There is no denying that the pandemic has significantly altered the way we live and conduct business today. A system that we once believed to be impenetrable has undergone changes over the past two and a half years.
In an effort to combat COVID-19, hybrid and remote work emerged. However, as businesses constantly work to keep their employees satisfied, these practices are becoming increasingly popular.
An ecosystem that was inconceivable before the epidemic has been formed and changing the work dynamics. Working vacations, also known as workations have become quite the buzz in the corporate world. The idea is to travel and work simultaneously as workers seek a work-life balance. Imagine handling a few emails while lounging by the pool.
Because of this, the tourism and travel industry has developed a new source of revenue from a style that is expected to become commonplace for decades to come.
What is workation?
Many people were compelled to alter their habits as a result of the pandemic, therefore they started studying and working from home. Working from home was challenging for many people, and many began to complain about their lack of ambition and lethargy.
To produce their best work, some people simply preferred to work in teams. Workations consequently grew popular during the summer after the outbreak.
Working from home while on holiday is possible during workations, which can boost output and increase motivation while also enhancing lifestyle. For instance, you may rent a chalet in the mountains for a week and work remotely for your full-time position.
Workations are a form of “bleisure” travel, which combines business and pleasure travel. After a work trip in a foreign city, staying put for a weekend or an extra week was so simple.
However, virtual holidays have become more popular as business travel has been curtailed in an effort to safeguard employees’ health.
A lot of collaboration and communication tools come in handy when you’re on a workation. This is because all your communication efforts are fulfilled easily while still being away from your traditional workspace. However, having a good collaboration tool like Chanty can make the process easier and more effective.
Types of workations
Short-term workation
This kind of workation lasts for a few days, similar to a weekend getaway or three-day midweek travel. This type of workation is mostly close to your home city/area. For instance, a resident of Los Angeles can go on a brief business vacation to Phoenix, Arizona.
Medium-term workation
Longer than short-term workations, medium-term workations span a few weeks to roughly a month, and the destination is typically farther away. These types of trips are mostly taken within your home country.
Long-term workation
Long-term workations might last anything from a few months to a few years. These workations entail a temporary move to another site. They may entail moving abroad or to a neighboring country, necessitating a visa.
Group workation
“We need a vacation” – is that what you and the group keep saying? Group workation often lasts a few days to a week, and is planned by your organization for a group of employees.
Solo workation
If you’re in a vacation mode, but no one else is, then a solo workation is just the thing for you. This is a type of workaction where individual employees go on solo trips and work therein.
To make the process of a workation more fun and less frustrating, you need the right tools to help you with it. Tools like Chanty will not only help with productivity during a workation, but also enhance the communication efforts whether you are on a solo or group workation.
Pros of a workation
Ever felt the need to be on a vacation mode and still work? Workation is a win-win situation for everyone that feels this way. And sometimes even best for those who don’t.
They are perfect if you provide limitless vacation time to your employees. Someone might go on a workation as opposed to vanishing for weeks on end.
It’s a great approach to strike a balance between productivity and absence, keeping things moving along while keeping everyone’s smiles bright.
Workations also provide you with more time to travel than a typical vacation, allowing you to experience the world while still making money. That’s just simply amazing!
Other advantages of a workation include:
- Boost in motivation
- Breakthroughs in creativity
- Increase in employee retention
- Rise in productivity
Cons of a workation
Going on a workation is not going to be enjoyable for every employee. This is why:
- Some workers favor working in an office environment
- Time spent engaging in recreational activities could be taken away from work
- Interrupting the concept of work-life balance by working while on a vacation
- Workations could be pricey
While some employees like the idea of working from home, others may not like it. Sometimes, employees favor working in an office setting where they can complete their duties and socialize with coworkers.
Working while on vacation is contrary to the concept of work-life balance. Workations can occasionally backfire, especially if you spend more time enjoying yourself than working.
Workations may also lead to a loss of work-life balance.
Employees aren’t meant to work while on vacation, right? The distinction between work and leisure is muddled by their combination. As a result, some workers on work breaks may start to mix business and personal life.
Workations come with additional costs, even though they may save commute time and cost. Travel, lodging, food, and other living expenses can add up rapidly. Workation can therefore be costly, especially if employees must go far away.
Top 10 countries to go to for a workation
Over 150 places from various countries are listed as working vacation destinations in the Holidu Workation Index 2021.
The index was calculated depending on the rent of apartments per month, the strength of the Wi-Fi, the expense of drinks, and the variety of activities. These data were obtained from a variety of sources, including BestCities.org and Tripadvisor.co.uk.
The top 10 destinations for business vacations are Thailand, India, Portugal, Argentina, Spain, Hungary, Turkey, Romania, South Africa, and Brazil.
According to Holidu, Thailand is the best country for a work vacation this year because of the reasonably priced accommodations, high level of English language competency, global corporate offices, sights, and top-notch services. The cost of living is moderate in all of these countries.
The top 6 workation necessities for a fun and effective time
Since working from home has become the new standard, workations are becoming very popular. Travel enthusiasts are rushing to reserve picturesque getaways where they may conduct business while visiting nearby attractions. These items are absolute needs:
External hard drive
Any working vacation must have data storage as a necessary component. If your laptop runs out of space while you are in the mountains, bring an external hard drive with you to store any extra work and backup copies of your work. It can be upsetting to have to erase part of your files because there isn’t enough room.
Or you can just go for a collaboration tool like Chanty and have everything saved in the cloud without worrying about carrying a hard drive and the fear of losing it (along with all your important data).
Headphones
Bring some sturdy headphones, especially ones with noise-canceling capabilities. There will always be other guests attempting to have a nice time, whether you stay at a resort or hotel. That shouldn’t interfere with your business meetings.
Foldable tables
Your health will benefit from having your laptop on an elevated table by preventing significant issues like back and eye pain. Always bring a small folding table with you when working, or check in advance to see if your hotel has one.
Powerbanks
Never rule out the possibility of power outages in unfamiliar locations. Your place of residence could occasionally experience brief power outages. For emergencies, you should always have a power bank nearby for your phone and laptop.
Documents
For paperwork, you can never be too prepared. All of your crucial personal and professional information should be scanned and saved for later use. These records might always be useful if you need to transmit any necessary information while you are abroad.
First-aid kits
A medical kit with necessary medications, bandages, thermometer, pain relief remedies, crêpe bandages, allergies, etc. should always be carried. Include some bug repellents, sting relievers, safety pins, scissors, tweezers, and sting relief products.
Since you still need to work to support yourself when in the wild, self-care is essential. Keep in mind that prevention is always preferable to treatment.
You should definitely try workation
Traveling while taking a break from work can be a fun way to revitalize yourself and see the world from a different angle.
A growing number of people are fleeing their daily routines in favor of new locations where they can work remotely while on vacation. There are no established standards when it comes to the specifics because the idea of workation is still in its early stages.
For some, it might be a complete office with workstations, conference rooms, and telecommunications. Others might only need a desk or table with a connection to the internet and some privacy. The key is that your workation is determined by how you choose to complete it, not by the type of work you perform.
By combining both work and a vacation, the workation can be a great way to explore new places while still getting things done. They can also be a great way to get the most out of your career.