Escaping Winter with Workations: A Modern Benefit for Employees

The colder season often makes employees dream of warmer destinations or inspiring mountain retreats. Today, more and more professionals want the freedom to combine work and leisure at attractive locations – a trend known as workation. For companies, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge: how to enable this flexibility while keeping legal, organizational, and cultural aspects in mind.

At Vamoz, we believe that workations are more than just a perk. They are part of a broader transformation in how companies approach New Work, international HR, and talent retention.

What Exactly is a Workation?

The word workation combines “work” and “vacation.” It describes a form of working where employees temporarily relocate to another destination, often a leisure or holiday setting, while continuing their professional tasks remotely.

Workations usually last anywhere from a few days to several weeks, sometimes even months. Employees often extend their regular vacation with additional working days, so they can enjoy a longer stay without using up all their paid leave.

The purpose is clear: achieve better work-life balance by combining productivity with the restorative benefits of a new environment. For companies, this flexibility can strengthen their employer brand and reduce the risk of losing valuable talent in a competitive job market.

Why Workations Matter for Companies

The New Work generation values autonomy, flexibility, and meaningful experiences. Workations directly address these expectations:

• Higher employee satisfaction: A change of scenery boosts creativity, motivation, and energy.

• Talent retention & attraction: Offering workations sets employers apart in a tight labor market.

• Preventing burnout: Workations can act as a proactive well-being strategy.

• Team building potential: Companies can also organize team workations at inspiring destinations, blending collaboration with shared experiences.

Hotels, resorts, and coworking providers are increasingly adapting to this demand, offering dedicated spaces and services for professionals working from abroad.

Opportunities and Challenges

Benefits for employees and companies

• Better work-life balance without reducing salary or using additional leave

• Stronger employer branding and higher loyalty

• Boost in energy, creativity, and productivity

Potential challenges

• Additional compliance checks regarding taxation, visas, and social security

• Infrastructure and security requirements (stable internet, safe data access)

• Coordination challenges due to time zones

What Employers Should Clarify

Before approving or launching a workation program, companies need to evaluate potential risks and establish clear guidelines. Key questions include:

• Legal & tax: Does working abroad create tax or permanent establishment risks?

• Visa & permits: Are employees legally allowed to work in the destination country?

• Insurance & social security: How are employees covered in case of illness or accident abroad?

• Data protection: Are connections secure enough to ensure compliance?

• Expectations: How should employees balance work output and availability during a workation?

Without clear answers, both employees and employers may face unexpected complications.

Conclusion

Workations are more than a trend – they are a strategic tool for the future of work. They allow employees to recharge while staying productive and help companies position themselves as modern, attractive employers.

When handled thoughtfully and with clear rules, workations create win-win situations: satisfied employees, stronger employer branding, and sustainable productivity.

At Vamoz, we support companies in navigating this journey – so workations can truly become a benefit, not a burden. If you need inspiration for possible workation-destinations, check out our blog here. If you wish to find out more about our solution, book a demo now!