From ‘digital nomadism’ to ‘rooted digitalism’: The remote work and im/mobilities of IT professionals in times of COVID-19

Abstract

This article explores the interplay between digital work and mobility through a look at the career trajectories, remote work practices and im/mobilities of professionals in the information technology (IT) sector. We draw upon a qualitative study conducted with IT professionals who work remotely for Swiss or Swiss-based international companies. IT professionals have been pioneers in practising virtual work long before the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis and have long engaged in various forms of mobility, including tourism and labour migration. A focus on their remote work and im/mobility practices can shed light on the possibilities and challenges of the virtualization of work, especially in the context of the pandemic. We discuss how geographical immobility, combined with digital technology, becomes important in building a career and a personal life, staying ‘rooted’ and reconstituting the boundaries between work and non-work.