Kenyan women embrace digital nomad work life

From her home office, she navigates East African markets, conducts in-depth research, and collaborates with clients from all corners of the globe, all without setting foot in a conventional office.

Gone are the days when success was measured by the time spent in gridlocked traffic, or the prestige of a glass corner office.

For Kenya’s rising generation of digital nomads and remote workers like Janelle, the world is their workplace, and flexibility is the new currency.

This shift is not just changing individual lifestyles; it’s reshaping Kenya’s economic landscape, from the bustling co-working spaces in Nairobi’s Westlands to the quiet residential estates where home offices are becoming the norm.

“I’ve been able to work remotely from different locations, including Rwanda and Kampala in Uganda,” Janelle tells the BDLife.

This shift has also opened opportunities for digital nomads and businesses alike.Digital nomads are individuals who use technology to work remotely from anywhere in the world, while remote workers typically have a fixed employer but work outside of a traditional office setting. Both groups benefit from the flexibility and autonomy that remote work offers.

“Remote working has amplified my work-life balance. It has given me freedom in determining how I plan my day,” says Gladys Waripe, a brand strategist for a South African creative agency called 34, which began as hybrid in 2019, then transitioned to a fully remote model, with Gladys managing a team of 12 people remotely.

Recruiters are also responding to this new shift. Qhala, a digital innovation company, has been researching the rise of digital nomads and remote workers in Kenya through the company’s Future of Work Lab, which seeks to understand how young people are using digital platforms to earn a living.

“Our programme within the Future of Work Lab helps young people find remote work opportunities,” says Pauline Busisa, the programme manager and Head of Future of Work Lab, Qhala Trust.

According to Qhala’s research, the number of digital nomads and remote workers in Kenya has been steadily increasing, driven by factors such as improved internet connectivity and changing workplace cultures.

The three-year research reveals that digital platforms are empowering young Kenyans to explore diverse income streams, from freelancing and online trading to content creation and renting.

This newfound flexibility is particularly appealing to those seeking to escape the rigid confines of traditional employment.

“I get peace of mind as I am in control of my own time. What has helped the most is that I work with an organisation that prioritises output over the number of hours spent in the office or on a laptop as well as rest over burnout,” says Rachel Ombaka, a 39-year-old editing consultant at The Africa Report, who has embraced the digital nomad lifestyle.

Driven by a desire for better pay, escape from chaotic corporate office culture, and greater autonomy, Rachel says this shift has led to a more flexible schedule, improved work-life balance, and increased time with family.

“It’s the best decision you can ever make, especially as a mother. The time we spend with our children when they are still young is the most impactful,” Rachel says, “I get to work from any location, be it on the sidelines of a conference in Rwanda or my mum’s home in Seattle.”

The rise of digital nomadism is contributing to the Kenyan economy by increasing spending on accommodation, co-working spaces, and other services.

The growth of the remote work is creating new job opportunities in the tech sector and business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.

Kenyans are finding jobs in customer support and contact centres, inbound and outbound sales, data collection and analytics, content writing and moderation, software development, IT helpdesk support, lead generation and management, data annotation, and AI [artificial intelligence] model training. This is especially important for Kenya, where the unemployment rate remains high.

According to Annapeace Alwala, the vice president, Global Service Delivery at Sama, the growth of the BPO sector is driven by Kenya’s favourable business environment and talented workforce.

Sama, an AI and data labelling company, has expanded its operations in Kenya, creating thousands of jobs for individuals from underserved communities.

“The level of talent we have in Kenya is unmatched. BPO today can employ over five million people in Kenya. India is currently at 4.3 million. Kenya is seen as offering better quality,” says Annapeace, adding, “I don’t see why Kenya shouldn’t compete with South Africa.”

Remote work, however, is not all smooth. One of the biggest challenges faced by remote workers is isolation and loneliness. Maintaining social connections and finding opportunities for in-person interaction can be difficult.

“It can get a bit lonely when you are constantly working by yourself and the primary interaction is virtual,” says Pauline.

Other related mental issues are the lack of clear guidelines and protections for remote work, difficulty establishing boundaries between work and personal life (“always-on” mentality) and sexual harassment, particularly in informal work settings.

“Women, in particular, face unique challenges, including sexual harassment and difficulty establishing boundaries between work and personal life,” emphasises Pauline.

“The biggest challenge I face is the lack of social connection that working onsite offers. To mitigate the challenge, my employer has paid for a co-working space for me so that I can change environments and socialise,” says Clara Rincuni, a 29-year-old digital communications manager for the Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI), who started working remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic a few years ago.

Clara had to be deliberate about planning her days by exercising daily, doing her work within contractual hours, attending school work, socialising with at least two of her friend groups, attending bible study, going to Sunday service, and sleeping for eight hours.

Limited internet connectivity and an unreliable power supply can be significant obstacles for remote workers too.

“Kenya Power needs to work on being more reliable,” says Clara, who had to move from Kikuyu town to a more expensive neighbourhood because of frequent power blackouts.

Additionally, the lack of clear regulations and policies addressing remote work can create challenges for both workers and employers.

Annapeace points out that while the rise of remote work is impacting traditional employment models, Kenya’s labour laws are not yet equipped to handle this new reality.

“People are working from wherever they want, but our labour laws don’t even accommodate remote work. I don’t think they even recognise it,” she says.

This lack of legal recognition has created a grey area for workers and employers alike.

Another key issue is the disconnect between the digital tools available to young people and what is taught in schools.

“My seven-year-old is being told to build a carton car, while children in Canada and Costa Rica at the same age can code,” says Annapeace.

She emphasises the need for clarity on tax policies for digital workers.

“We need to have super clarity… so that this guy who is working for whoever it is in the US isn’t afraid of being penalised when receiving payments,” she says, urging the government to develop policies that reflect the realities of remote work.

“Let’s accept that we’re in that era and come up with policies that work for both the government and the digital workers,” she says.

Remote work also presents challenges for employers, such as managing a dispersed workforce and ensuring cybersecurity.

“Managing remote teams can be challenging, but with the right tools and communication strategies, it can be done effectively,” says Ms Gladys, whose company utilises collaborative platforms like Slack, Basecamp, and Trello to manage remote teams and track projects.

Industry experts say for Kenya to overcome these challenges, it needs to focus on; demand-led skilling by providing targeted training programmes to equip the workforce with the necessary digital skills; promoting Kenya as a BPO destination by increasing awareness of its unique value proposition as a BPO location; and improving infrastructure by investing in reliable internet connectivity and other essential infrastructure.

“We need to work very closely with governments and other policymakers to make sure there are adequate policies around freelance work or remote work. This means we address what that work looks like, some of the potential challenges, and how those can be overcome,” says Pauline.

“We need a strong BPO organisation similar to India’s NASSCOM to promote Kenya as a destination with unique advantages,” says Annapeace.

To fully capitalise on the potential of remote work, Kenya must address the digital skills gap.

Qhala’s Future of Work Lab research found that 50 to 55 percent of jobs in the country will require digital skills by 2030. However, there are significant gaps in basic and advanced digital skills, particularly in rural areas and among women.

The rise of co-working spaces, digital payment platforms, and other innovations can help to address some of the challenges faced by remote workers.

“My co-working space has my heart because the environment is leafy and serene, with minimal noise,” says Clara.

Kenya can position itself as a leading hub for digital innovation and economic growth.

“Remote work is the new normal. Employers need to adapt their policies and expectations to accommodate this trend,” says Janelle.

Caroline Omware, the lead researcher at Qhala, says, “Remote work can lead to increased productivity and cost savings for businesses.”

More so, remote work is hailed as a tool that can empower women by providing them with greater flexibility and opportunities to participate in the workforce.

“It’s more around segregating access to income. The more we create work, the bigger the opportunity around digital economic work creation. More people are going to get incomes. Therefore, livelihoods will improve, and the economy is directly impacted,” says Caroline.

Automation and AI are streamlining workflows and creating new job opportunities. These trends are likely to further transform the way we work and collaborate in the years to come.

“The 3,000 people who I have here would never have gotten jobs without AI. Those self-driving cars are not going to employ 3,000 people. We are moving to an era where, at your place of work, they will need to use AI to be more efficient. Now, all these companies are competing, and the faster you get better models, the more clients you’ll get,” says Annapeace.