Remote Work Is Now Shaped More by Geopolitics Than Technology
By Srividya Jandhyala, Fast Company — October 26, 2025
Once hailed as the revolutionary solution to traditional office-bound jobs, remote work promised unprecedented freedom: the ability to work from anywhere in the world, blending professional responsibilities with personal passions. Fueled by leaps in technology, workers imagined trading office cubicles for the tranquility of a tropical beach, all while effortlessly collaborating with colleagues thousands of miles away.
However, this idyllic vision is being significantly reshaped—not by technological barriers—but by the rising influence of geopolitics. Governments worldwide are increasingly asserting control over who works, where work happens, and even what kind of work is permissible, reshaping the future of work in profound ways.
The Geopolitical Reality Behind "Work From Anywhere"
The original promise of remote work was democratization: talent could come from anywhere, bringing diverse perspectives and fostering global collaboration. Companies could tap into a worldwide pool of expertise, and employees could design careers intertwined with their desired lifestyles. Many governments even introduced digital nomad visas to encourage this new era of location-independent work.
But the geopolitical landscape is colliding with these ideals. National security concerns and economic protectionism are driving governments to restrict who can work on certain projects, where employees can be based, and which companies receive support.
For instance, Apple’s expansion of manufacturing operations in India promised to create hundreds of thousands of jobs. Initially, many Chinese engineers supported this growth. However, over 300 Chinese engineers were recently recalled to China amid increasing efforts to curb technology transfer — a clear example of geopolitics limiting workforce mobility and collaboration. Apple’s suppliers had to pivot to hiring engineers from Taiwan, illustrating how government policies are directly influencing corporate staffing decisions.
More broadly, tech companies in Silicon Valley are ramping up security vetting for new hires to safeguard proprietary information, reflecting the broader climate of mistrust fueled by geopolitics. Trade tensions also impact labor markets; for example, Thai workers in solar cell manufacturing face economic fallout from ongoing U.S.-China trade conflicts.
Remote Work: Can You Actually Work Remotely?
Beyond who can work is the question of where work can be performed. The freedom to log in from anywhere has been constrained by tightening controls on data sovereignty and information security. Many countries have enacted strict data localization laws, requiring certain sensitive data to remain within national borders to safeguard strategic interests.
The Financial Times recently reported that foreign universities and research institutions lost access to China’s largest academic database, demonstrating these restrictions in action. Similarly, U.S. regulations limit the transfer of citizens’ data to countries deemed to be of concern. The result? Employees sometimes cannot access their work emails or vital data remotely when traveling to certain countries.
Companies are adapting by deploying temporary loaner devices and instructing employees not to bring company laptops while traveling to sensitive regions—measures that disrupt workflows and reduce productivity. For professionals like financial analysts, this means being physically present in target markets to access essential data, not because of technical limitations, but due to geopolitical barriers.
Changing Job Descriptions: The New Geopolitical Manager
Even the content of work itself is evolving. Traditional managerial roles centered on overseeing teams and operations are now burdened with navigating complex geopolitical landscapes.
Take Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, whose company produces critical AI chips. Once more focused on gamers, Huang now finds himself deeply engaged in global politics, advocating for his company before lawmakers in the U.S., China, and elsewhere. His role has transformed into that of a “geopolitical superstar,” balancing the demands of international relations and business objectives.
Companies have gone further by establishing teams dedicated solely to tracking political developments and advising leadership—members who often have to shelve their regular duties to keep pace with rapidly shifting global dynamics. This increasing politicization of work environments severely limits the feasibility of remote work when stakeholder engagement and political navigation demand physical presence and real-time interaction.
Conclusion: Remote Work’s Future Is Geopolitically Charged
While technology laid the foundation for remote work, it is geopolitics that is now shaping its evolution. The ability to work from anywhere, for anyone, on any project is constrained by national security considerations, economic nationalism, and data sovereignty laws.
Employees and companies alike must navigate this new reality, balancing the benefits of technological advancement with the hard boundaries imposed by global politics. As governments continue to prioritize strategic interests, the future workplace might be less about choosing your office location and more about understanding the geopolitical landscape that governs where and how work can be done.
About the Author:
Srividya Jandhyala is a Professor of Management at ESSEC Business School and author of The Great Disruption: How Geopolitics is Changing Companies, Managers, and Work.
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