Jade Boerdijk
Anyone who says work and relaxation don't go together has never been on a workation. Make no mistake: a workation is no longer just for influencers working on their laptops from Bali. More and more companies are also consciously sending their teams away for a few days to work from a different location. Why? Because it works, both literally and figuratively.
A workation is exactly what the word implies: a combination of work and location. A temporary workplace somewhere other than the office, often abroad or from an inspiring setting closer by. And it's much more than that. A workation is an investment in your team, your culture, and your creativity. Because when you zoom out together, you often come closer together.
You might think: why would I invest in a working retreat when everyone can just sit at the office? That's precisely the point. A different environment means different energy. Completely removed from routines and disconnected from daily worries. This yields more than just fun photos in the group chat. 3 benefits:
In the office, everyone thinks from their own role. During a workation, those fixed boundaries disappear. Suddenly, you're brainstorming creative content with the finance manager or discovering that your HR colleague has brilliant ideas for customer experience. A new dynamic emerges in a new environment. Really schedule work sessions, but keep them lighthearted. The best plans often arise in the moments in between.
During a workation, there's room for in-depth work and out-of-the-box thinking. Because you're completely away from it all, it literally creates space in your head. And a brainstorm on the beach or on a mountaintop? There's a good chance ideas will emerge that you would never have thought of at the office. Also, give people the freedom to do nothing for a while. It's precisely those moments that often yield something surprising.
Cooking together, hiking, enjoying a glass of wine on the terrace in the evening. A workation is a mini-expedition. And nothing connects people as strongly as creating memories together. Whether it's getting lost in an unfamiliar village or winning a self-made quiz. The team spirit grows by the day. Combine substance with fun. Morning programs with strategy and afternoons full of experiences. The result: a team that not only works well together but also truly understands each other.
Many companies claim that culture is important. In the office, this culture often gets stuck at goodies with the company logo, a Friday afternoon drink, and a Christmas gift package. A workation shows what your organization stands for. It is a place where values come to life and where people feel: I want to belong here. Let your employees think along about how it is organized. Then it becomes their workation, not an imposed outing from above.
A workation isn't a vacation. It's a conscious choice to invest in your people and in what they can achieve together. You show that you provide trust, offer space, and dare to innovate. This is not only attractive to your current team but also to new talent you want to attract.
Whether you're going to Lisbon for a week, heading into the Ardennes, or simply renting a farmhouse in the Veluwe for a few days: a workation is all about connection. And that involves quite a bit of organization. Searching for a suitable location, putting together a program, transportation, budget. Guess what: we'll help you with that.
Ready for a next-level team experience?
Dionne Jonker
Project Manager
