Workation - A term that's becoming increasingly common. But what is really behind it? Is Workation really as great as everyone thinks? We'll clarify!
Let's start at the beginning. Workation, what is that actually? As the name Workation suggests, you combine work with a vacation. This can take place anywhere in the world and is ultimately nothing more than home office at any location worldwide. It doesn't matter whether this happens directly on the beach at Copacabana or in a café next to the Eiffel Tower. It sounds great at first, but is that what reality looks like?
A workation also has some disadvantages. These are examined in more detail below.
Not everyone has the discipline to work in a beautiful vacation spot. Combining vacation and work while still maintaining certain boundaries is not always easy. In addition, this can also reduce motivation to work.
Time hurdles can have consequences in everyday work. How do I arrange a Teams meeting if my colleagues are in a different time zone? How do I share my new achievements or failures directly? Is this even possible?
Depending on which country you are in, technical difficulties may also arise. Can I find a suitable café where I have WiFi? Is there a quiet place where I can concentrate sufficiently? Do I have the right travel adapter with me and what do I do if my laptop dies?
But another very important point is the planning of the work trip. Does my employer offer workation? Do I then need a Visa? And how are things going with my taxes abroad?
You have to consider all of these points if you want to consider a workation, but the number of employees who want to do a workation is still increasing significantly. In a survey in 2022, 24% of people in Europe would like to work from home abroad, and in Thailand even 70% (Source). A current ADAC study also clearly shows that 35% of respondents are very interested in mobile working abroad and 32% are even very interested (Source). Why?
Remote working and workation can strengthen work motivation, enable employees to perform better and a great Present benefits for every employee. Because flexibility and local independence increase the quality of life and consequently higher motivation.
Workation means trust. Trust is often the reason for choosing a particular company. If I restrict my employees with constant monitoring, their productivity and satisfaction decrease. With a workation, I actively show my trust in employees and can expect more from them.
Creativity - This can be increased through a workation and gets my employees to come up with new ideas but also to develop solutions. So why not bring a breath of fresh air into my company?
“When you travel, you get to know the world” - why shouldn’t my employees do the same? The more my employees experience and learn about the world, the better it is for me and my company. Because today, traveling doesn't just mean recovering, but also learning languages, strengthening your self-confidence, becoming more communicative and being able to understand other cultures better.
The satisfaction of our employees elevates our company's status as an appealing employer.
Even with a 100% remote team, it is possible to meet at several locations worldwide. A work session among colleagues can lead to more productivity for future projects.
Considering the numerous positive effects that workation can have for both companies and their employees, the only question that remains is: Why shouldn't I do this? Aren't all the challenges worth overcoming? What more could you want than satisfied and motivated employees, increased efficiency and productivity in your company, and an improved image?