What is “workation” and why is it gaining popularity worldwide?

Tired of working from the office or home? Need a break? Want to take your work to a beach, a resort or maybe to another city? "Workation" could be the solution that can provide a much-needed break without making you miss that work deadline.

The concept of workation is not brand new. Digital nomads have been working remotely — seizing the chance to take their work wherever they go, provided that place has good Wi-Fi service.

The pandemic has changed the employment landscape, giving a huge boost to remote working. A recent survey by GlobalData showed that people want to spend less time in the office post Covid-19.

According to a report published in BBC, there's no sign of workcations slowing down as firms are still allowing remote work policies. Last year, a whopping 85% of 3,000 Indian workers said in a poll that they took a workcation in 2021.

WHAT IS WORKATION?

Workation merges the words "work" and "vacation". A workation involves an employee taking a short or long vacation but still giving full output.

A workation could be a few days or even a few months long, and the employee could be in their own country or any other.

It's a more structured version of planned activities often in amazing locations.

Taking a workation is only possible thanks to dozens of tools and communication platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom, and smooth Wi-Fi connection available at the location.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Workations can be a win-win for employers and employees. There are a number of ways changing a work environment can be beneficial. Research shows that travel and exposure to various environments can change the brain's neural pathways and make people think more creatively.

Flexible working hours increase productivity as employees escape from their usual commitments and since there is no daily commute and no external distractions.

As studies and surveys suggest, workations are popular because remote work offers adaptable ways to increase employee productivity and job satisfaction.

Workations give employees a chance to escape the routine of the workplace. The monotony of working in the same place every day is broken.

Workations can help employees create free time and reduce burnout.

Workations allow employees to spend their free time on interests and activities for which they typically have little time while in the office. The idea is that the employee won't stay chained to their workstation the whole day, preventing burnout.

CHALLENGES OF A WORKATION

Studies have shown that not all employees prefer working remotely. Some workers prefer the office environment where they perform their duties as they interact with other employees.

Workations can occasionally backfire, especially if you spend more time in leisure than working. Workations may also lead to a loss of work-life balance.

While workations might save time and money associated with commuting, they come with additional expenses. Traveling, food, accommodation, and additional living costs can quickly pile up. And that's why, workations can be expensive.

Thus, the success of a workation is largely determined by how well you manage your time.