Living the digital nomad lifestyle requires a remote job. But how do you persuade your current employer to let you work remotely? We have a few tips for you to get your nomad journey started.
Show the advantages of remote work
There are tons of advantages of remote working that your boss might not know about. One way of accomplishing this is doing some research and showing studies and statistics that present your boss with increased performance for remote workers. This can really help them see that you’re not trying to slack off.
Another way to show your boss the advantages of remote work can be by showing them how the company can benefit from remote workers. You will most likely have fewer sick days, you will work when you are at your most productive, it will reduce office overhead costs, and so on. There are tons of ways in which the employer directly benefits from remote work.
Have a clear plan
Many bosses might be skeptical about remote working. This is why you need a clear plan. Show them that you have a clear and structured idea of how you are going to move your work home. Show them the communication channels you will use, show them when and how you plan on finishing work, how you organize your schedule so you can keep deadlines, and so on. When your boss sees that you thought this through, and you understand the difficulties, they will be much more likely to agree to try it out.
Do a test
One of the most direct ways you can show your boss that you are ready to work remotely is by trying it out. There are many ways of doing this. For example, if your boss is ok with remote work but wants to see that you’re capable of having good or even better results, agree to work at home for a week or two after which you can sit down and talk about your performance.
But some bosses are completely against remote work. There have been some nomads who advise to take a working sick day and then work extra hard on that day. Once you return from your sick day, you can show your boss that you have been more productive at home even when sick than in the office. You might also be able to persuade your boss to try hybrid working first. Maybe you’ll work from home two or three days a week and after a few months, you’ll be in a better position to negotiate remote work.
Work hard and wait
Sometimes, all you can do once you tried all the above tips is to double down on your work and wait for a while. Showing your boss that you care about your job and that you want to do well in it can be a good way of persuading them that you aren’t trying to slack off but that you want to simply do your work in a different way. It can also take your manager some time to talk to the right people about remote work possibilities with their bosses. Give them time to get used to the idea but also do send them gentle reminders so they don’t think it’s simply a passing fancy.
Change jobs
This isn’t really a way to persuade your boss to give you remote work so much as a way to get to remote work easier. Sometimes, your boss will simply not listen, or perhaps your work is not really compatible with the digital nomad lifestyle. Either way, switching jobs to a field that is location independent and to a company that is used to offering remote work positions can be a great way of starting your digital nomad journey.
