A digital nomad is someone who uses technology to work remotely while traveling or living in different locations, often without a fixed home base. In recent years, the workforce has experienced a significant and rapid shift towards remote work and digital nomadism, with this article estimating that digital nomads make up nearly 11% of the U.S workforce (or 18.1 million workers). This trend has reshaped how organizations manage, engage, and retain talent.
Some organizations have resisted the shift, citing challenges such as coordinating across different time zones, communication barriers, and concerns about productivity. There are also compliance issues involved with engaging workers in various locations with different legal requirements, payroll guidelines, and tax laws.
Still, embracing the shift has benefits, too. For many companies, the cost savings associated with reducing overhead and the ability to access a broader talent pool are reason enough to overcome concerns.
Strategies for Companies to Engage Digital Nomads
One of my client’s cardinal rules is “Make it easy for customers to give you their money.” If you’ve ever abandoned a vase in the Dollar Spot at Target or skipped your first choice for dinner because the line was too long, you understand. Surely this is part of the strategy behind Chick-fil’a’s system of moving cars through its lines with the speed and precision of a Navy Seals mission. Just make it easy breezy for people to hand over their lunch money and move right on through your line with their piping hot waffle fries and Chick-fil-a sauce. There’s a case to take a similar approach with digital nomads. If you want to attract the best talent and choose from a wider pool of prospects, you might want to consider making it easier for people to work for/with you.
Here are a few ways:
- Offer Flexible Work Hours: Allow digital nomads to manage their schedules across different time zones and focus on their results and deliverables rather than the schedule on which they deliver them.
- Provide Remote-Friendly Tools: Use collaboration platforms like Slack and Zoom for seamless communication and project management.
- Foster Community: Create virtual events, online meetups, or digital spaces for nomads to stay connected with the company culture.
- Incentivize with Travel Perks: Offer travel stipends, co-working space allowances, or support in obtaining remote work visas.
- Engage a Partner for Compliance: Engage a partner that specializes in worker classification, payroll services for contract workers, and compliance concerns to make engaging workers in various locations (and therefore, various rules) a non-issue.
The Bottom Line
Engaging digital nomads presents both challenges and opportunities. While time zone differences, communication challenges, and compliance concerns can create obstacles, the benefits are compelling. Many organizations find gaining access to a much broader talent pool and reducing overhead costs make overcoming the challenges well worth the effort. As more of the workforce shifts towards flexible work arrangements, companies that effectively engage digital nomads will position themselves for long-term success in a dynamic, globalized world. If your company could benefit from making it easier for the best workers to join your team, schedule a free consultation with the pros to address any concerns you might have about worker classification, compliance, payroll, or more.
