Workation is on everyone's lips. Social media is full of posts and colourful pictures of employees who are not working in the office or from their mobile office at home, but abroad. This working model describes a concept that combines work and vacation, i.e. it combines both. We at catworkx also offer our colleagues the opportunity to take a workation.
Our marketing employee Angelika recently tried out this concept. She reports on her first experience with workation. Ann-Katrin, our HR manager, explains the topic again from an organisational perspective and provides useful tips.
Angelika: My name is Angelika and I am an editor and marketing communications manager at catworkx. I have been working from home in Hamburg, or rather from my mobile office, for almost three years now. So far, it has been working wonderfully. There have been no restrictions on productivity whatsoever. So I was delighted to hear that catworkx now offers the option of applying for a workation. I have a few friends and family members who live in other European countries, but I don't usually have enough time to visit them, especially as a motorcyclist, as the journeys are long and time-consuming. That will change if I can add one, two or more days to a weekend. And that's where catworkx's workation offer comes in.
Ann-Katrin: We have been offering workation since 1 September 2022. We see it as an opportunity, a further development and a great advantage – and not just for our colleagues. We as a company also benefit from the advantages of working from holiday destinations. Travelling and working abroad creates new perspectives and offers our employees greater flexibility. The opportunity to create more flexibility and thus contribute to a better work-life balance is particularly important to us.
Angelika: Yes, I can definitely agree with that. It has given me incredible freedom. A new way of combining both things well. Even though I wasn't travelling to Brussels on my motorbike in February/March – it was still too cold for that ;-) – I was able to help my daughter move house and support her during her first few days in her new city. While she makes her way to the office in the morning, I have the opportunity to work at her desk in her new flat in a listed building in the charming Ixelles district. Of course, I also have a secure and reliable WiFi connection here. I checked that beforehand.
Ann-Katrin: That's a good idea. There are indeed a few things that need to be taken care of in order to be able to go on a workation. For example, GDPR-compliant working conditions and a fully equipped office space with a working internet connection must be guaranteed at the destination. In addition, international health insurance must be taken out. That's why workations must be officially applied for. This serves to avoid excessive mixing of professional and private life, to comply with the relevant labour law protection regulations, to ensure data protection requirements are met and to avoid undesirable tax and social security consequences. With a structured application and approval process, we provide appropriate protection for our colleagues and our company. The procedure is quick and straightforward.
Angelika: That's how it was for me too. After I had explained my request and sent the email, I received a response within a day – with a ‘GO’. Of course, I had found out in advance when, where and how I could work and communicated this accordingly.
Ann-Katrin: What might be important to mention at this point is that temporary work from abroad is for private reasons. Your own company, in this case catworkx, does not cover any associated costs, such as transport and accommodation.
Angelika: Which I also find logical. I have to pay for my own travel and holidays – this isn't a business trip, after all.
Ann-Katrin: So how does your workation feel?
Angelika: I am extremely happy about this opportunity. For me, this expansion is a logical decision on the part of my employer. It's not a big change, because almost 100% of meetings are now held virtually anyway.
I think it's great that my employer has also opened up to this expansion (working in other European countries), established appropriate regulations, tips and information, and distributed them to all employees. This allows everyone to research in advance whether and how a workation is worthwhile or possible. I see this as a great step forward and an opportunity to combine my personal and professional lives.
Today, after work, I'm going out with my daughter to watch the sunset over the Grote Markt. I'm very grateful for this opportunity alone.
