While most businesses are slowly recovering from the challenges of the past two years, some are juggling between maintaining Covid-mandated work-from-home (WFH) policies and the post-pandemic urge to return to the workplace.
These decisions are often made with very little input from the majority of employees who are affected the most. For the lucky ones whose organisations have embraced the positives of WFH – such as increased productivity, reduction in operating costs, and general improved wellbeing from a better work-life balance – the lure and opportunity to travel and work remotely from different locations can be life-changing.
The flexibility of working from any location does, however, come with hidden or unforeseen challenges. For seasoned digital nomads, life on the road brings experiences that remote workers would do well to learn and draw from.
Here are three key lessons that could improve the lives of remote workers.
1. Everyday carry
Being away from a home or office means having to be prepared for the unexpected. Changes in diet, weather, and locations can increase the chances of experiencing sudden illness.
The swift onset of a cough, flu or traveller’s diarrhoea can quickly derail a productive day as easily as a minor cut, headache or allergy.
Essential items to have in your everyday carry include:
- tissues, wet wipes, disinfectant wipes;
- bandaids, antiseptic, sanitiser;
- eye drops;
- Imodium/Loperamide, Po Chai pills for traveller’s diarrhoea;
- Tylenol, Panadol, Paracetamol/Acetaminophen for headaches;
- lozenges, Fisherman’s Friend for sore throats;
- Nyquil, Benadryl/Antihistamine for colds and allergies;
- water bottle to keep hydrated.
Having adequate medical or travel insurance is also recommended for remote workers on extended journeys.
2. Productivity apps
The ability to communicate with a team or clients is the lifeline of every remote worker. Lose access to them and you risk losing wages, or the client or job itself.
The right applications can improve efficiency, productivity, and workflow. Indispensable apps include:
- Google Drive, Dropbox for storage and backup;
- VPN for privacy protection;
- Zoom, Meet, Skype for video calls;
- Whatsapp, Telegram, Signal for communication.
For remote working from overseas:
- Google translate and a currency converter;
- Google Maps with offline downloads;
- prepaid cards, cryptocurrency wallet, Wise, Revolut for cashless transactions.
3. Essential hardware
A stable internet connection and solid battery life cannot be understated. Bad coverage, noise interference, or dead devices will render any remote worker ineffectual, or offer credibility to the idea of returning to work from the office permanently.
Having a backup plan and access to the right software can improve work efficiency and minimise disruptions.
Recommended tools include:
- a portable battery charger;
- extra charging and connection cables;
- multiport adaptor for USB, USB-C, SD cards, HDMI, Apple devices;
- mini Wi-Fi booster to improve signal strength;
- microSD card, USB thumb drive, or portable hard drives for offline storage;
- noise-cancelling earphones for conference calls.
With the valuable insights from nomadic veterans in hand, going back to the office may never be necessary for those working remotely – no matter how far away from home that ends up being.
Reg Ching is a walking quadriplegic (OKU), digital business consultant, medical cannabis advocate, and cryptocurrency enthusiast. Follow his journey at regching.com.