Old rules about mixing business and pleasure aren’t the standard anymore. Today, new methods of communication, new methods of productivity, and new tools for working make it possible to combine employment and relaxation in flexible ways. This year, more and more people are choosing the workation. 

What is a Workation? 

The rise of remote and flexible work has made it possible for more people to work from home. But it has also made it possible to work from anywhere. Many people are taking advantage of this opportunity to take “workations”: working remotely from leisure travel destinations, over longer periods. 

People enjoying a workation typically choose to visit a vacation spot famous for travel and relaxation, looking for weather, climate, culture, and recreation that appeals to them. Instead of staying for 2-3 weeks on holiday, they may stay for 2-3 months, enjoying a whole season. Unlike digital nomads, workationers aren’t making a lifestyle choice; they are simply enjoying a change of scenery for a while. 

As this trend has become more and more popular, more and more services are being created for workationers, including special remote work visas, specialized remote working accommodations, and even jobs and employment offers targeted for these types of workers.  

Benefits and Drawbacks of the Workation 

While working from a beach in Bermuda or in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower may sound like a dream come true, companies and employees need to be realistic about the pros and cons of longer-term workations. Here are some of the features to be mindful of: 

Benefits of the Workation

While every experience is different, here are some of the main benefits of the workation. 

  • Creativity and inspiration. The truth is, routine can often simply drag us down. For many people, a new environment and new experiences spark creativity and inspiration that result in innovation and fresh ideas at work. 
  • Motivation and productivity. Many companies find that workations and other remote arrangements actually increase motivation and productivity rather than reduce it. Whether an employee wants to finish a task quickly so they can begin sightseeing, wants to perform well in order to maintain trust with their team, or simply benefits from the change of scenery, workations typically do not negatively affect productivity. 
  • Morale and retention. A workation is a great way to build employee loyalty and reward good performance. In fact, recent studies have shown that younger workers are attracted to companies that offer remote and flexible work arrangements, even if they do not personally want to work remotely: it indicates a culture of trust and respect. 
Drawbacks of the Workation

Naturally, there are some drawbacks to the workation, and it isn’t the right arrangement for everyone and every job. 

Disruption and unpredictability. Any type of travel creates exposure to the unexpected and unfamiliar, and all vacations are subject to the occasional delayed flight, technology issues, or other disruptions. For a person who needs to log in to an important meeting, make a critical sales call, or deliver on a deadline, adding in the ordinary unpredictability of travel can be a challenge. While work onsite is also subject to various delays and disruptions (car trouble, internet problems, illness, etc), when a worker is offsite, especially in a vacation destination, these types of issues seem more serious, and may be treated with suspicion. 

  • Loss of work-life balance. While a workation can be a great way to change up the routine and have new experiences while still earning your regular salary, it is also important for people to be able to completely disconnect from work and fully recharge. Remote work of all kinds tends to create an always-on mentality, where workers are constantly online and available, without good boundaries. A workation should never replace a vacation. 
Using Workations to Improve Recruitment and Retention

For employers seeking to attract the best candidates, or companies looking to motivate workers, a workation can be a great way to offer employees the travel experiences they want without losing productivity. There are many ways that remote work and flexible arrangement can be part of your company culture and employment benefits. Some companies send employees on a workation in a desirable location for a week or two (or even a long weekend) as a reward for good performance: the employee enjoys the travel experience without using their vacation time, and other employees are motivated by the incentive. 

To maintain healthy work-life balance, make sure that workations are distinct from true vacations, and give employees time truly away from work. Many high-level candidates will also be attracted and motivated by a longer-term leave incentive, like a sabbatical program. 

Finally, many employers use workations as part of their future plans; remote working employees can network in a region, participate in educational or enrichment activities, and find other ways to create new opportunities in a new location. 

To make workations part of your recruitment strategy, or find other ways to attract and motivate the best talent, contact Grapefrute today. We specialize in partnering with our clients to find long-term staffing solutions, and our targeted searches provide the best candidates.