When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the US, business offices had to close, forcing their employees to work remotely.

Most of these folks are STILL working remotely – more than one year later.

Key takeaways from the past year:

1. Remote working works.  The majority of employees transitioned pretty easily from working in the office to working from home.  Within a couple months, it was apparent that business professionals can be very effective and productive while working remotely.
2. Employees like it.  Study after study shows the vast majority of business professionals want to continue working remotely despite some employers calling their staff back to the office.
3. A new type of remote worker has evolved.  The pandemic has significantly shifted the mentality around remote work.  This mindset shift has given rise to a new group of remote workers.  These folks are not your typical Digital Nomads.  They have a different personal and professional profile along with a unique set of wants and needs.

Pre-Pandemic Corporate America

Prior to the pandemic, there was somewhat of a stigma in corporate America for employees who worked remotely.

The old theory was:  if you want to climb the corporate ladder and advance your career, you need to spend a significant amount of time in the office. It was important to be seen by others.

The amount of time spent in the office was positively correlated to the employee’s level of loyalty, desire for promotion, and perceived productivity.

Sacrificing personal time to be in the office demonstrated your dedication to your employer and career.

It also offered more opportunities to schmooze and fraternize with those who could help advance your career.

All too often, winning the game of office politics was more important than actually being productive and generating results.

This philosophy was especially prevalent among the senior organization leaders. When it came to finding a fully remote executive, let’s just say you would have had better luck finding Sasquatch.

Traditional leadership theory states the only way to be an effective leader was to be physically present in an office setting.

Now, fast forward to 2020 and see how the COVID-19 pandemic changed all that…

COVID-19 Changes Corporate America

Significant changes have resulted from the sudden and lasting shift towards remote work due to the pandemic:

1. The stigma around remote working is gone.  With everyone working remotely, there are no more tiers of workers:  those working remotely vs those working in the office.
2. We proved people can be just as effective working remotely as they can from the office.
3. Both employers and employees can reap significant benefits from remote work arrangements.
4. Strong infrastructure exists and continues to improve to support this growing trend.

With all these changes, a growing new group of senior-level employees are able to and interested in working remotely.

I call them:  Executive Remote Workers.

Since working remotely is no longer frowned upon, many Executive Remote Workers now want the freedom and autonomy to work from anywhere.

Many of these folks also have a dream to travel, so they are asking themselves:

“Why can’t I travel and work remotely?”

This shift towards remote working is a total game changer for many business professionals.

Here’s a simple example to demonstrate the potential for this new lifestyle:

Work-Travel Balance

Imagine you are a business professional from the US.  One weekend, you pack your bags and fly to Italy with the plan to stay there for a month or so to work and explore.

You rent a nicely appointed accommodation for your stay which enables you to comfortably and effectively live and work remotely.

Of course you have certain hours in the day when you have to work but there are plenty of hours when you are NOT working.

Here are just a few benefits of this:

1. Since you are already in Italy, it will be quick and easy to move around and explore during your non-working time.
2. With more time (a month instead of 1-2 weeks), you don’t have to worry about rushing through the country to see all the sights.
3. When you live more like a local (and less like a tourist), you increase your exposure to the more authentic Italian culture and lifestyle.
4. You can do all of this without using your limited vacation time.

Wrap-up

Remote working has opened up the door for many more people who want to travel, particularly senior business professionals.

Executive Remote Workers have more freedom and autonomy to explore the world without having to sacrifice their steady paychecks and corporate job security.

I am very passionate about sharing this message and opening minds to this new and very real opportunity!

Please reach out to me if you have comments or questions and I would love to make this dream a reality for you too!