The United States ranks number three in a list of the best countries for working from home, according to a new report released by NordLayer. The report evaluated 66 countries. The top 10 best countries for remote work are:
- Germany
- Denmark
- USA
- Spain
- Lithuania
- The Netherlands
- Sweden
- Estonia
- Singapore
- France
The full list is available here: https://nordlayer.com/global-remote-work-index/
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. The four index dimensions include:
- 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 United States ranking is further down regarding cybersecurity performance (19th). Economic and social conditions are potent as the United States is ranked fourth worldwide, as is digital and physical infrastructure (seventh) and COVID handling (first) — indicating suitability for most visitors.
The cost of living seems high but is not as high as remote workers may expect for such a sought-after location (47th). Digital remote workers in the United States can expect to operate safely given the rankings for internet quality (12th). The internet isn’t as affordable as other possible locations but is worth it considering other metrics like universal health coverage (fourth) and tourism attractiveness (second) are very high here.
Compared with its two bordering countries, the United States comes to the forefront in the overall ranking, leaving behind Canada (12th) and Mexico (50th).
Remote work has been a subject of discussion for a while now, with companies like Airbnb announcing full remote work, but businessmen like Elon Musk deeming 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,” Gurinaviciute continued. “We took into account 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 puts emphasis on 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.”
For those choosing to work remotely, Gurinaviciute suggested remembering practical tips for staying secure:
- Use a separate device and accounts for work. To avoid creating risks for your company’s IT infrastructure, it’s best you keep your personal and professional devices separate. The same goes for user accounts. Laptops issued by your employer should contain security tools needed for protection. Make sure all your software is up to date so that you don’t miss out on important security upgrades. If you have only one device for both personal and work purposes, consider partitioning its hard drive.
- Keep your home network secure. Make sure your router is password protected and you use a reliable VPN (virtual private network) to secure your internet connection. A VPN significantly reduces outsiders’ ability to intercept your data and target what you do online. If your company doesn’t use a business VPN, you can always subscribe to a user-friendly solution for individual use.
- Rethink your passwords. According to research by NordPass, the most popular password in the US is “123456.” Creating such weak passwords is a very dangerous habit. Instead, users should have a complex and unique password for every account. Also, it’s dangerous to reuse passwords, too. If your work or personal account gets compromised in a data breach, you‘ll need to change only one password. This way, all your other accounts will remain safe from credential stuffing attempts. To safely store this vast number of passwords, start using a password manager.
For more information, visit www.nordlayer.com
