According to a new study, almost half (45%) of British workers would consider changing jobs or careers for the opportunity to work abroad.

Accountants, IT technicians and engineers are amongst the professions where workers are most likely to quit their job and become a digital nomad.

Experts reveal how new global eSIMs can help make the remote working life more accessible than ever before.

The digital nomad lifestyle is in demand amongst British workers. According to a recent study(1), almost half (45%) of UK workers would consider moving jobs or changing careers for the opportunity to travel for work or work abroad.

The study, conducted by IT service provider Redcentric, found that the appeal to work abroad is especially favoured amongst the younger generation, with 63 percent of those aged 16-24 and 66 percent of those aged 25-34 stating that they would move jobs or careers for this opportunity.

According to the study, the top five occupations where workers are most likely to want to leave their job or change career for the opportunity to work abroad are:

  • Accountant (61%)
  • IT Technician / Software Developer (58%)
  • Engineer (48%)
  • Teacher (45%)
  • Customer service / call centre worker (44%)

For many workers, the expensive cost of roaming charges and concerns surrounding effective communication with colleagues is a barrier to working abroad – with almost 20 percent of workers agreeing that they worry about these practicalities.

In Japan and Italy, which recently announced the opening of digital nomad visas, roaming charges can cost a huge £7 (Japan) and £2.50 (Italy) per day(3). Tech experts say that roaming charges could go through the roof if we’re not careful.

Nigel Dean, VP of Channel Sales, EMEA at Tango Networks explains how eSIMs can be used for workers and digital nomads: “Tango Extend is a mobile service that offers a unique and seamless ability to join business mobiles with unified communications. It’s an eSIM linked to an existing business number which can be installed instantly in a personal or business owned mobile phone and bring office telephony features to workers on the move.”

Cutting costs 

“One of the main benefits of using a global eSIM is that you won’t pay any roaming charges. For anyone regularly travelling abroad, you’ll know that these charges can quickly add up, especially if you’re doing a stint working overseas or travelling through different countries.

“What’s more, you’ll only ever need one phone for both business and leisure. For those who are self employed or own small businesses, this is hugely beneficial and can really help to cut down on expenses.”

“The right business eSIM will provide a global pass to workers, making it much easier to be flexible and travel freely across countries. It also allows workers to communicate easily with colleagues while they’re on the go by providing a single-rate mobile service and seamless roaming across a range of countries.”

Reduces your carbon footprint 

“Not only are eSIMs beneficial for workers from a business point of view, they can also help to reduce your carbon footprint as you’ll only need one phone for both business and leisure. When you take into account that the latest iPhone 15 Pro is said to generate 66kg of carbon dioxide throughout its lifetime, you can understand the environmental impact of workers having two separate phones.”

According to Google search data(2), the following destinations are the most in demand for digital nomads this year:

  • Spain – 6,870 average monthly searches
  • Portugal – 2,730 average monthly searches
  • Italy – 850 average monthly searches
  • Bali – 720 average monthly searches
  • Thailand – 720 average monthly searches
  • Canada – 650 average monthly searches

 

 

 

 

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Amelia Brand

Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.