Five Ways the Future of Work Benefits LGBTQ+ Expats

“Can we work on that project ‘asynch’?” I was asked this at the start of a small project recently.

“Oh, yeah…yeah, of course,”.… I replied.

That casual question from a team member was when I personally felt the undeniable shift in the future of work.

Digital nomading was a rebellious act

In the period right after the 2008 financial crash, with my MA from the University of Sussex fresh in hand and a few years at the British national tourist board, I had shifted to working online, writing copy and marketing strategies for travel clients. It was the start of the Uber / Lyft / Airbnb / Tim Ferriss / Four Hour Work Week era. I bought into that world and became a digital nomad in 2010. I had only been in the workforce for a few years and had been living abroad for 7 years at that point, so it felt natural to be a part of the first true round of digital nomads hopping around the globe.

Most people thought we were crazy, lazy, or unrealistic. Who can just travel and work on their laptops? Must be nice.

It actually really was!

All it took was a global pandemic for the world to see it the same way.

The future of work is remote

Today, in a post-pandemic world, there is casual corporate lingo around what used to be a truly rebellious act. Asynch, or asynchronous, describes working on a project across different time zones and using next-gen remote-first tools that allow for optimal collaboration.

Many business leaders and naysayers will point out that remote work is going to slowly going back to in-person, but the genie is out of the bottle. The remote work ecosystem has developed its own entire corporate culture, and for those starting out in the workforce, it may be the only way they know corporate work to be.

So, the good news is that the energy out there has clearly shifted.

The GREAT news is that remote work benefits LGBTQ+ and other minority employees the most.

Remote work benefits queer workers and expats

Up to 50% of LGBTQ workers are not out in the office. A 2021 Human Rights Campaign survey revealed that just under 50% of LGBTQ+ workers are closeted at work. The stress and anxiety of remaining closeted in person is very high, and even if folks are out, there are layers of discrimination and micro-aggressions that are difficult to deal with.

Remote work removes a lot of those smaller interactions and can also create a safer space to come out or feel included for LGBTQ folks at work.

The BEST news of all is that, with the rise of remote work, queer professionals are able to live and work abroad at higher rates than traditional corporate global mobility opportunities would have ever traditionally allowed.

Traditionally, international roles have overwhelmingly gone to a monolithic profile: well-off, white, well-connected western men connected to key decision makers who directly offer these opportunities.

Now, expats from all walks of life can apply to remote-first companies and choose to live in countries around the world without having to be tapped on the shoulder about a corporate expat opportunity.

Here are five ways in which the future of remote work benefits diverse expat employees the most.

Five ways remote work benefits diverse expats

1. Inclusive Collaboration Across Time Zones

By embracing asynchronous collaboration tools and practices, organizations create an environment where diverse expat employees can actively contribute to projects and initiatives regardless of geographical boundaries. We can give our best, on our time, without sacrificing our lifestyles.

2. Flexible Schedule

Remote, asynchronous work allows employees to have a more flexible schedule, enabling moms, single parents, and folks from minority religions and cultures to attend to the needs of their children and community more easily. Additionally, the flexibility allows those living abroad to immerse themselves in the local culture, build relationships, and participate in community events locally, which supports a sense of well-being and community, as well.

3. Reduced Language Barriers

Remote workers can work in their native language at a company based back home. This allows for excelling in your most familiar language, rather than operating at a linguistic disadvantage at a local company abroad.

4. Equal Opportunity for Career Growth

Proximity bias for in-person and hybrid workers means that opportunities for advancement exist for those who are in the office more, thereby tending to reward those working longer, but not necessarily smarter. All remote or remote-first work creates advancement opportunities based on merit, skills, and performance rather than proximity. This promotes diversity and inclusion in career progression, ensuring that expat employees have an equal chance to excel and reach their full potential.

5. Better Work-Life Integration:

Working remote while living abroad allows queer and diverse folks to best integrate their personal and professional lives by eliminating the constraints of a fixed working schedule. You can move abroad, experience a new culture, learn a language, learn to assimilate, have adventures and still grow your career back home, or internationally for the future.

At Rainbow Relocation Strategies, our mission is to empower queer folks and folks from non-dominant communities to move, live and thrive abroad and the new ‘American dream’ is all about working ‘asynch’ while living and exploring abroad.