Digital Nomads and the Future of Work

The nature of work is changing and digital nomadism is emerging as a new way of working. Digital nomads are professionals who use information and communication technology to achieve location-independence and, to varying extents, combine working with traveling. Through a 25 months qualitative study of highly mobile digital nomads, this article investigates how a new generation of professionals works and lives. Our three main findings are that digital nomads strive for independence of work and life, engage in a community of like-minded others to create sense of identification and continuously establish and break down temporary structures of working and living. This article ties digital nomadism to three main conversations in the literature of work, namely work design, work identity and identification, and changing places of work. We draw on our findings to suggest avenues for future theory building and research.