This article seeks to study the workation and its concept, purpose and what the future holds for it in the changing work environment.
There is no doubt that the idea of physical office restatement has dramatically changed in the past few years due to the increasing popularity of remote work. As people start to enjoy the opportunities that remote work offers, the workation is emerging as a new trend. This mixture of work and vacation is literally changing how people regard their careers and time off for some-special activities. It is a new ‘normal’, a normal where work blends with leisure and new cultures in work habits are embraced.
Although it may seem that the workation is just one of the trends that will pass in few years, it is indeed the more advanced form of remote work that has surfaced after the COVID19 pandemic. The fact that working remotely becomes a more common practice for hundreds of millions people led all employees, regardless of their position, to a huge temptation of working in the most beautiful places on earth. A holiday property in Bali, a cottage in the mountains or a hotel in Europe when one is ‘working’ – the mental change these offer is a boost to productivity.
The practice of combining work tasks and domicile may not be new, however, the fact that most people are now accustomed to working remotely has eased on this concept. Previously, workations were mostly associated with freelancers and travelers. But as more firms are now embracing working from anywhere policy, even the regular desk bound employees are beginning to use this concept. The proliferation of coworking spaces and availability of the internet in all corners of the world has also made this trend easy, it has never been this easier to be in touch and get work done from almost any place in the world.
Workations have many benefits for employees and for employers. As for employees, the most notable aspect would be going to new places without sacrificing their pay. There will be increased satisfaction on the part of the employee which in turn results to positive work-life harmony. The changing scenery also enhances the ability of a person to think and create while at the same time obtaining relaxation and avoiding fatigue. Spending time in the sun on a beach is an underrated activity during working hours and figuring out how to unwind foreign cities after office hours makes working on many projects simultaneously tolerable.
Workations are likely to enhance the employee’s sense of independence and responsibility. Employees who work from different locations and are effective time savers are known to develop greater time management skills and become more accountable.
Although taking vacation and working at the same time is still relatively new to many people, it is not as easy for everyone. One of the foremost issues, is the ability to remain productive under a different work setting. It is no secret that there are a lot of things which can be distracting when you are working from a place you are on vacation in, such as sight-seeing, lying on the beach or generally being at a different place. Lack of these fences may cause a situation where the work-leisure fence is overstepped and hence low working capacity.
In addition to that, the basic travel system is also ready to follow the new trend. Now, most hotels, resorts and vacation rental companies are addressing the needs of the remote workers providing high-speed internet , working spaces and offering long-term renting options.
As the concept continues to evolve, it has the potential to reshape the way we think about work and leisure, opening up new possibilities for professionals around the world.
