The USA is the third best country in the world for remote work, according to a new report released by NordLayer. The report evaluated 66 countries in total.
According to the research, here are the top 10 countries that are best for remote work:
- Germany
- Denmark
- USA
- Spain
- Lithuania
- The Netherlands
- Sweden
- Estonia
- Singapore
- France
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.
Why does the USA rank third?
The United States of America ranks third in the Global Remote Work Index (GRWI) but is further down regarding cybersecurity performance (19th). Economic and social conditions are potent as the USA 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 USA can still 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.
Leader among neighboring countries
Compared with its two bordering countries, the USA comes to the forefront in the overall ranking, leaving behind Canada (12th) and Mexico (50th).
While Canada isn’t too far behind, working out of Mexico could be trickier given its significantly lower rankings in cybersecurity, social conditions, and English proficiency. Regardless, the cost of living is far lower here, and it ranks 13th best in the world, which should be taken into consideration by budding travelers.
Remote working — rising trend everywhere
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,” 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:
- 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 USA 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.
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-
About NordLayer
NordLayer is an adaptive network access security solution for businesses. It helps organizations of all sizes to fulfill scaling and integration challenges. Moving towards an ever-evolving SASE ecosystem, NordLayer is quick and easy to implement with existing infrastructure, is hardware-free, and is designed for scaling. As a cloud-native solution with an easy-to-use interface, NordLayer offers protection to businesses of any size, complexity, or work model, including remote or hybrid workplaces. More information: www.nordlayer.com
