Make your employer as psyched as you are about traveling while working remotely!
Now that you have the flexibility to work remotely, you have the urge to embark on an incredible adventure. Working remotely while traveling abroad can be just as valuable for your employer as it is for you. Here are some tips to make it happen!
Once you’ve thought through your pitch, we recommend creating a written business case and communicating your case through at least one of these methods:
Presentation
One-on-one conversation
Email
1. WHO?
Who do you need to speak with about working remotely while abroad?
2. WHAT/WHERE/WHEN?
Explain the details of your potential trip plan, where you will be staying, and for how long you will be abroad. Build trust with your employer by being honest and clear about your plans, and keep it positive!
Examples:
3 Weeks in the UK!
“I am hoping to visit a close friend in Bristol, UK for 3 weeks during February of this year (at least three months from present). I’ll be staying with him and working from his apartment, which has reliable high-speed internet. I will continue to work on a 9-5 pm EST schedule while in the UK, so it will be just as if I was working from home!”
2 Months in Mexico City!
“I was thinking about renting an apartment in Mexico City for two months next spring. There is a great WeWork co-working space that I plan to work from every day, and I’ve scoped out a few language schools to improve Spanish, which will be of great help when connecting with our Latin American clients. It’s a short flight back to the States, so I can easily return for an important client meeting, etc.”
1 Month in Lisbon!
“I have a number of vacation days saved, which I plan to use to travel to Lisbon, Portugal. I was planning to travel for four weeks, however I could work remotely for part of the trip, and continue to support the team!”*
*This allows you to reserve vacation days while enjoying longer periods of time abroad!
Want more stories of individuals that convinced their employers to allow them to work remotely? Check these out!
More Than a Vacation - My Sabbatical Experience in Mexico
My Workation Experience in Lisbon
3. WHY
Explain why working remotely and traveling abroad is valuable to you and to your employer.
Personal Reasons
Think of reasons that are important to you, and will also make you a better employee for your company.
Immersing yourself in a new culture
Networking with professionals from a variety of backgrounds, industries and cultures
Learning and understanding diverse cultures
Learning about local, national and worldwide organizations and industries
Sparking creative and innovative ideas that can be brought back to your home organization
Company’s Reasons
Use your company’s mission and values (often found on their website) to explain how they will from their employees working remotely abroad.
Professional Development & Diverse Perspectives - Including a remote work - travel policy allows the employees of [your company name] to be exposed to different people and diverse cultures. They will also have the opportunity to spend time with other seasoned professionals from a variety of backgrounds that work in a variety of industries.
Recruitment & Retention - Potential employees may be more likely to choose [your company name] over other job offers, and sets [your company name] apart from its competitors because [your company name] allows remote work outside of your home country. Additionally, by allowing for travel and remote work your current employees have the opportunity to achieve their desires of traveling and volunteering without quitting their jobs or taking long periods of time off of work.
Potential Press & PR Opportunities - As a company that allows their employees to travel AND work, [your company name] is able to advertise themselves as an employee-focused organization that encourages diverse learning opportunities for their staff.
4. HOW
Explain how you will be able to travel/live abroad while working for your employer. List your top current responsibilities and how you will execute these responsibilities during your time abroad.
Example:
Answering Customer Service Tickets
“I currently use ZenDesk to answer incoming customer service inquiries. Through the co-working space I plan to use I will have 24/7 access to internet high speed internet and can continue to execute this task remotely.”
Schedule - Explain your work schedule throughout your time abroad.
Example 1: Bristol, UK is just 5 hours ahead of the east coast, I’ll adjust my hours so that I continue to work on ET standard time.
Example 2: Mexico City is in the same time zone, so I won’t need to adjust my hours! If you’d like, I can even work some on the weekends.
Example 3: I can work during our busiest days of the week - Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and take Thursday and Friday as vacation days. My team will be almost fully supported.
Example 4: Chiang Mai, Thailand is 12 hours ahead of U.S. EST, which means that I’ll be ahead of schedule of our European clients, which will allow for even more client attention.
Communication - Explain the methods of communication you will use throughout the program
Zoom
Skype
Slack
WhatsApp
GoToMeeting
Google Hangouts
etc.
Concerns
Internet - Share the internet provider and speed (e.g. 100 megs) to provide peace of mind. Also, purchase a back-up internet device, for example a local sim card with a data package that will allow you to use your phone as a hot spot if you have any issues connecting normally.
Safety - Ensure your employer that you will be purchasing reliable travel insurance and subscribing to International SOS, the market leader in security and emergency response. If you are traveling to a developing country, such as Thailand, educate yourself and educate your employer. Use the State Department Travel Advisory Website for example.
Cost - If you plan to self-fund your trip, assure your boss that here is no cost to them. If your company provides a sabbatical or paid sabbatical, this could be a great opportunity to extend it!
If you’re interested in working remotely, traveling AND giving back, learn more about Venture with Impact here, and sign up for our remote work newsletter.