited travelers who still must hold down a full time job.
Top Spots for Digital Nomads
The popularity of Work From Anywhere has caught the eyes of many governments as a potential way to attract skilled workers and increase the tax base. Over 50 countries now offer specific, digital nomad visas that can last a year or longer. These structured, long term visas are welcome innovation to digital nomads, alleviating one of the major stresses in planning. Some countries that are embracing digital nomadism are:
- Spain
- Croatia
- Barbados
- Greece
- Germany
- France
- Costa Rica
Each region has its own income and other requirements but digital nomads have a wide choice of climates and cultures to choose from when planning their next work / stay destinations. Digital nomads can also plan their next stop based on the cost of living with the wide range of countries that offer digital nomad visas.
Work From Anywhere as a Benefit
Not every company allows its workers to be digital nomads and currently, a debate rages on in business as to whether remote work is a good or a bad thing. The growing number of digital nomads may tip the scale in that debate and employers are starting to utilize the ability to nomad as a compensatory benefit to attract and retain top talent. And with more countries trying to attract digital nomads with specialized visas and support systems, remote and work from anywhere is shaping up to be a long term trend in how people want to do their jobs. Continued innovations in mobile and productivity technology ensures that connectivity for digital nomads will only become more reliable and abundant down the road.