Remote working

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Remote working is rapidly changing employment cultureIt can often feel like we are moving closer and closer towards a project-based economy. And with the proliferation of cloud-based tools and globalised services it’s easy to understand why the professional landscape is changing so quickly. 

Digital nomadism, remote work, multi-hyphenate professions and all other iterations of the modern, customisable career seem to be more accepted than ever. Ditch the office! The world is your office. Have five careers! And have them all at once if you want.

As the article How to Join The New Work Tribe on Samsung Explore UK states, in 2020 as many as 105 million US professionals could be working remotely, and 62% of the next generation are likely to be entrepreneurs. It would seem, in this digital age, that tech-savvy, organised individuals are freer than ever to create both their own job titles and their work conditions.

With increased autonomy, panoramic networking potential and a healthier work-life balance on offer, it’s no wonder so many seek to dissolve their cubicle office routines in favour of more agile alternatives. But what do we think? How many of us have, currently are or want to deviate from a traditional 9-to-5 desk? And what does it really entail?

Surely a lot of us have gawked with jealousy at those photos of laptops on faded coffee shop tables overlooking rice fields or a sparkling ocean. The digital nomads travelling the world, working with a view, Wi-Fi connection and beach chair in-hand.

But this is just one end of the spectrum. In reality, as Swiss company IWG reported this year, 50% of employees globally already work away from their main office for a minimum of two and a half days every week. And 80% of those surveyed said they would turn down job offers which offered no flexible working.

So what’s the reality of so-called Generation Flex? Is the ‘work smarter, not longer’ mentality realistic, or sustainable? Have any of us been digital nomads in the past, or want to be in the future? And what does this shift in work culture signify for the future of both employers and employees?

Let us know what you think,

The Community Team 

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