More than ever, many of us around the world are working remotely. As a result of the pandemic many of us were forced to stay home and work or be the caregivers, sometimes both simultaneously (like myself). But now that the opportunity to return to work has presented itself many of us are refusing. The pandemic made us all rethink what we want to do for work and where we would be happiest doing it. It made us question where the best countries for remote work are and wether or not we should make the move.

NordLayer, a company that provides access to remote companies and individuals with cyber security, has done the research on the best locations in the world to be a remote worker taking into account living conditions, cyber security and how each country handled the pandemic.

As I write this I am working from home with my daughter napping in the other room. Marketing, at my family run company, can be done remotely. In fact, most of what we do at our company is done remotely. We are lucky in that way and it’s the way it has been done since 2003. We are based in Canada and for the most part I have been thankful to be living in Canada during this tumultuous time in history. It isn’t perfect but considering that it is within the top 12 countries for remote work, I am happy to be Canadian.

Press Release:
The Global Remote Work Index reveals countries’ attractiveness for remote work by evaluating different aspects, such as cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, economic and social conditions, and Covid-19 handling
 

• European countries make up 8 of the top 10 places in the ranking.
• Strong competitors from Asia and the Americas are Singapore, South Korea, Canada, and Japan.
• Slovakia and Lithuania lead the cybersecurity ranking, while South Korea and Singapore outperform in the digital and physical infrastructure ranking.
• South Korea has the fastest internet, while in Israel it’s the most affordable.

Germany is the top country for remote work, according to the Global Remote Work Index by NordLayer. It is followed by Denmark, the USA, Spain, Lithuania, Netherlands, Sweden, Estonia, Singapore, and France. The report evaluated 66 countries in total.

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:

1. Cybersecurity — infrastructure, response, and legal measures.

2. Economic and social conditions — safety, tourism attractiveness, English proficiency, cost of living, and healthcare.

3. Digital and physical infrastructure — internet quality, affordability, e-infrastructure, e-government, physical infrastructure, and co-working spaces.

4. 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, the Baltic states 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 USA, and Germany, respectively, are the five most favorable 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 willing to find a cheaper location to relocate will have to 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 United Arab Emirates, Denmark, and Switzerland.

Remote work — a rising trend everywhere

Remote work has been a subject of discussion for a while now, with companies like Airbnb announcing full remote work, but employers 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,” says 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 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.”

How to work remotely securely

For those choosing to work remotely, Gurinaviciute suggests remembering some practical tips for staying secure — even if the country is high up in the cybersecurity ranking:

1. 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.
    
2. 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.
    
3. Rethink your passwords. According to research by NordPass, the most popular password in the US is “123456.” This is an incredibly dangerous habit. Never reuse your passwords. Instead, create a complex and unique password for every account. 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.

Methodology: The Global Remote Work Index by NordLayer was conducted based on four dimensions that focus on countries’ cybersecurity environment, economic and social conditions, digital and physical infrastructure, and Covid-19 response and handling. To find more about the index, please visit: https://nordlayer.com/global-remote-work-index/