More and more Americans are be aware of the benefits that remote working could offer. This is due to the growing range of services available to remote workers, new opportunities for employees to work remotely and changing attitudes who prioritize experiences over material goods.
The ability to work remotely is obviously necessary for individuals who want to live a digital nomad lifestyle. According to a survey by New CivicScience, having a job that allows full remote work is becoming increasingly important for Americans. In the working population, 50% of respondents said having a job that allows full remote work is at least “somewhat important,” and 24% said it is “very important”
And while only 15% of U.S. adults in the workforce say they have a job that allows them to work anywhere, including abroad, 26% are considering a job or career change in the next 12 months that will allow them to do so.
Airbnb or hotel?
In the US, digital nomads are about evenly split on whether they stay in hotels or vacation rentals. 46% book Airbnb or VRBO accommodations at least once a month, while 51% are more likely to book a hotel. However, American adults who work remotely as digital nomads prefer hotels over vacation rentals. Remote work can be different inside and outside the United States.
So why would you do it?
The main motivation for those who want to live and work abroad is travel and the adventure that comes with such a lifestyle. This is followed by the cost of living, which can encourage emigration, especially to countries where the dollar is more valuable.
It is important to note that only 20% of respondents indicated that moving for a job was their primary motive for moving. In fact, political motives for moving abroad are more common. Therefore, the results suggest that while Americans are looking for remote work, they are primarily looking for jobs at U.S. companies that are location flexible.