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.)
It’s no surprise that remote work has become mainstream throughout the course of the pandemic. But what will things look like in 10 year’s time and how will communities change as a result?
This was the inspiration behind this week’s episode moderated by Aurélie Krau of Festive Road and we were delighted to be joined by experts in this field (5:30) Gonçalo Hall, Co-Founder at Remote Portugal and Remote Europe, (6.30) Prithwiraj Choudhury, Lumry Family Associate Professor at Harvard Business School and (8:10) Ben Stewart, Executive Director of Tulsa Remote.
(5:30) The biggest surprises of remote work. 77% of job postings including ‘remote work’ terminology. (10:10) The big differences between WFH versus WFA (Work From Anywhere). WFA does work as a hybrid model. Benefits include productivity gains, cost savings, hiring freedom and job equality, especially for women. (14:45) The Tulsa Remote story…how Tulsa, Oklahoma attracted remote workers. $10k to help assist with the costs of moving. 60,000 applications thus far. The ripple effects on the economy. 90%+ have stayed beyond initial 1 year. (18:45) It’s easy to attract people…the harder part is creating a community so that they want to stay.
(19:30) The Remote Work initiative in Madeira, Portugal. Attracting digital nomads to smaller villages and the challenges of catering to their different needs. Educating the locals. Build the community and they shall come! (22:40) Good hybrid versus bad hybrid. How companies/managers can avoid bias against remote workers…divide attention equally across direct reports. The virtual watercooler breaking boundaries.
(27:20) How to work with government to build a remote work community. Take it to mayors and governors as an idea to attract this new market. TCS – 500,000 employees, 75% moved remote overnight. (31:00) The emergence of a new demographic…the corporate nomad rather than the ‘backpacking’ digital nomad. A misconception…most are full time employees. Catering for families becoming increasingly important.
(36:20) The great job and geographic migration. Greater hiring options e.g. Kenya and Bangladesh as a hub for programmer talent. (41:00) The rise of workations and some crystal ball forecasts for the % of employees working abroad in 5-10 years. (42:30) The second and third order effects of remote work. The skills requirement to move to read and write instead of talk and listen so that we can respond asynchronously. Neighborhoods will grow and thrive…repopulation of villages. The increased need for empathy and mutual trust between employer and employee.
Some useful resources referred to during the discussion:
- McKinsey & Company Reimagine Work Survey
- The Tulsa Remote Story
- New York Times article citing Prithwiraj’s research on hybrid work environments
- Gartner forecasts 51% of Global Knowledge Workers Will Be Remote by the End of 2021
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 remote work tax or compliance risks, The Work From Anywhere Team would be delighted to help you out! Just reach out via our website.
The Work From Anywhere Team
