Workation: the new work-from-anywhere standard for employees

“Workation” options allow employees greater flexibility around remote working. Sion Lewis at GoTo explains how to make them work for your business

As the backbone of the British economy, SMBs account for three-fifths of the employment and around half of the turnover in the UK private sector, according to insight from FSB. But, despite their importance across industries, SMBs are facing a critical challenge in terms of attracting and retaining talent.

In SMBs there’s an issue with delivering benefits and incentives to keep employees happy. According to research from Unum, over a third (37%) of UK SMBs haven’t reassessed staff benefits since the start of the pandemic, despite nearly four in five (78%) stating benefits are key to retaining talent.

In addition, as the Great Resignation washes over industries, four out of ten (40%) employees said a better benefits package would sway them towards a new employer.

With the war for talent ongoing, businesses need to keep their salary and benefits packages fresh for employees. If leaders want to attract and retain the right people for the job, then they need to ensure that they are offering things like flexibility and scope to reinvigorate roles.

One way this can be achieved is by giving ‘workation’ options that let employees take charge of their remote work and wellbeing more effectively.

Logistical challenges when working abroad

Given that it’s a new precedent for employees maximising remote work potential, there is not yet a legal basis for workation in the UK. But if the employment contract contains an agreement for remote work, there is nothing to prevent the temporary relocation of the workplace, provided the employee is in his or her own country.

However, if the place of work is abroad or the trip is a significant length of time, arrangements become more complicated.

Among other aspects, it must be clarified at what point the workation is considered a "move" abroad. Then the employment has consequences on the payroll, since the payroll department has to comply with the tax laws and conditions in the host country. Dealing with specific country tax regulations is an added complexity for HR managers to pick up and not something they’ll typically have the experience or time to manage for multiple employees relocating.   

In addition, not all countries and infrastructures are designed for remote work. It is therefore important to check in advance what the accommodation looks like, and whether the workplace permits ergonomic and trouble-free working.

The work discipline factor should also not be underestimated. Anyone who already finds it difficult to concentrate in the home office will be distracted even more quickly by the view of the sea. Workation – like remote work – is not everyone’s cup of tea. But if you embrace the following when planning, you can look forward to a relaxing break from the office routine.

Planning for workations

 1. Assess the choice of the country and how it affects payroll – in the employee’s own country, if there is an appropriate arrangement for remote work and if the job permits, the employee is free to decide from which location he or she works. If the place of work moves abroad, the tax law applicable there must be taken into account. There may also be important differences in social security when working outside the EU, depending on the agreements between the respective countries.

2. Gauge whether there’s good WiFi capability – hotels and holiday apartments are often equipped with WiFi. However, it is important that the network is sufficient in your own room to be able to work undisturbed and participate in video conferences. Guest reviews can provide information about whether the WiFi is reliable, but consider contacting the reception or the landlord to be on the safe side.

3. Ensure you have spacious working conditions – hotel rooms are often small. There is sometimes hardly any space next to the bed to put down a suitcase. However, the hotel may have a communal work area for guests. Of course, upgrading is also a possibility. Holiday apartments offer more space and fulfil the basic requirements for laptop work with a dining table.

4. Keep wellbeing front-and-centre – workation is a way to escape from everyday office life. A workplace with a view of the countryside or the sea clears the mind and inspires productivity. Grey walls and an office atmosphere are familiar enough at home. However, the risk of distraction is also much greater; a high degree of self-discipline is therefore important.

5. Account for time differences – work is made more difficult if the employee is in a different time zone. Whether it’s a team meeting or a customer call, the time difference must always be taken into account. It may also be necessary to reschedule regular catchups because they are not compatible with working hours abroad.

6. Communicate and collaborate effectively – consider using asynchronous channels. Allowing the team members to exchange information instantly, regardless of location, can increase productivity thanks to fewer superfluous meetings and more control over time management. Teams can communicate and collaborate effectively without relying exclusively on scheduled meetings.

Planning and support

 Workations can be a breeze when they’re mapped out and supported. Taking advantage of flexibility is at the top of the agenda for many employees. Research by Ipsos has revealed that 6 in 10 are in favour of a law giving employees the ‘right to disconnect’. And, to combat burnout, technology is enabling employees to take charge of where and when they work.

A workation is not something that can be engineered overnight. A workation requires planning on the part of the employee and consideration on part of the employer, and there need to be checks in place to ensure that there isn’t a dip in productivity because of it.

But with the right strategy in place, it can prove a great way for employees to reinvent their roles, and for employers to demonstrate the trust they place in their workforce.

Exploring workations can also offer SMBs a chance to review tech stacks. We know that SMBs signed up for many different tools to survive the sudden remote working situation in 2020, but now they have a duplication of services, licenses, and costs. These types of businesses need technology now; they need it to be easy to manage, easy to deploy and affordable.

With ongoing simplification and consolidation of IT, companies can empower staff to take charge of remote capabilities – to roam more freely through workations, and work efficiently outside centralised office spaces.

Sion Lewis is General Manager EMEA, GoTo

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com