It is an undeniable fact that over the past few decades, rural areas have experienced depopulation as their inhabitants migrate in search of new opportunities.
New generations are compelled to leave their hometowns in search of better jobs and status, leaving many areas affected by this depopulation and resulting in many towns or isolated areas being abandoned.
Many rural towns in Spain have attempted to address this issue by offering employment and housing to attract people back, as these areas do not suffer from the severe housing problems found in urban centers, as noted in Jubilación.
However, in this space, we advocate for a significant solution to depopulation: telework. The ability to work online from anywhere has revolutionized the way we work and has opened doors for people living in towns where there are fewer opportunities (especially in the technology sector), preventing migration to large cities.
It allows us to continue living surrounded by friends and family, offering a more affordable lifestyle and a higher quality of life. And let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want to work in a place where you can breathe fresh air, enjoy tranquility, and be close to nature and a tighter-knit community?
COVID & Remote Work
This trend has gained much more importance in recent years (especially following the CORONAVIRUS pandemic), driven by technology and the need for flexibility in the workforce. Here are some of the numerous advantages telework offers if you reside in rural areas:
- Access to global job opportunities: There are no limits regardless of your geographical location.
- Higher quality of life: Avoid traffic jams, commutes, overpopulation, stress, higher costs, etc.
- Flexible hours: Particularly beneficial for those needing to juggle other responsibilities.
- Contribution to local development: You contribute to the economy of the area where you live.
- Lower environmental impact: Reduced commuting contributes to a lower carbon footprint and environmental impact.
- Attraction of talent: Benefits not only workers but also employers, who can hire talent from various locations.
For all these reasons and more, we can advocate for telework due to the benefits it provides and the opportunities it offers to people living outside urban centers.
In conclusion, the expansion of teleworking represents a significant transformation in how employment relates to the geographical distribution of the population, potentially leading to substantial changes in migration patterns both nationally and internationally for non-manual workers.
It is essential to stay attentive in the coming months and years to government regulations related to telework, the stance of unions, the development of private and public investments in improving internet connectivity, new applications facilitating remote work, and how these factors will affect territorial occupation.