Germany is the top country for remote work, according to the Global Remote Work Index by NordLayer. It is followed by Denmark, the US, Spain, Lithuania, Netherlands, Sweden, Estonia, Singapore and France. The report evaluated 66 countries in total.
The index was compiled by assessing and comparing the countries using four index dimensions. Together, they combine various detailed attributes (or sub-dimensions) that help evaluate general remote-work attractiveness:
- Cybersecurity — infrastructure, response and legal measures.
- Economic and social conditions — safety, tourism attractiveness, English proficiency, cost of living and healthcare.
- Digital and physical infrastructure — Internet quality, affordability, e-infrastructure, e-government, physical infrastructure and co-working spaces.
- COVID-19 response — vaccination and response rates.
The cybersecurity category is dominated by small EU countries
Countries perform differently in each category. The cybersecurity category is dominated by smaller European countries, such as Slovakia, Lithuania and Estonia and Greece. EU member states took the top 18 places in cybersecurity.
Affordability requires compromising on safety
Canada, the UK, Portugal, the US and Germany, respectively, are the five most favourable countries for remote work regarding economic and social conditions. However, countries’ levels of wealth don’t guarantee cybersafety. Although such countries as Malta, New Zealand and the UAE rank relatively high in economic and social conditions, they experience higher cybersecurity risks than other countries with similar economic and social conditions. The index shows that remote workers are willing to find a cheaper location to relocate and will compromise on aspects like general safety or the level of English spoken in the country.
South Korea and Singapore are easy to be in digitally and physically
Internet accessibility and quality are a must for a person to be able to work without worry. Therefore, the digital and physical infrastructure metric was very important when compiling the index. According to this metric, South Korea and Singapore are at the top, followed by the UAE, Denmark and Switzerland.
Remote work — a rising trend everywhere
Remote work has been a subject of discussion for a while now, with some companies announcing full remote work, but other employers deemed remote work ‘unproductive.’
“Nevertheless, the trend is clear — ever since the beginning of COVID-19, remote or hybrid work has become inevitable even in those companies that previously preached the importance of face-to-face interactions,” said Juta Gurinaviciute, chief technology officer at NordLayer. “This is why NordLayer carried out this detailed analysis and decided to publish the Global Remote Work Index. We considered all of the fundamental parameters that countries must meet while researching the best countries to work in remotely by thoroughly evaluating a range of data. The Global Remote Work Index emphasises the safety and reliability of both the physical and digital environment. It also gave special attention to cybersecurity. In this regard, it is an excellent resource for remote employees who wish to relocate or work in a nation other than that of their current residence.”
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