Can Your Business Benefit from Hiring Digital Nomads?

What are digital nomads and is your business ready to hire one?

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, more and more individuals are becoming what has been dubbed as digital nomads.

Digital nomads are remote workers who have the flexibility to work from anywhere in the world, allowing them to travel and explore different cultures while still earning a living. With the rise of remote work, the digital nomad lifestyle has become very popular, attracting a growing number of people who crave adventure and flexibility.

However, becoming a digital nomad is not without its challenges both for employees and employers. While the ability to work from anywhere is certainly appealing, there are important considerations to keep in mind, such as finding reliable internet connections and managing a work-life balance while constantly on the move.

It is important to understand first the world of digital nomads and explore the advantages and challenges of this unique working style. Companies have plenty of things to consider when opening their doors to the idea of hiring digital nomads, and how a business can effectively manage remote teams.

What are Digital Nomads?

A digital nomad is a person who works remotely and travels. Digital nomads are a growing community, and they have many benefits. For example, digital nomads have a lot of freedom because they can choose where they want to live, how often they wish to travel, and how much money they want to make.

Digital nomads can work from anywhere and they can go on holidays whenever they want or need because their office is in their laptop bag. This freedom comes at no cost other than having great wifi wherever you go so that you can keep working online without interruptions from poor connections or slow speeds.

Companies will have to compete for their attention by offering better services and benefits that can mutually benefit the employer as well as the desired lifestyle of a digital nomad.

Remote Workers Versus Digital Nomads

Remote workers and digital nomads are two popular types of workers that have gained significant traction in recent times. While they share similarities, there are distinct differences between the two.

Remote workers are individuals who work outside of a traditional office setting, often from their homes or coworking spaces. They use technology, such as video conferencing and collaboration tools, to communicate and collaborate with their colleagues and employer. Remote work is becoming increasingly common, especially with the advancements in technology that make it easier for people to work from anywhere with an internet connection.

On the other hand, digital nomads are a specific subset of remote workers who take their work on the road and travel the world while working. They may work from different countries, coffee shops, or co-living spaces and embrace a more transient lifestyle. Digital nomads use technology to stay connected to their work and may have to be more self-sufficient and adaptable to changing work environments.

Does Your Company Need a Digital Nomad Policy?

Working remotely was a privilege reserved for a select few in the past. But today, more and more companies are embracing the digital nomad lifestyle. As a result, remote workers have become an integral part of the workforce. But with all this growth, there are still a lot of unanswered questions about how to manage these employees. Should you even have a policy for them? And if so, what should it say?

The number of digital nomads is growing, and it’s not hard to understand why. If you’re a freelancer or entrepreneur, the freedom to work remotely is a dream come true. You no longer have to take on a job based solely on location — you can find one that supports your lifestyle.

But as more people take up this nomadic lifestyle, some companies are starting to wonder what they can do to attract this new breed of worker. That’s where digital nomad policies come in.

The idea behind digital nomad policies is simple: if you want to attract the best talent, then you need to make your company as attractive as possible. And that includes making sure that it’s a good place for digital nomads to work at.

If your company has not yet adopted a remote employee policy, it is best to start considering and planning for it, so your business can keep up with the changing times. As seen with other successful policies such as maternity leave and paternity leave, it’s good for morale and productivity to give employees flexible options when it comes to where they work. And by offering this new type of benefits package, your company could attract top talent who would otherwise consider other companies instead. 

Challenges of Hiring a Digital Nomad

Finding the right person for the job is one of the biggest challenges companies face when hiring digital nomads. You want to make sure they are a good fit for your company, and you also want to make sure that your company is a good fit for them. There’s no point hiring someone who will hate their job or who won’t be able to get along with their teammates.

Communication

As with any remote worker, communication is key when hiring a digital nomad. The best way to ensure that you have good communication with your potential employee is to use an online collaboration tool such as Basecamp or Slack. These tools allow you and your potential employees to share files, emails, calendars, and more through one platform that everyone can access from anywhere in the world.

Inability to meet face-to-face

Hiring a digital nomad means that you won’t be able to meet face-to-face with them. This can make it difficult to get to know the person and understand if they are right for the job or not. You may have to rely on phone calls and video calls in order to get everything done properly.

Difficulty in evaluating performance

When working with remote employees, it’s challenging to evaluate their performance because they have to be evaluated in a non-traditional way – through feedback and through output. Most digital nomads are also often self-employed, so it’s hard to get references or recommendations.

Are you ready to hire a digital nomad?

For your business to make the most out of the digital nomad lifestyle and benefit from its many advantages, it is not enough to simply allow remote work without proper planning and preparation.

To help you properly transition to a digital nomad setting, and to determine if it is suitable for your business, SCG can facilitate planning sessions, Focused Group Discussions, interviews, leadership alignment, and other necessary steps to gather the right data that can see if offering employment for digital nomads can work for your company.