Freedom and flexibility are two of the defining aspects of the future of employment. With cloud based technologies becoming more easily accessible, and the millennial attitude that seeks to travel and work with the freedom that is unlike the traditional acceptance of a nine to five workday.
‘Remote Year’ is the epitome of this ‘New World of Work’. The program sees 75 digital nomads, individuals from around the world who are seeking a release from the desk and looking to see the world from beyond an office, and sends them on a journey across twelve countries for a period of a year.
These individuals are fearlessly taking the plunge into the ‘New World of Work’, embracing the remote office that technology can now offer them. They haven’t quit their existing jobs, but simply taken them on the road. The inaugural group saw contractors and freelancers, but also CEOs, software developers, client relation officers, marketing directors, statisticians, all areas of employment, all levels of seniority, all with a common purpose, to work remotely.
Remote Year has taken its participants to ‘offices’ in England, Morocco, Argentina, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Bolivia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Chile, Peru, Thailand, Croatia and more. They provide each participant with accommodation, as well as work spaces with internet that are always accessible. But they also provide a chance to immerse yourself in the world, experience and learn about new countries and cultures, alongside people with the similar frame of mind, ready to dive into the uncertainty and lead the way into the future of work with an experience of a lifetime.
However, it’s the companies back at home who are the true innovators. The companies who has let their employees have the freedom to join the program and work not just outside the office, but from locations around the world. The freedom generates loyalty, allowing the companies to capture the hearts and minds of the employees they wish to keep, as well as demonstrating their willingness to step into the ‘New World of Work’.
Essentially, in the end, everyone benefits. The program participants gain valuable life skills which can only be achieved through living and experiencing. By spending the time with likeminded individuals, they are likely to collaborate, generate ideas and network, creating connections that they can bring back for the benefit of their company during and once the program is over. And yet, the business back home doesn’t suffer, as the participant is still completing their work, still co-ordinating with the business goals and deadlines as though they were sitting at a desk in the office.
The ‘New World of Work’ will be defined by ‘The Four F’s of the new working week’: fearless, freedom, flexible and futurist. Remote Year is just an example of how these ideas will come into action. To learn more about Pendragon’s ‘New World of Work’ download the e-Book today.
To learn more about the experiences of the Remote Year participants, read their blogs, updates and visit Remote Year’s Facebook page.