Are “Work Vacations” The Future Of Teleworking?

by Paul Rudo on 25/06/12 at 8:15 pm

According to a study conducted by Michigan State University, changes in technology and the increasing availability of reliable internet access has caused a dramatic increase in the number of people using the Internet while on vacation.

The survey found that smartphone use while on vacation has recently tripled. And at the same time, 40 percent of respondents said that they use the Internet while on vacation. This number is expected to sharply rise as Internet quality in remote rural areas and developing countries continues to increase and become more accessible.

Today, it’s natural for travellers to take their laptops with them, and to simply assume that their resort or hotel will have free WiFi access.

A the same time, we’re also beginning to see a greater trend towards teleworking.

Companies are increasingly offering incentives for their employees to bring in their own equipment, and work through SaaS applications and VDI clients.
At the same time, we’re beginning to see larger companies allow their workers to work from home. This helps reduce office overhead and associated expenses, while also creating benefits which help attract and retain quality employees.

Within the next few years, it’s natural to assume that even the most remote vacation locations and resorts will have reliable, fast, clear Internet connections for their guests. And when combined with a new mobile – work-from-anywhere – workforce, we’ll begin to see the rise of a new kind of vacation venue.

In the very near future, we’ll begin to see resorts with fully-equipped office facilities and high-quality business-grade Internet connectivity. Included, would be amenities such as video conferencing hardware, break rooms, board rooms, mail rooms, temporary administrative assistants for hire for common tasks, desks, private cubicles, soundproofing, and more.

This would be very similar to the executive suites which are commonly used by entrepreneurs and business travellers, but they will be integrated into the vacation package.

Workers will be able to take their families on vacation, and work from the beach in Barbados, Thailand, Indonesia or Argentina. And as soon as 5-o-clock rolls around, you head out and join your family at the resort. This lifestyle would allow knowledge-workers to travel the world without taking any time off.

Some of you reading this may think this trend will never catch on because business executives would be reluctant to give up this much control. But the trend towards teleworking is steadily growing, and the demand for these new vacation options will inevitably take over.

As it stands, these types of accommodations are not yet common at resorts. However, they are a standard fixture at hotels which cater to business clientele… and they are an important selection criteria amongst their customers.

It may also take some cultural adjustment, since the idea of mixing “work and pleasure” is seen as inappropriate by many within North American culture. However, attitudes may relax as increasing economic pressures causes vacation time allocations to become reduced.

Are you still skeptical about that this trend will someday become an inevitable reality? Consider a recent study by Intel where nearly half of all respondents actually suffered mental anxiety as a result of being separated from their mobile computing devices (Laptop, Smartphone, Tablet, etc…) while on vacation. In fact, 63% of young travellers surveyed actually indicated that they would be willing to forgo personal hygiene in order to power their technology while on vacation.