Teesside not Thailand: why I’m not buying the workation hype

Last month, my workplace rolled out a new employee benefit. All in-office staff, HR said, would be able to work from anywhere in the world for two weeks out of the year.

Known as a workation, the policy is increasingly common at businesses. Immediately, my colleagues began listing the dreamy locations they would jet off to in the Christmas holidays. Thailand. Bali. Rio. In short; all the hotspots that have been rolling out Digital Nomad visas in an effort to entice pasty UK office workers and boost tourism spending.

For me, however, there was only one place on the cards: the North East of England. More specifically, Teesside, where I grew up. Dull? Probably. I suppose I see it as the modern work perk version of a staycation.

There is something about remote and hybrid work culture that has become associated with far flung destinations you’re told about via the Instagram algorithm. Yet in my opinion, the digital nomad lifestyle sounds less luxurious behind the screen.

Redcar beach is a far cry from Bali. Still, being able to spend a decent chunk of time with family and friends who don’t often venture down South — as well as return to my local for a very affordable pint — brings plenty of real, if not reel, benefits.

Kudos to anyone who can tear themselves out of the pool, but I’d also rather rub sun cream in my eyes than Work From Hols. To me, the pros (post-work drinks at the beach, not the pub) can’t outweigh the cons (where feeling burnout is a bigger risk than sunburn).

That’s also the reason I can’t get behind the ‘quiet vacationing’ trend. “Let’s dial into a Zoom call from my Polish hotel, and try my best to look and behave as if I’m in an office in Slough! Hope my boss doesn’t notice I’m eating Pirozhki!”

The old saying tells us, ‘If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.’ But even if you do love your job, you will still be at work (typically for 229 days a year, unless you work for a company with a four-day week) and therefore you will still need time off.

That’s what makes holiday entitlement so sacred. When I annoy locals by booking an AirBnB, I want to search for the Lisbon flat with amazing city views, the prettiest Manueline architecture, and (preferably) those window blinds you can control with a remote. I don’t want to be researching internet speeds to check I can attend my weekly 121 with my manager next Thursday. Surely the point of a break from work is to have, eh-hem, a break?

I fear I am in the minority. Workations are becoming more popular. Work-life balance has taken on new meaning for hybrid workers since 2020. Where it used to refer to making time for personal duties alongside professional, some newer interpretations involve melding both together until you can’t say where one begins and the other ends.

Take a holiday, but also be at work. Go on a break, but be always-on. Work flexibly, but return to the office. Viewed collectively, these post-COVID work trends tell a tale of worker denial that you’re on the clock, even while being plonked in front of the monitor.

Especially today, with some businesses prioritising people over profits, it is tempting to see workations as the best of both worlds. As bosses may argue: surely a beachside bonus is a way to guarantee productivity alongside supporting employee health and wellbeing?

Businesses must ensure these kinds of blended leave sit alongside policies that create genuine space for staff to take rest breaks and disconnect from work.

While the allure of palm trees and piña coladas might be strong, the reality of balancing work and play in a foreign land is far less glamorous. One survey shows that 54% of Brits expect to work on annual leave, thanks to team members sending them work texts and emails.

The truth is, whether you’re in a tropical paradise or your parent’s living room, R&R requires more than a change of scenery. It’s about creating boundaries and facilitating downtime.

Perhaps the real workation revolution lies not in exotic locations, but in employers fostering a company culture where people can truly unplug and recharge. Wherever they may be.