Workation: Everything you need to know

synopsis

• Observe the legal framework. A work should be checked for legal rules/risks before it starts. In the EU/EEA area, travelers should, for example, a A1 certificate Carry with you. Furthermore, risks should be reviewed individually, regardless of duration and country, with regard to taxes, labor law, permanent establishment and immigration.
• Workation generally aims to offer employees new experiences, relaxation and flexibility. In addition, team building measures and international networking can be carried out on this basis.
• It is important that employees who work have a high sense of duty and self-organization in order to ensure the success of their work.
• In order to balance both work and relaxation during work, fixed working hours should be set.
• It is advisable to check the selected place of work in advance for the available equipment. A good telephone and Internet connection is particularly important to ensure reliable communication with colleagues and supervisors.

Workation: Definition

A combination of work and vacation is known as working. This artificial word originated from the English terms “work” and “vacation.” Workers can do their work at a nice location or even at a vacation spot. In contrast to “Work and Travel,” however, working is not about working different jobs at different locations. Instead, the existing job is moved from home to the chosen location and carried out from there.

Who is a workout suitable for?

Due to the ever faster pace of digitization in professional life, the opportunity to work on the go is no longer just available to digital nomads and influencers. As part of flexible forms of work such as teleworking and mobile working, it is now possible for a wide range of job profiles — both self-employed and employed — to set up the virtual desk worldwide. Professions in the areas of computer science, accounting and tax consulting, text, graphic and photo design, marketing and search engine optimization as well as personnel development are particularly suitable for work.

Workation: Requirements

In order for a work to be carried out to the satisfaction of all parties involved, a number of principles must be clarified in advance and certain requirements must be taken into account:

Working hours: It is necessary to have established working time guidelines to ensure that vacations do not get in the way of working.

Sense of duty: Working in another location requires an increased sense of duty, which not all employees have. Mutual trust, targeted agreements and open communication between employer and employee are the basis of profitable cooperation.

Suitable destination country: In the sense of a value-creating exchange between local employees and workers on Workation, the time zones should not be too far apart. In addition, the favored country must be reviewed with regard to the security situation and medical care.

planning: Flights and accommodation should be booked in advance and upcoming appointments should be confirmed by those responsible at the destination.

Predictive organization: If the whereabouts change, so do the circumstances. To ensure that work-relevant software, devices and means of payment work as usual abroad, precise information must be obtained and appropriate preparations must be made.

equipment: While the desk can be replaced by a coffee table or a beach lounger, a charged laptop, adequate telephone reception and a reliable WiFi connection are essential.

Funding: Depending on the destination country, location, accommodation and duration, a job involves increased costs. It is therefore important to clarify who bears which costs as soon as possible and to set the budget accordingly.

Health and insurance: Before employees are sent to work, comprehensive insurance coverage (including international health insurance) should be provided. Employers should also advise their employees to seek advice from a doctor regarding the required vaccination protection for the destination country.

Social security during a working session (A1 certificate)

In order to ensure continuous social security for employees during a working session, certain conditions must be met. This must not be a regular work activity and the work must take place within the EU or in one of the non-EU countries Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland or Norway.

If employment is held regularly in an EU country, the German social security status will continue to apply as long as the following criteria are met:

• The employees are employed by a German employer,
• They are domiciled in Germany and
• At least 25 percent of their work is done in Germany.

It should be noted that when working outside the EU, specific agreements between the countries concerned regulate the relevant social security measures.

Benefits of Workation

It offers employees the opportunity to work and live in a new place, get to know new cultures and increase their creativity and productivity. Workations can also help reduce the risk of burnout, as it allows employees to combine their work with their free time and recharge their batteries.

For companies, Workations can help increase employee satisfaction and productivity, improve employee retention, and reduce office space and infrastructure costs. Workations can also help provide access to a larger talent pool.

Workations challenges

Workations should be checked for legal rules/risks before they start. In the EU/EEA area, travelers should, for example, a A1 certificate Carry with you. Furthermore, risks should be individually reviewed for risks relating to tax, labor law, permanent establishment and immigration, regardless of duration and country.

FAQ

What is a Workation?

Workation is a work stay in a “beautiful” place. However, instead of accepting an employment relationship with an employer abroad, the tasks or responsibilities from an existing job are carried out at another workplace. Workation is suitable for employees as well as the self-employed.

Where can you do a workout?

In principle, the person concerned is free to choose a suitable destination for a planned work. However, factors such as time zone, security situation, medical care, equipment, etc. should be taken into account as a matter of urgency when making a decision.

How does a work ation work?

During a workout, employees complete tasks at a chosen vacation location. For a work station to work, binding agreements and a work-promoting environment are needed.

Is a workout allowed?

In most employment relationships, employment is legally possible, but depends on the consent of the employer. Once a transaction has been resolved, the legal basis and responsibilities must be defined in writing and appropriate insurance coverage must be provided.

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