Work’s a beach: is the new corporate ‘Workcation’ trend as sunny as it sounds?

Manchester, England. 17 July 2023 - A new workplace trend is sweeping the country this summer, with UK workers increasingly taking to the beach to carry out their roles.

In 2022, work from anywhere jobs were up 48% when compared to the previous year. Fast-forward to 2023, and a third of companies are believed to have ‘work from anywhere’ policies in place. They don’t just refer to working from the coffee shop on the corner, but from anywhere in the world.

Whilst at face value, this might seem like the perfect way to travel without using your all-important annual leave, it does pose a series of potential problems.

Kate Palmer, HR Advice & Consultancy Director at Peninsula, says “Employees’ needs and expectations have changed. Flexible working, including remote/hybrid working and flexi-hours arrangements, have become a priority for many to help achieve a better work-life balance. So, working from the beach or utilising work from anywhere policies, could sound like utopia for many a modern-day jobseeker.

“Working from the beach certainly has its upsides – more vitamin D for a start. However, it could end up leaving employees with more than just sunburn; they could be placing themselves at increased risk of burnout.

“Being in an exotic destination does not necessarily mean that an employee is getting all-important time away from work. Some employees are making the most of work from anywhere policies to extend family holidays – but it’s important that everyone has time to disconnect completely. And is it really a family holiday if mum or dad spends the majority of their time glued to the laptop or taking work calls?

“Thomas Cook cites one of the main perks of a work-from-anywhere policy as there being no need for employees to use as much annual leave. However, annual leave is key to maintaining motivation and engagement levels; where staff feel they don’t have sufficient time to recharge, they’re more likely to suffer from burnout.

“Employers should encourage employees to make full sure of their annual leave entitlement or consider enforcing holidays (with correct notice) if it’s clear the individual has not taken time off in a while.

“Regardless of whether work-from-anywhere policies are in place or not, employers have a duty to look after the mental wellbeing of staff. That includes protecting against ongoing and intense stress.

“One final thing to consider: whilst the world we live in is more connected than ever, work-from-anywhere policies also carry risk of lack of connection and culture within a team. It’s important to avoid proximity bias and ensure communication and engagement among colleagues – no matter where they are based.”

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