Nomad working will continue to rise, Rory Sutherland predicts

According to Rory Sutherland, people will go nomadic. What are the economic reasons behind this prediction? The marketing expert joins My Wildest Prediction to share his insights into the question.

My Wildest Prediction is a podcast series from Euronews Businesswhere we dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries. In this episode, Tom Goodwin talks to Rory Sutherland, Vice-Chairman of Ogilvy UK, about the housing crisis, remote work and the world’s economy.

The global pandemic of Covid-19 has undoubtedly revolutionised the way we work.

One of the most significant changes has been how we approach work location.

When applying for a job, future employees no longer take it for granted that the company office will be their workplace five days a week. Since 2020, many people have been able to work in a hybrid set-up or even fully remotely.

And now, five years after the start of the global pandemic, this trend is still relevant: According to a white paper published by the World Economic Forum, by 2030, global digital jobs are estimated to grow by around 25%.

Rory Sutherland, Vice-Chairman of Ogilvy in the United Kingdom, joins My Wildest Prediction to share his thoughts on remote working, the economic reasons behind it and the housing crisis around the world.

A nomadic society

“One of my wildest predictions is that a certain percentage of the population will adopt some form of nomadism” Rory Sutherland told Euronews.

The advertising expert explained that this vagabond lifestyle will be easier thanks to the highly technological tools we use daily.

Among them, Sutherland depicts the digital platforms that have made remote working a reality, fundamentally changing people’s relationship with the workplace.

Before 2020, the only element of negotiation between the employer and the employee was the salary, Sutherland explained. However, the pandemic re-shaped the workers’ priorities, giving a central stage to flexibility: “People might value free where and free when much more than they value money at some level,” Sutherland told Euronews.

The housing market trap

According to Sutherland, another factor driving people to embrace a more nomadic lifestyle is the high cost of houses in major cities around the world.

Between 2010 and the second quarter of 2024, house prices in the EU increased by 52%, and rents by 25%, a study by Eurostat shows.

Precisely, Sutherland argues that the unbearable rent price in cities like London is not worth the opportunities the city can offer. This situation combined with the access to flexible working conditions, he adds, can inspire many people to abandon their sedentary lifestyles in favour of a more nomadic existence.

According to Sutherland, it is paradoxical how in today’s society people can access high-quality goods for fairly cheap prices but struggle to access something as essential as housing.

As a supporter of the economist Henry George, the marketing specialist argues that taxing land value should be an economic and political priority which could help people access more affordable houses.

Find out more on our podcast My Wildest Prediction.

Additional sources • Johan Breton video editor