Is remote work anywhere a dream? Or can it be turned into a reality? What are the barriers to doing so and the opportunities for companies that get this right?
Welcome to the remote work from anywhere series. This is a series featuring some of the leading people around the world in remote work, global mobility and work from anywhere compliance (remote work tax, employment law, etc.).
This episode was moderated by Aurélie Krau of Festive Road and featured Denise Brouder, CEO of SWAYworkplace, workplace futurist, hybrid work advocate and advisor for some of the biggest investment banks in the world (5:00), Chase Warrington, Head of Business Development at Doist and host of the About Abroad podcast (6:50) and Robert Glazer, CEO of Acceleration Partners and author of “How to Thrive in the Virtual Workplace” (10:14).
We kicked off discussing The Great (Jobs) Migration tsunami and how this is not only related to talent migration but also geographic migration (1:35). Why this matters to people (5:45), work as a lifestyle and the positive impacts remote work can have on our work-life balance, the environment but also companies, while some companies still cling to the past. Gartner’s latest predictions (13:51) that 51% of all knowledge workers will be working remotely by the end of 2021 (up from 27% in 2019), remote workers will represent 32% of all employees worldwide by the end of the year (up from 17%). Hybrid as the absence of a strategy? (17:00) How labour and tax laws are restricting the work from anywhere dream. Will remote work come as an expectation rather than a perk (21:10). The future of work is a journey, not a destination. The conversations happening at different levels of an organisation…executive, management and employee . Increasing liquidity in the job market is creating employment options for previously isolated rural geographies (27:36). Will remote first work for large organisations? The surveillance state (31:20) and the uselessness of tracking keystrokes, time online and other ‘productivity’ measures. Companies focused on trust, responsibility and deliverables will thrive in a hybrid or remote first world. Skills needed for the future of work (34:28). Moving from command and control culture to building curiosity, trust and empathy. The importance of communication and delegation (37:15) and maintaining some in-person meet-ups (40:40). Cultural intelligence (45:40). Our speakers’ call to actions for leadership: (51.54) Be prepared for what you wish for! Do not try and apply old methods to new practices. Communicate your strategy.
Some useful resources discussed during this episode:
- Robert Glazer’s “How to Thrive in the Virtual Workplace“
- Erin Meyer’s “The Culture Map“
- Festive Road’s “Purposeful Travel Framework“
- MIT “Human Skills Matrix“
- The Work From Anywhere Team’s Digital Nomad Visas
If you’re interested in becoming a guest on the webinar series, please reach out to us here.
Should you need help with any of your tax or compliance risks related to remote work, The Work From Anywhere Team would be delighted to help you out! Just reach out via our website.
The Work From Anywhere Team
