Remote work is here to stay and digital nomadism to grow rapidly in 2021

Gone are the days of sitting in a cubicle under fluorescent lighting for 8 hours day after day. 

The pandemic thrust office workers into working from home; something that quickly became the new normal over the past year. With vaccine administrations underway, schools reopening, and some businesses starting to recover, companies are faced with addressing how and if employees will return to the office. 

But many employees have something else on their minds. Instead of preparing to return to the office, they have their sights set on something new: the digital nomad lifestyle. 

Employees Passed the Test; Remote Work is Here to Stay

The year 2020 gave many employers a sense of relief that their staff can perform while working remotely; something many workers knew but never had a chance to put into practice. 

With that, companies are shifting their model to remote-first or hybrid. Spotify was the latest employer to come out and say, “Work isn’t something you come to the office for, it’s something you do,” which gave thousands of their employees the opportunity to work from anywhere. 

And they’re not alone. Dropbox, Shopify, Salesforce, and many more large companies are offering the freedom for their staff to work from anywhere they feel productive. 

Remote Work Flexibility Sparks Work-From-Anywhere Movement

With the anticipation of travel restrictions letting up, millions of people have a new-found sense of freedom to work remotely. 

However, selling everything to travel the world is a big commitment, to say the least. And while uprooting one’s life isn’t a fit for everyone, the flexibility of remote work is shaping the future for part-time digital nomads. 

Online digital nomad communities are seeing daily chatter from prospective nomads who want to work remotely domestically and abroad while keeping a home base. 

The Facebook group Digital Nomads Around the World has 141K members and counting, where experienced digital nomads are quick to answer questions to those who want to spend a month or so working from a new location. And smaller, local digital nomad Facebook groups like Digital Nomads Croatia or Digital Nomads Montenegro are filled with new questions like where to find monthly rentals, how to meet fellow nomads, and more. 

Investors See it Coming

As prospective part-time digital nomads bookmark resource guides and add travel gear to their shopping lists, investors are preparing for the influx of remote workers to set up shop in destinations all over the world. 

Oyster HR, a platform for remote working, just landed $20 million in funding to help support remote hiring, onboarding, payroll, and more. The company is making it easier for employers to hire staff, regardless of where they are in the world. 

And Anyplace, a monthly housing marketplace for digital nomads, secured their Series A funding earlier this year. The platform allows for digital nomads to book one month at a time at a co-living space, extended-stay hotel, or furnished apartment that’s fully equipped for remote work. 

Investors know — the digital nomad has taken on a new reputation. It’s no longer just the beach bum strapped for cash. It’s the career-driven professional who wants to explore the world. 

The Outlook on Part-Time Digital Nomads

The future is bright for part-time digital nomads. More and more resources are becoming available for employees who want to work remotely while traveling, as well as ways for employers to support them. 

Being a part-time digital nomad allows you to still have access to the comfort of home and family, while also experiencing slow travel. That balance makes the lifestyle more comfortable, sustainable, and doable for millions more in the years to come.