The truth about being a digital nomad or remote-working HR Consultant – from someone who does it..

Digital nomad. It’s a status that many aspire to nowadays, and the numbers of people making the leap to actually become one are ever increasing.?

There’s certainly appeal: days spent working on a laptop from a sunlounger by the sea, or hopping on another flight to yet another country sound ideal.?

But, as someone who has spent some time on the road while working in HR Consultancy,?I’m going to give you a true picture of what it’s really like.?

Some background information about me: the island of Corfu in Greece is my second home, so I don't always consider myself as a nomad. However – I have spent large chunks of time working remotely as I travel back and forth from the UK to Greece by car: days and weeks spent – quite literally – working from the road.?

If you’re an HR Consultant considering a nomad lifestyle, read on as I discuss the ups and the downs of doing so in a brutally honest fashion: I’ll break down the common ideas of what it means to be a digital nomad and look at the pros, cons, and reality of each, while giving some advice on how to navigate it all.?

Let’s start with the good stuff. All the reasons why this can be an excellent lifestyle choice.?

Pros

Pro: Flexibility to Travel

Pro: You can travel full time and it’s an incredible way to see the world while making an income.?

Reality: Travelling full time is a wonderful benefit but can become really difficult when you need to account for different time zones, good Wi-Fi and all the headaches that come with moving around a lot: booking travel tickets, mapping routes, finding accommodation. The list goes on.

My advice: Start with ‘slow travel’, at least as you find your nomad feet. Find a base that works for you and stay there for a few months at a time.?My partner and I travelled across Europe in 2019 in a campervan and we always had to be mindful of where we stayed if we wanted to connect for work

Pro: You can choose your own working hours (no more early Monday mornings or late Friday evenings).?

Reality: To be successful as an HR Consultant working abroad, you’ll need to accommodate the time zone of your clients. Depending on where you are – and where your clients are – this could be all hours: sometimes calls with my US clients fall later in the afternoon for them, which is 10PM onwards for me in Greece.?

My advice: Be flexible on timings, especially if you’re new to HR consulting – your clients or potential clients will appreciate it. However, as this really is one of the benefits of working for yourself, be sure to strike a balance too. Perhaps you have a ‘no calls during meal time’ rule or you wish to take the first hour of each day to exercise or explore. Decide what is non-negotiable to you and stick to it, while being open to accommodating other options.?

Pro: Your income may go further than ‘back home’.

Reality: This is dependent on lots of varying factors. Yes, if you earn what is considered a good wage in the UK and you’re based in a remote corner of Thailand, you’ll likely find you have more disposable income. But if you choose to travel and move around a lot, think of all the extra money you’ll be spending on flights, taxis and hotels. Likewise if you want a house by the beach (to make the most of after-work sundowners) or choose to dine at the best restaurants in your current location (after all, if we’re living abroad, shouldn’t we make the most of it?).?

My advice: Choose your destination(s) wisely. Make sure they are somewhere that you’re comfortable, but also somewhere that affords you a decent quality of life without breaking the bank. Places like Melbourne, Tokyo and Copenhagen aren’t the wisest options.?

Pro: No more commuting.

Reality: As the world bounces back from the pandemic, commutes are becoming less and less common, even if you live in the same location that you work. So, while this is a huge bonus for many, it’s also not necessary nowadays to become a nomad for this and this alone. You may also find yourself choosing to take a different kind of commute – perhaps to a café or co-working space – rather than spending all day working from home or a hotel room.?

My advice: Consider carefully the kind of stimulus you need to perform at your best. Some people are happy working alone every day, while others crave colleagues, or at least other co-workers around them. As HR Consultants, we tend to take a lot of client calls too, so you’ll also need to consider your environment carefully, factoring in privacy, noise levels and more.?

Pro: An ever-increasing peer-support group as online networking becomes more commonplace.?

Reality: There’s not really a negative reality to this. As someone who has worked as an HR Consultant and Mentor remotely for over 5 years – I am so happy to see the increase of online peer communities. Gone are the days when you can’t find anyone to talk to or bounce ideas off about your business – just look to LinkedIn and online networking events to find your peers. They can also help you grow your online or remote business.?And of course, we have our own private Facebook Community for People Consultants.

My advice: Use the tools to your advantage: network on them, post on them, build a community on them. If you’re looking for advice on how to build your HR Consulting business using LinkedIn subscribe to my own LinkedIn page where I post information about online events and workshops to help.?

The Cons:?

Con: Work-life balance can be difficult to manage.?

Reality: I work with many HR Consultants who are making the switch to remote work and find this can go either way. For some, easy-access to the laptop and phone make it hard to switch off from work and transition into personal time. For others, the excitement of living in a new city or close to a beach means a constant pull to leave work in favour of getting out to explore.?

My advice: Find the middle-ground. One of the benefits of being a remote HR Consultant is more freedom to choose your working hours, but we still have to put in the hours. Our businesses won’t be a success if we don’t.?

Con: Lack of comfort or a sense of security.?

Reality: This depends on many factors: who you are as a person, how you choose to travel, where you choose to work. If you decide to jet off to a new destination every week then yes, you may feel a loss of comfort and security – but likewise this might be the very thing that inspires you. Some people thrive on the ‘new’ while others need the creature comforts that come with having a stable base.?

My advice: Ask yourself what works for you and make it happen. This is one huge advantage of building a remote HR Consulting business – you call the shots on where you base yourself. If you want to move around, you can. If you want to work remotely from your home city, you absolutely can too (but perhaps throw in an extra holiday or two each year).?

Con: Poor Wi-Fi Connectivity

Reality: If you’ve ever found yourself trying to work using slow WiFi, you’ll understand the pain. It can be frustrating for you – and for your clients. There’s really no upside to this, aside from navigating it using the following advice…?

My advice: It’s simple but true: make sure you don’t find yourself in this situation during important work times. While you never really want to be in this situation, it’s especially important when you have online meetings or deadlines. Schedule them accordingly and wherever you are – at home or on the road – have a back up plan. Know where you can go for some strong WiFi or have a mobile contract or package that allows you to hotspot. Trust me, this has been a saviour for me on my road trips from Greece to the UK.?

Con: Loneliness?

Reality: This is not unique to consultants (HR or otherwise) or digital nomads, it’s also a common concern or feeling for those employed full-time on a remote working contract. It’s simply one of the potential downsides of remote work.?

My advice: If you find yourself feeling this way, reach out to local communities. Perhaps sign up to a co-working space a couple of days a week, or find other remote workers nearby to spend office hours or after work dinners with. Lean on your online community (as mentioned above) and, if you’re somewhere new and don’t yet know anyone nearby, join interest groups or look out for local meetup groups. You’ll often find them on Facebook and Eventbrite.?

As we journey through this digital nomad lifestyle, remember that each experience is unique and what works for one person may not work for another. That's why it's crucial to create a plan that suits your specific needs and goals. Are you ready to embark on this journey but not sure where to start? Or perhaps you're facing challenges you didn't foresee? Don't worry, I'm here to help! ??

Why not book a discovery call with me? ?? We can dive deeper into your aspirations, discuss potential roadblocks, and devise a roadmap to make your digital nomad dreams a reality. Remember, the first step is often the hardest, but I'll be there to guide you every step of the way.

Let's turn your dreams into an achievable plan. Reach out today and let's create your future together! ??

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