The nomadic digital lifestyle has been gaining popularity for several years. Then, when Covid-19 occurred, the number of people using this new method of working skyrocketed. Just in the year 2020, the number of digital nomads in the United States increased by almost 50 percent, reaching 11 million. The trend of digital nomadism is on the rise, and it does not appear to be slowing down any time soon. Here are some of the reasons why this is the case.
Companies Implement Policies That Allow Employees to Work From Any Location
According to a report that was recently published by Qualtrics, eighty percent of workers who are currently looking for new employment stated that it was important for their next employer to provide them with the chance to live anywhere in the world. The employers are taking notes. As a result of the growing demand from staff members to keep working from home, many businesses, including Lift, Airbnb, and 3M, are transitioning to fixed flexible work models.
Another illustration of this can be seen with Spotify, which promotes the idea that “work isn’t someplace you go; it’s what you do” in its advertising. Within predetermined geographic boundaries, their model of work that can be done remotely gives employees the freedom to choose how and where they do their work. For instance, if an employee is hired for a position that has its headquarters in Sweden, they might be able to perform their duties remotely anywhere in Europe.
Foreign Nations Entice Digital Nomads
An interest in obtaining digital nomad visas has emerged as a direct result of the growing popularity of the location-independent digital nomad culture. According to the website Exploding Topics, which monitors trends, the number of people searching for the term “nomad visa” has increased by an astounding 2,400% over the last five years. As a consequence of this, countries are beginning to offer various visa options to entice visitors from other countries to remain for longer periods of time.
For instance, Brazil has regulated the process of issuing temporary visas as well as residence permits to immigrants who are employed by companies based in other countries. As a consequence of this, they are permitted to stay for a year and then renew their visa for another year. Most recently, Indonesia made the announcement that it is in the process of creating a new visa that would be valid for a period of five years, making it valid for a longer period of time compared to any other digital nomad visa that is presently available. Up to this point, a sum 46 countries have joined the bandwagon of offering visas for digital nomads.
It used to be that when people thought of digital nomads, they pictured young adults in their twenties who traveled from hostel to hostel looking for a place in which they could plug in their laptops. But remote work and homeschooling have paved the way for a new kind of digital nomad: one that wants to take their families on adventures around the world and make memories that will last a lifetime together.
According to the results of a recent survey conducted by Lonely Planet, they refer to it as the “anywhere worker.” 61% of people working in high-tech jobs are employed full-time. These employees can be found virtually anywhere. Seventy percent of the people who belong to this group are between the ages of 24 and 44, while thirty-five percent are between the ages of 45 and 54. The majority of digital nomads are parents who travel with their families and nearly half of them are married, which is different from the typical digital nomad.
There Are Now a Greater Number of Goods and Services Available to Support Digital Nomads
There has been a recent explosion in the number of businesses catering to the unique needs of digital nomads, including both goods and services. Some examples include:
Combining Shared Living and Working Quarters
The burden of juggling work and travel is lightened thanks to these areas. You are free to settle in, get your work done, and discover new ways of thinking by interacting with other people. Coworking spaces that cater to digital nomads typically offer a place to work, short-term housing options, and connections to the local community of people who share similar interests.
Travel Agency Services
You are in luck if you are prepared to get on the road and give the responsibility of handling the details to someone else. Groups of experts who work and live from anywhere for a period ranging from a few weeks to an entire year are brought together by organizations such as Nomad Cruise and Remote Year. Because these companies take care of all the logistics, you are free to focus on your work and discover exciting new places.
Websites That Provide Information on Online and Job Listings
Finding work as a digital nomad has become much simpler in recent years thanks to the proliferation of online job sites and talent markets. There are also useful websites that offer a diverse range of information that can be of use. For instance, Nomad List provides data on the expense of living, download speeds, tax rates, visa requirements, and a wide range of other topics for over 1,200 cities located all over the world.
Individuals Focus on Experiences Over Materialistic Items
In past years, there’s been a shift away from valuing belongings and toward concentrating on experiences instead. In particular, Millennials are the ones driving this trend forward. The youth of today prefer to invest their money in experiences such as live performances, mountain climbing, and cuisine classes rather than material goods such as luxury watches or automobiles.
One study found that more than three-quarters of Millennials would prefer to spend their hard-earned cash on an exciting experience or event rather than purchasing a product. Furthermore, the majority of Millennials (55%) report that they are spending more money than ever on live experiences and events.
It has come to our attention that in order to be productive, you are no longer required to be chained to your desk for a total of eight hours per day, five days per week. Instead, you have the opportunity to travel the world, interact with people from a diverse range of backgrounds, and enjoy the flexibility to work whenever and wherever you please.