NEWS

Digital Nomads Benefit from Virtual Offices

In today's world of business, finding a location to work is no longer automatically associated with office buildings, executive suites and cubicle farms. officebroker.com show how 'digital nomads' and virtual offices go hand in hand...

Digital nomads are business professionals that work from virtually anywhere

'Digital nomads' are business owners, professionals, freelancers and employees who defy the traditional office working environment.

Rather than commuting to a physical office, which can place a strain on employees and significantly lengthen their working day, this band of workers use wireless technology to work from virtually anywhere.

Global IT company Dell have even set up an online community of 'digital nomads', with the aim of creating a common virtual base for wandering workers. Their definition is: "Digital Nomads live a lifestyle where their laptop and other electronic devices create the center of their office and/or play-space."

The site is receiving tens of thousands of hits a month, which shows just how popular the idea is proving to be.

Digital nomads take their laptops, cell phones and wireless gizmos to any location where they can receive a connection, and carry on their working day as normal. They can use their home, a café, a hotel lobby - in fact anywhere with a wireless internet connection.

But when it comes to meeting clients, sometimes it's not always acceptable to carry out a conference in this sort of location. And that's where a virtual office comes in.

How does the digital nomad fit in with a virtual office?

There are many benefits of going virtual, not least the freedom and flexibility associated with working from home, or other locations such as co-working environments.

This is of course perfectly suited to a digital nomad, but the virtual office also offers additional benefits that can greatly boost business opportunities.

With a virtual office, businesses get a professional business address, a location for meetings, and a friendly receptionist to answer calls whenever necessary. The service is there without tying workers down to a physical office. In fact, the whole appeal of a virtual office is that businesses don't want or need a building to work in on a regular basis - much like the ethos of the digital nomad.

Frank Gruber and partner Jen Consalvo, digital nomads of Shiny Heart Ventures, say:

"Thanks to ever-evolving technology, we can now be productive from almost any location. And while we understand that there is no place like home, we like to think we have many homes - the primary one being the World Wide Web."

And in an article by the Washington Post, another digital nomad, Tom Folkes, who is an AI programmer and self-confessed extrovert, says: "If I'm working at home by myself, I am really hating life. I need people."

For the digital nomad, their working environment can bring many benefits. Human contact, idle chit-chat, networking opportunities, exchanges of ideas, a flexible working day, informal work wear, and of course no rush-hour commute.

But the virtual office can bring even more benefits, and help add a more professional touch to the business image. Perhaps one of the best features to come out of virtual working is that employees can now be productive from just about anywhere. For business owners and start-ups this is invaluable, as it becomes possible to check emails and progress business in a variety of locations.

For more details about setting up a virtual office to help your business venture, stabilise your digital nomad existence, or to boost your company image, speak to one of our consultants for free advice. You can also search for virtual office locations on our website at us.officebroker.com.