Nomadism has been a long-standing practice for sales representatives, but it is a recent phenomenon for IT developers. They can work remotely and regularly synchronize their code with the production server.
Today, influencers send us videos from exotic locations like Dubai or the Pacific islands. It is important to recognize that creating TikTok videos can be a regular and frequent job.
The concept of nomadism entered the corporate world by developing Flexdesks- offices shared among employees. This idea was first introduced at Accenture in 1995 and has since evolved to prioritize employee well-being.
The main objective of this principle is to enhance communication by removing geographical constraints for employees. However, the outcomes can vary significantly. This lack of organization has naturally led to the emergence of new, invisible forms of regulation. The "first come, first served" rule applies, with those arriving early securing the best seats, while those arriving later are relegated to peripheral or noisier areas.
As a result, this creates a sense of jealousy and competition among employees. Additionally, it removes the ability to personalize workspaces based on individual activities. The office ceases to be a functional tool and becomes a space that needs to be rearranged daily.
Ironically, everyone still returns to the same place every morning. Management is satisfied because it maintains a sense of control, and employees are content because they have found ways to maintain their freedom within the system.
It is important to understand that any coercive decision made without the agreement of a group will prompt that group to develop strategies to work around it, and in some cases, even resort to deception to protect their rights.
This is evident in situations involving time sheets and other control and surveillance systems implemented to compensate for a lack of hierarchical trust.
The COVID-19 pandemic has further popularized the concept of telecommuting, making it a common practice for professions that allow it. Employees now spend two or three days a week working from home and the rest of the time in the office, sharing common workspace.
We must adapt to this new reality to maintain motivation and performance among staff without constant physical contact with their colleagues.
Today's nomads are SBFs: Sans Bureau Fixe (without a fixed office). It is still difficult to measure the impact of such a disruption on work performance in the medium and long term.
What is certain is that the experience of being a salaried worker is becoming more similar to that of being self-employed. This will likely make the distinction between personal and professional life increasingly complex.