Advanced online communication and commuting technology allow humans to have more options for our workplace and home. We, humans, are born and evolved to create new technology and adapt to constant changes. We invented rails, cars then we constantly enhance to high speed for easier commuting between places. We invented the internet and dozens of communication applications, and we could have online meetings instead of traditional face-to-face ones. Our lives are ways easier than before with modern technology.
We are now living in a time of the global pandemic. This Covid-19 disease spreading worldwide makes us all re-think, re-arrange how we want to live and work. Companies worldwide enable the working from home scheme for more or less than two years to limit contagion. Employees do not go to the traditional workplace, and alternatively, work remotely with just a computer and internet. Is the working from home scheme less efficient than the centralized work scheme? It has been a dispute lately over this topic. Many companies have been conducting reports, refuting the assumption, and said that their productivity remains intact and even goes up in some cases. Truthfully, many global organizations have been slowly embraced the "flexible working scheme". Flexibility breaks the rigid nine to five, five days a week norm. It allows employees have their workplace and work schedule of their own choices. And many people are happier with this scheme. No more long hours daily commuting from suburban to the city, no more traffic hours, we save that commuting time to spend with our family or have some time of the day for exercising instead of sitting on car seats, trains for hours or maybe others hobbies.
Long before came the pandemic, the term “digital nomad” appeared. Ever since then, it has been a new trend among young, travel-addicted people. Many young people Gen Y (born 1980-1996) and Gen Z (born 1997 onwards) love the idea of exploring the world, discovering as many places as possible. To keep that idea realistic, the "Digital nomad" seek remoted jobs such as marketing online, writing,… or even online therapist, which enabled them to work anywhere in the world, outside of the standard office environment. As long as they submit their deadline on time and join the online meetings when required, guarantee their work productivity, managers and employers find the trend suitable for their organization. Furthermore, they could jump in on a plane or high-speed train to go to the required place. Though there might be some hardships while they usually are not in any face-to-face meeting or different time zone might limit people interaction, those are some trade-offs for those “Digital nomads” to have their dreams come true with a sufficient income.
In conclusion, modern technologies have changed our lives forever and given us more freedom in what we want to do. Reportedly, emotionally and physically fulfilled employees have better productivity. After all, Should productivity be what we prioritize? Why does it matter where we work if we could get our work done with the assistance of technology?