Remote working is part of the “new normal” in 2020 (and beyond), which puts Indiana at a competitive advantage in terms of attracting talent from more congested metropolitan areas like Chicago, New York and Atlanta.
This notion was recently validated by California-based Zippia Inc., which lists Fishers as the best city in America for remote workers. The career resources web site ranked more than 1,300 cities based on criteria including rent costs, home price, and laptops and desktops per household.
Zippia’s study begs the question: “In a world where workers can live anywhere, where will they live?”
Fishers earned its top ranking based on factors that include its short drive from Indianapolis, affordable housing at about $1,200 per month and strong technology infrastructure. Gahanna, Ohio finished second, followed by Urbandale, Iowa in third.
“COVID has shown many workers they are perfectly capable of doing their job from home – no lengthy, expensive commute needed. Not only can they work remotely, they enjoy the flexibility and freedom it provides. Sixty-three percent of workers currently working remote prefer remote roles in the future,” according to Zippia’s study.
The report’s summary continues:
For affordability, we looked at median rent and home cost. Many cities with high paying jobs have costs of living, with sky-high rent and home costs outpacing incomes. Cities with affordable housing will be a draw for remote workers looking to cut their biggest expense.
For feasibility, we examined the percent of homes with broadband internet and at least one laptop or desktop per household. When companies say their workers can work anywhere, they mean anywhere with a strong internet connection. Cities with high technology and broadband rates will have a stronger infrastructure for remote workers to thrive.
Finally, we looked at the current existing population of remote workers. The more remote workers, the more desirable the city is for remote workers to call home.
Credit also goes to Mayor Scott Fadness, who envisioned Fishers as a hotbed for entrepreneurship and technology innovation since taking office in 2015. I had the pleasure of presenting alongside Mayor Fadness at a recent Wabash College leadership breakfast, during which he spoke about the steps his administration has taken to attract talent and bolster collaboration – through technology – with Indianapolis and other surrounding communities.
Indiana must be creative about the tactics used and populations targeted to mitigate the projected losses to its workforce over the next decade. Remote work is defined as any task that can be completed in any location (usually the home), provided one has access to the needed tools and resources. In many cases, this means remote work is conducted online using software, tools and applications accessible via the internet.
Governor Holcomb’s administration has taken substantive steps to expand high-speed broadband, which gives the e-workforce more options for relocating and working in various areas of the state.
