Welcome to RemotopiaAn Emerging (Work) Place of the Future

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How Did We Get Here?Plunged head-first by the pandemic into a future of work few had prepared for

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But the novel coronavirus pandemichas forced a global rethink of wherework happens. Overnight, workingfrom home has become a suddennecessity for vast numbers ofemployees who’d never done sobefore. Before the pandemic, manydigital tools for remote work existed;we just weren’t trying them.

Now, though, the virus hasvaporized work-from-homefalsehoods about “tele-shirking” orbeliefs that certain work could neverbe done remotely.

Where once working from homewas a privilege for the few, it’ssuddenly become a necessity formany. Everything that can moveonline, must move online. With#WFH now firmly established, itwould be foolhardy to assume we’llever go back to the old ways ofworking.

Remotopia will have important,lasting significance as a place wherewe’re empowered with networksand platforms to connect, createand accomplish. It's a place wherewe can self-isolate and still stayconnected with the entire world.

Nobody imagined the remote workrevolution arriving quite like this...

How do you feel aboutremote working?

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#WFH is Utopia!

I enjoy it a few days perweek

I tolerate it when necessary

I prefer working on the jobsite

#WFH is Dystopia!

We’ve been well on the road toRemotopia ever since digitaltools and techniques begantransforming how we live, shopand play.

In the early 1990's, before theInternet was even widely used,French economist Jacques Attalipredicted a future in which richelites would embrace a nomadiclifestyle, traveling the world for workopportunities.

Thankfully, the prediction extendsbeyond the rich. The archetypes ofRemotopia are the young techworkers “crushing it” on a project fora few weeks in exotic locales, andthen retreating to the nearest

Instagrammable ecosanctuary todecompress. Imagine 21st centuryhunter-gatherers, armed with iPadsand helipads.

But Remotopia isn’t found just onthe beaches of Bali or Phuket. It’salso happening in small towns,where life moves slower and

earnings stretch further, and inbustling cosmopolitan cities, wherethere’s no need for a draining dailycommute.

No matter the lifestyle, people allover the globe are finding ways tomake remote work fit their needs,both professionally and personally.

Organizations must learn to keeppace if they are to reap the benefitsof a more engaged and agile globalworkforce. A growing number ofworkers won't have it any other way.

No matter the lifestyle,people all over the globeare finding ways to makeremote work fit theirneeds, both professionallyand personally.

Welcome to Remotopia, the mostproductive place on the planet.Represented by both every placeand no place at all. The term drawsfrom the Latin root, Remotus(removed or far apart) and Greekword, Topos (place). It's not to beconfused with the lauded Utopianor the loathed Dystopia.Challenges and triumphs both takeresidence in Remotopia.

Any "remote place" is relative. Thusorganizations and individuals mustcontinuously update theirunderstanding of Remotopia as adynamic concept as opposed to astatic location. In sickness and inhealth, in horrendous or gorgeousweather, work tools will accompanyRemotopians from their home officeand bedroom to their couch (and ifit’s nice outside, to their lawn chair).

Because of the coronavirus, a morefocused picture of what Remotopialooks like is coming into view.Caregivers will remain gainfullyemployed. Older workers willextend their careers from thecomforts of home.

It’s not difficult to imagine homes ofthe future being built – or retrofitted– with dedicated home offices:routers in the right place,soundproofing, and flatteringlighting for video conferences.Perhaps we'll even see advanced

child locks to keep them out of theoffice for those all too importantcalls.

Remotus (far apart)

Topos (place)

Seeing the LightHow your organization benefitsfrom remote working

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Simply put, remote working makes all partiesinvolved more agile. This agility is noted in themany benefits that remote workers cite forpreferring it to traditional work arrangements.

For some, it comes in the form of greater timeflexibility. By eliminating the daily commute,they can spend more time with family, and thereduction in miles driven helps decrease theircarbon footprint.

Others enjoy being able to travel the worldwithout putting their career on hold. Dailyexplorations bring new experiences and insightsthat keep them fresh and motivated to do theirbest work.

Additionally, remote working allows many morepeople to enter the workforce. Those sufferingfrom chronic conditions or disabilities canremain productive without the challenges oftraveling to and navigating a far-off workplace.

While these benefits improve the lives ofworkers, their employers also benefit fromremote work policies.

Remote working meets a broad spectrum of needs forboth individuals and organizations.

What benefit of remote work ismost important to you?

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Flexibility for family time

Decreased carbon footprint

Increased professional autonomy

Eliminating the daily commute

Ability to balance travel with working

Cuttingcosts

Cost savings for workers and employers:Remote work arrangements can save employersup to $11,000 per employee. Workers stand tosave $7,000 by lowering wardrobe,transportation and childcare costs. Takingmillions of commuters off the road significantlyreduces greenhouse gases.

Winningtalent

Attracting and retaining talent: Remote workhas become so attractive that 80% of workerssaid they’d turn down a job that didn’t offer it.Companies that already offer remote workarrangements decrease employee attrition ratesby 50%. Catering to digital nomads will beessential in the future fight for talent.

Provingproductive

More present, more productive: Despite lessdirect oversight (or perhaps because of it),remote workers have been found to be 13%more productive than their counterparts at theoffice, and they also take fewer sick days. Thetime gained from eliminating a commute allowsworkers to be more present with their family andcommunity outside of work.

The Human TouchMaintaining connectionon an island of isolation

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Thankfully, new collaborationplatforms are emerging like Krisp(bye, background noise!), Muzzle(bye, embarrassing screen pop-ups!), Trello (way better virtual teamhuddles) and Betterworks (forfrictionless, distraction-free remoteteam collaboration).

Data convincingly shows peopleworking from home are happier andmore productive. Companies lagging

behind on work-from-homecapabilities risk losing the talentacquisition arms race (i.e., Yahoo!’sbotched remote non-policy of, “If Ican’t see you, I can’t control you”).

What about isolation andloneliness? With the blending ofthe “first place” (home) and “secondplace” (work), the need for a “thirdplace,” is essential: anchors likecoffee shops, libraries and bars.

Mind the Gap

The lack of acentralized workplacepresents newchallenges.

Gone are theopportunities tofraternize around thewatercooler or see thenuances of facialexpressions and vocalinflections.

Third places are critical to society,since they foster opportunities forempathetic and creativeconnections.

Offices won’t die out completely.But the notion of spending 40, 50,70 hours there a week will. The co-working spaces that have sproutedup in recent years serve as a modelfor how work culture and HRpractices can accommodate theworkforce they’re courting. That is,workers should be able to leave theproverbial nest when it suits thembut always feel welcomed backwhen they return to HQ for in-person engagements.

What was once the province of theminority will be an enduring – andamazing – place where the future ofwork happens for the majority.Workers of the world, awaken; youhave nothing to lose but yourcubicles.

What is your favoriteremote workplace?

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Cafe or Restaurant

Library

Nature (park, beach, etc.)

Transit (bus, train, airplane)

Home

Empty farms – Just as the farm wassupplanted by the office in the1900s, today’s cubicle farms mustconfront the existential fate of theiragricultural equivalents. Most tasksperformed in offices can be doneremotely. As a result, entire swathesof urban geography need to bereimagined for the future of work.

Great good places – Socialinteractions can get lost withremote working. Whether it’slibraries, coffee shops or pubs, aproliferation of “great good places,”as sociologist Ray Oldenburgdubbed them, are an absolute mustto foster thriving public discourse,vitality and cohesion. The nest – For most people, work is

a combination of solo activities andteam-based projects. A hybridapproach of two or three days ofteleworking provides a neededbalance. Consider workplaces of thefuture to be akin to “nests,” wherenomadic workers can return andfeel welcomed.

From the cubicle to the couch –While remote work remains far froma mainstream occurrence,Remotopia is, by every indication,the future of work. Leaders thatembrace it now have more time toperfect the implementation ofremote work and all the competitiveadvantages that go along with it

Beyond #WFHDigital nomads and the future of work

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While the majority of Remotopiansdo their work from home, the mostconspicuous of them log their hourswhile jet-setting across the globe.These digital nomads havemastered the art of seeing the worldwithout pausing their careers. Andwhile they do so, they are changingwork as we know it.

Digital nomads typically work increative or IT functions asfreelancers or contract workers. Butthey present a compelling case forregular inclusion in the corporateworkforce. These workers are highlytalented and have firsthandexperience with internationalpopulations given the nature oftheir living arrangements. Theirglobal perspectives and insights

meet the global needs of companiesthat increasingly hire talentinternationally and serve clients orcustomers in foreign markets.

Still, many large corporations haveyet to invest into the people,processes and tools needed tomake the agile workforce a realityfor themselves. In doing so, they runthe risk of losing ground on talentacquisition to more nimbleorganizations. Embracing thisemerging paradigm shift positionsall parties to succeed in the future ofwork.

But Digital nomad lessons on thefuture of work aren't just forcompanies...

Global perspective for global needs

Those largely working fromhome can learn a thing ortwo from Digital nomads.

If you have been able to work fromhome, have you ever tried it (just foran hour or two, online or offline)from a beach? Or a hammock? Or ahiking trail?

Is there an essential business book –or podcast – you’ve been meaningto read or listen to, but just haven’tbecause you’ve “simply got toomuch work to do” or feel constantly,always, sidetracked by “more

important things,” like email?

Let Remotopia set you free. Changeyour energy. Take a hike with anAudible business book that givesyou strategic insights into the workyou do; if a thought-bubble comesto mind, catch it quick! Use thedigital tools at hand (like Audible’sbookmark feature and Siri’s voicenotes) to your advantage, and putthose ideas to strategic work whenyou get back to your desk.

Consider these daily motion-activated thinking sessions as a

critical part of work.

They might happen on the treadmill,with a blank wall or a mirror ahead(no TV or second screens), glassesoff. Run. Walk. Hike. Think. What’s itall about? Some days you might nothave a clue. Other days, “eureka” or“bingo,” and the answer will be clear.The value to you – and youremployer – will be self-evident.

And in Remotopia, it’s all possible.

From the cubicle to thecouch or a cabana inCartagena, the "office of thefuture" can't be found onany map. But as long as WiFiis available, it's everywhereyou want to be.

The Building Blocks of Managing RemotelyLessons for life in Remotopia

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BuildingRemotopia intothe future ofYOUR work

Remote work isn’t just a short-term, social-distancing solution. “Out of an abundance ofcaution,” it has become the de factoarrangement for many of us, but Remotopia wasalready emerging as a place of the future. Ifyou’re new to town, be aware that the going isn’talways easy. Especially at first.

As technology, social norms and individualneeds shift, your implementation of #WFH willcontinue to evolve. Now is the time toexperiment and perfect your company’s

approach to remote working. Because in thefuture, Remotopia is where everyone wants tobe.

The Center for the Future of Work has a centuryof collective experience working from home.From the nascent days in Silicon Valley to ourcurrent reality of globally dispersed teammembers, we have had times to try, fail and learnthe best practices for remote work. We've foundthe following lessons to be a useful guide forworking remotely ...

Don't overstep boundaries

Build trust with team members bynurturing individual relationshipsthrough empathy and instillingconfidence through the consistencyof your actions.

Don't silo remote workers

Instead, establish a rhythm. Thatcould be weekly check-ins or a dailystandup that brings team memberstogether and encouragescollaborative problem solving.

Don't forget to mute

It seems like we lose at least a fewminutes of every video call due totech issues. Pick a system that’ssimple to use and secure. For bigcalls, always set the default to muteeach line except the host.

Beyond RemotopiaWhere else is thefuture of work happening?

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In our reporting on the future of work, we set out to explore where exactlythat future will happen. As evidenced by Remotopia, some of that futurewill take place wherever the WiFi takes us. But experience has shown timeand again the power of convening in physical spaces to germinate newideas and develop world-changing concepts.

Much like Detroit 100 years ago or Silicon Valley at the turn of the century,innovation tends to spring up in hotspots of innovation and ingenuity. Wehave identified a global list of places that show promise to evolve into suchhotspots in the years to come. They are the places of your future – and theplaces where the future of your work lies.

Our 21 Places of the Future report will explore where these places are andwhat factors make them ripe for shaping the future of work. To accompanyour report, we’re creating a series of short films that feature seven of theplaces we've researched and written about. The films were all made byindividuals living and working where they shot – a diverse and talentedcadre of young, up-and-coming cinematographers who helped us getinside their hometowns and tell the important stories that make themspecial places of the future.

The films and the report illuminate important lessons for all towns to learnwhile navigating the Fourth Industrial Revolution. By training a telescopeon the places of the future today, we can try to figure out how work will look– and where it’s happening – tomorrow.

Useful LinksFurther Reading on Remote Working

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CFOW Whitepapers

Cognizant Latest Thinking

After the VirusFrom & To: Everything You Need to Know About the Future of Work21 Jobs of the Future

Amid Crisis, It's Ok to be Vulnerable

Outside MediaWork From Home Policies are not EnoughThe Impact of the Coronavirus on HR and the New Normal of WorkNomad List

About the Author

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Manager, Cognizant’s Center forthe Future of Work

Desmond Dickerson is a Manager withinCognizant’s Center for the Future of Work.Leveraging his experience in digitaltransformation and marketing, Desmondconsults with clients on optimizing digitalstrategies that prioritize user experience andengagement.

His research with the CFoW focuses on thehuman impact of decisions related totechnology development and deployment. Hehas an MBA (data analytics) from GeorgiaInstitute of Technology, and an undergraduatedegree in marketing from Georgia StateUniversity.

Desmond can be reached at:Desmond.Dickerson@cognizant.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/desmond-dickersonTwitter: @DesmondCFOW

Desmond Dickerson

About Us

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Center for theFuture of WorkCognizant’s Center for the Future of Work™ ischartered to examine how work is changing, andwill change, in response to the emergence ofnew technologies, new business practices andnew workers. The Center provides originalresearch and analysis of work trends anddynamics, and collaborates with a wide range ofbusiness, technology and academic thinkersabout what the future of work will look like astechnology changes so many aspects of ourworking lives. For more information, visitwww.cognizant.com/futureofwork or contactBen Pring, Cognizant VP and Managing Directorof the Center for the Future of Work, atBenjamin.Pring@cognizant.com.

Cognizant

Cognizant (Nasdaq-100: CTSH) is one of theworld’s leading professional services companies,transforming clients’ business, operating andtechnology models for the digital era.

Our unique industry-based, consultativeapproach helps clients envision, build and runmore innovative and efficient businesses.Headquartered in the U.S., Cognizant is ranked193 on the Fortune 500 and is consistently listedamong the most admired companies in theworld. Learn how Cognizant helps clients leadwith digital at www.cognizant.com or follow us@Cognizant.

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