Digital nomadism: a modern benefit for your employees and your business

A new era of working is here. And it’s one that stretches beyond the limits of traditional office spaces and opens up, quite literally, a world of opportunity for today’s workforce. It’s called digital nomadism and it’s ‘work from anywhere’ trend is gaining a strong foothold in employee benefit packages thanks to its perfect fit in our now flexible-working world. 

But digital nomadism is not only transforming the working landscape for employees. Following a recent survey of 1001 UK workers*, we found that it’s also providing significant, if not greater, strategic, practical and cultural benefits for businesses, particularly SMEs. 

This article will discuss the returns you could see from adopting a ‘work from anywhere’ (WFA) policy, as well as what’s important to consider, and get right, for your business and your people. 

A powerhouse recruitment tool  

In an increasingly competitive recruitment market, employee benefits need to keep pace with expectations and lifestyle trends. Digital nomad policies are a perfect example of this and now join the list of fundamental perks that employees value, such as health insurance and bonuses schemes, yet they offer one desirable benefit that others don’t: flexibility.

Since the pandemic, flexibility has been high on the agenda when it comes to job hunting. Findings from our survey showed that it’s one of the primary motivations for wanting to work abroad for over half (51%) of our respondents who work for an SME. And for over a quarter (26%), having the agency to continuously travel forms part of their ideal lifestyle. So, even if your business can’t be as competitive with compensation, but you promise unmatched, global working flexibility, you’ll have a distinctive recruitment tool at your fingertips to help your business differentiate in the market. 

Inclusive recruitment is another area where digital nomadism can help. Our findings show that we’re moving stridently on from the stereotypical nomadic worker – the twenty-something, single, backpacking freelancer – to individuals in their 30s, 40s and 50s who want to adopt a digitally nomadic lifestyle with their family (34%). Just over two thirds (67%) of our respondents with a family see it as a means of improving their quality of life, and 31% as a means of achieving a richer education for their children. Creating these opportunities for your employees and their loved ones turns your digital nomad policy into a powerful benefit.  

Your quest for the best 

Offering a ‘work from anywhere’ policy also opens up a previously untapped talent pool. You can take your recruitment efforts across borders and continents to access new networks, find the skilled professionals you need and may not find locally, and leverage it as a modern benefit to attract that global talent. If you’re an SME operating in a niche market, this can be especially beneficial for reaching specialised, in-demand talent that’s not available in your location.   

Happy employees are efficient employees 

Implementing a ‘work from anywhere’ policy makes a powerful cultural statement that your employees' lifestyle goals, aspirations and freedom matter to you. By giving them agency to work in locations they find inspiring – where they feel their most happy and motivated – productivity and engagement can see stratospheric growth as well as, perhaps, loyalty. 

Unsurprisingly, our findings show that personal aspirations are high on the agenda when it comes to digital nomadism. People want a better work-life balance. Of our SME respondents, 39% shared that personal growth was one of their primary reasons for taking on a ‘work from anywhere’ arrangement. And when asked what they hoped to achieve from their new lifestyle, more than half (56%) said they wanted to experience different cultures, 40% wanted to learn a new language and almost a third (32%) wanted to learn a new skill, or perfect an existing one.

But as well as these development opportunities, 41% of our SME respondents shared that a key motivation for becoming a working nomad was to escape routine, and the weather! In their list of reasons for adopting ‘anywhere working’, a better climate ranked second for 53% of employees, just behind quality of life (69%), with warm countries such as Spain and Australia in their top three destinations. 

A remedy for both, digital nomadism helps to switch up the norm with fresh starts, different cultures and new people, helping your employees stay engaged and on task. And the sunnier climes, of course, are fantastic for productivity as well as emotional and physical wellness.  

A summary 

So, with personal opportunities abound and improved performance as a result, digital nomadism could really be the win-win benefit we’ve been waiting for. For employees, it allows for ultimate flexibility and untethered adventure, fulfillment and more agency over their working life. For SMEs, it helps with differentiating in the market, improving retention and accelerating performance. But could its purpose be greater than that?  With over two thirds (69%) of our respondents seeking a better quality of life from digital nomadism, the holy grail of work-life balance could be what SMEs stand to deliver to their workforce – happiness.

At AXA Global Healthcare, our tailored business plans provide all the medical cover you need, no matter how many employees you have. Find out more here.

_{*Research was carried out online by Research Without Barriers – RWB. All surveys were conducted between 12 November 2024 and 19 November 2024. The sample comprised 1,001 UK workers who could work online remotely for an extended period. All research conducted adheres to the UK Market Research Society (MRS) code of conduct (2023). RWB is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and complies with the DPA (2018).}