Until recently, employees that were permitted to work from home could pretty much choose where they wanted to work and for how long. Sometimes that meant actually working from home, and sometimes that meant remotely. Sadly, there are recent trends that suggest companies are starting to crack down on this freedom of choice.
Companies are becoming better organized and now manage their employees who are digital nomads. Some are forcing employees to work from the office again. Others are starting to provide guidelines or restrictions for remote work, in order to exert control. This includes
- which countries employees are allow, or not allowed, to visit
- for how long can they stay remote
- how their income taxes may be impacted
- how cyber security now plays a greater role
For example, the most common limit for employees who are allowed to work remotely is now only 20 to 30 days, and only 7% of companies support more than 60 days.
Alternatively, some companies are trying to persuade employees to return to the office by offering a type of bribe. For example, Salesforce recently announced it will donate $10 for a local charity to employees who actually come into the office. That’s funny stuff, and I’m curious to see what the outcome will be.
The takeaway
If you’re an employee and want to be a digital nomad, make sure you follow the company’s rules and guidelines. Alternatively, if you’re a freelancer, then you have the option to become the ultimate digital nomad, without any limits. Either way, take advantage of the situation and enjoy the world.