Work(vac)ation. Quietly, this word creation has crept into our linguistic usage. A short time ago, they would not have been associated- what did work and vacation have to do with each other? Now, after a year and a half of pandemic, the terms seem to be almost connected. We'll tell you what's behind the term workation.
Have you ever thought about exchanging your old desk for a beautiful place somewhere in the world, which at the same time promotes productivity and efficiency of your work, invites you to relax and gives you a constant vacation feeling? The Corona pandemic has already shown us that working from home can work very well in a wide variety of industries...
So why not look for a new (temporary) "home" and perform work remote from a place that inspires you and simply does you good?! The relatively new work model workation is a new trend that is not only reserved for digital nomads, freelancers, solo self-employed etc.. With increasing digitization of workflows in organizations, as well as the possibilities of working from home offices, workation also lends itself to many employees from a wide range of industries.
It is a concept for traveling workers or working travelers. At first glance, you might think that the two terms are contradictory; those who work don't take vacations and those who take vacations don't work. At second glance, however, you realize that this hasn't applied to workers for a long time. They read and answer emails while on vacation, participate in video conferences in hotel rooms, or compare vendor quotes between breakfast on the hotel porch and a walk to the beach. In contrast to such situations, workation goes a significant step further: work and vacation take place in a conscious and planned combination. That involves a clear and open communication between the parties (employee and employer).
The actual implementation of a workation can, of course, be designed individually - and ideally in coordination with the employer. Conceivable examples would be:
- longer workdays than normal to allow for days when less work is done (e.g., earlier start to the weekend?)
- alternating between "normal" work and vacation on a weekly basis
- one week of "normal" working time, two weeks of vacation and again one week of "normal" working time
- reducing the number of normal working hours in order to use more time for "vacation activities" (one or two vacation days per week in order to take full advantage of a long weekend)
As long as the participants can agree on a workation model, there are no limits to the imagination... Whether alone or in company, whether for two weeks or two months, whether in one or ten locations...
You can design your workation the way it is best for you. Your interest has been aroused and you also want to experience the adventure of a workation? Then talk to your supervisor today and tell him about your plans! If you're still looking for suitable arguments, then just take a look at our blog entry "Arguments and tips how to convince your boss about remote working“! 😊