The second R-Map poll series for the R-Map Project was conducted on LinkedIn™ between November and December 2025 by one of R-Map’s partners, Mandy Fransz, representing Remote Workers Worldwide. The objective was to better understand how professionals view the future of work, mobility, and the conditions that make remote work sustainable and attractive.

The response was both strong and insightful with more than 4,500 votes underscoring the urgency professionals feel around questions of work flexibility, relocation, and lifestyle choices. This powerful market signal further reinforced R-Map’s mission to connect workforce flexibility, quality of life and place-based policy.

Photo by Unsplash available here

The R-Map poll series confirms what many professionals are already experiencing: the future of work is flexible, asynchronous, and increasingly location-independent. When asked how work will look by 2030, a clear majority pointed to work-from-anywhere as the defining model (57%), followed by hybrid work (20%). Only 3% expect a full return to office-based roles. Flexibility and especially location flexibility is no longer a benefit; it is becoming the standard.

This shift is already transforming mobility as well. More than half of respondents (55%) said they would consider moving abroad if their work allowed it, while 19% would move within their own country. Remote work is no longer just about where people work, but about where they choose to live. Quality of life is the main driver behind relocation decisions. 74% of the respondents said improved quality of life would motivate such a move, far outweighing factors such as cost of living (19%) or community (4%). Affordable housing, access to nature, and good weather were identified as the most important contributors to remote work satisfaction.

At the same time, professionals are prioritising autonomy over traditional workplace structures. Flexible schedules were seen as the biggest improvement to working life by 66% of respondents, compared to 16% who prioritised team connection.

Finally, for cities and regions looking to attract remote talent, the message is clear: reliable digital infrastructure is the baseline requirement, followed by supportive tax and social security frameworks and access to co-working and community spaces.

This poll series shows that remote work is fundamentally reshaping mobility patterns, lifestyle choices, and regional competitiveness. As professionals gain more freedom over where and how they work, regions are increasingly competing on quality of life, affordability, and digital infrastructure.

Ultimately, this poll shows that flexibility is no longer optional, it is the future of work and a defining factor in where people choose to live, invest, and build their careers.

For those interested in the data behind these insights, the full R-Map poll series are available below:

• In your view, what does the future of work look like in 2030 (and beyond)? – Link
• Would you consider relocating if (remote) work allowed it? If so, where? – Link
• Which factor most affects your decision to relocate as a remote worker? – Link
• Which factor contributes most to your quality of life as a remote worker? – Link
• Which factor contributes most to your quality of *working* life as a remote worker? – Link
• If policymakers could prioritise ONE improvement to make destinations more attractive to remote workers, what should it be? – Link