Half of young workers would be more productive - if they could work overseas

03 January 2024 , 16:47

1141     0

One in four millennial and Gen Z workers intend to work abroad some day (Image: SWNS)

Exactly half of millennial and Gen Z employees believe they would be more productive at work – if they were able to work from anywhere in the world, research has found.

A survey of 2,000 workers found that 59% of the younger workforce feel that being able to work remotely is an important consideration when it comes to looking for their next job. And a quarter of this demographic hope to work abroad one day – with Canada, Spain, and the USA topping the list of countries they would be most keen to emigrate to, while Australia also ranked highly.

Some of the biggest appeals to being able to work from overseas include a better work/life balance (66%), a higher salary with which to improve their lifestyle (48%), and lower living costs (40%). Meanwhile, two-thirds simply don't want their careers to be restricted by borders – with 35% believing there is more opportunity to further their career outside the UK.

As such, 36% of younger workers would consider taking on a fully remote job, just so that they could live anywhere in the world. And some of the most popular career paths they would likely pursue overseas include education, tech, and tourism.

And half of younger workers even believe the opportunity to do so would improve their productivity at work (Thomas Barwick/Getty Images)

The research was commissioned by new international payments app, Zing, to explore how today’s adults are living a more global life when it comes to work and money.

Missing radioactive capsule found after huge search - and it's the size of a pea

The app, which launches today (January 3), allows users to hold up to 10 different currencies and lock conversion rates without fees, as well as being able to send money internationally.

It also emerged that 54% would be more inclined to apply to a company which allows their staff to be stationed anywhere across the globe.

Technology is now allowing more people to work remotely, with the research finding that nearly half of all workers (47%) believe they could do their job from anywhere in the world.

Of these, 64% think this is because their tasks can be performed remotely on a laptop, while 48% believe their skills would be in demand around the world.

However, just one in 10 (9%) of those polled said their employer allows them to do this – with 38% stating theirs offers remote working, but requires them to be in the UK. As such, nearly half of these (45%) went on to say they’d welcome their company introducing a “work from anywhere” policy – with 42% of those polled, via OnePoll, also believing that these progressive policies could attract a more diverse workforce.

That said, many do envisage difficulties if they were to move and work overseas – with 44% pinpointing language barriers being problematic. Visa and immigration restrictions could hold back 35% of those polled, while 23% might struggle with cultural adjustments. Meanwhile, 9% also think managing their money in different currencies would be tricky.

James Allan, founder and CEO of Zing, which allows users to send money quickly and securely overseas, and spend around the world, said: “Many people are increasingly living an international lifestyle, as more than half (57%) have either spent time living abroad, or have aspirations to do so.

“Our research found that these people often have frustrations when sending, spending, and converting money. That’s why now is the time for a new kind of international payments solution.”

Martin Winter