A workation doesn’t just benefit me; it’s a win for the organization too. I structured the memo around these key arguments:
Increased productivity:
Employees working from inspiring locations often experience higher levels of creativity and productivity. A change of scenery fosters a fresh kind of focus. Hours worked in such an environment are of higher quality than at home, and exposure to new cultures and experiences leads to new ideas and motivation.
Tasks that tend to be left undone at the office suddenly get tackled. I included examples of departmental goals that could be achieved during a workation.
Better work-life balance:
Combining work with a vacation-like setting helps reduce stress and improve employee well-being. Studies show that this can reduce absenteeism by several percentage points when integrated into broader HR policies.
Employees rest better, experience less stress, and have the flexibility to structure their workday. Plus, who wouldn’t notice your positive energy during a video call? Alongside mental benefits, employees can also enhance their physical fitness with workouts and personal fitness programs.
More flexibility:
Instead of taking two or three weeks off entirely, employees remain active and available, ensuring work continues without delays. Employees enjoy the vacation atmosphere while staying productive, even using fewer vacation days.
Employees might agree to use one day per week as a vacation day during the workation or attach vacation days to the end of their trip.
Lower costs:
Flights and accommodations are significantly cheaper outside school holidays. Additionally, with strategic justification for the business benefits of workations, such costs can often be fully deducted as business expenses in the Netherlands, provided they’re not perceived as purely personal benefits.
Team-building opportunities:
Our purchasing department is currently setting up a new procurement system. All customer and product data still needs to be structured, and all processes need testing. A two-week workation could greatly accelerate this process as a team.
Spending a week together under the sun fosters deeper connections among colleagues. Plus, it facilitates learning from each other, crucial when implementing new processes. Stronger relationships lead to months and years of better teamwork back at the office.
Returning even more motivated:
Employees return to the office full of fresh ideas, strengthened relationships, and renewed energy. Collaboration becomes easier and more enjoyable, benefiting the entire company.
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Examples of successful Workations at other companies
I gathered examples of companies like Whello, Incentro, KPMG, Spotler, and more, showcasing the advantages of workations. Some key insights and results from these cases included:
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Increased employee satisfaction and productivity:
Many companies reported that employees felt happier and were more productive after a workation. In fact, overall productivity often increased by a measurable 17%.
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Reduced absenteeism:
Workations, as part of a broader well-being strategy, realistically lowered absenteeism by 5-10%.
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Higher employee retention:
Workations made employees feel valued and demonstrated the company’s commitment to their well-being. Engaged employees were, on average, 17% more productive and 41% less likely to switch jobs (source: Gallup).
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Enhanced employer branding:
Workations made companies more attractive to top talent, increasing job applications by 20-30%. This also boosted employee pride and loyalty, as they were proud to work for an innovative, forward-thinking company.
- Strategy and tips for success:
- Employees could request two weeks of workation annually, with clear agreements on deliverables, work hours, and availability.
- Ensure thorough planning by creating a document outlining expectations with input from all relevant departments.
- Maintain regular contact with the office team to keep everything running smoothly.
- Use secure communication channels (Teams) and set up backups for technical issues (WhatsApp).
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For now, I had a new mission: to prepare for the most important conversation of my year with Martijn. I was ready to present my case—and, if necessary, to argue my way through every objection he might have. 😜
Tomorrow, I would make a difference in our company’s approach to improving employee well-being!
Wednesday: The big question
