Workation on Lake Maggiore - a model with a future
Without doubt, Lake Maggiore is one of the most beautiful travel destinations in the world. It is a holiday paradise that makes the hearts of nature lovers, sun worshippers and water babies beat faster. Numerous smaller and larger towns have settled beside and among the high rock faces and flat valleys. The many little fishing villages invite you to dream. It is little wonder that many visitors would rather not go home at all after their holiday. But the thought of the work back home, which paid for the holiday in the first place, soon makes the wish fade. Thanks to workation, however, this is no longer strictly necessary today.
Workation - working wherever you like
The portmanteau word "workation" combines the English words "work" and "vacation". It stands for the deliberate combination of work and holiday. In practice, workation means relocating your workplace to an "attractive" place or a holiday destination. As a look at the TUI Workation Index shows, the concept is growing in popularity.
Unlike concepts such as "work and travel", however, the aim of a workation is not to find various jobs tied to a particular place, but to carry on your existing job independently of location. Your usual profession therefore goes with you wherever you choose to go.
Who is a workation suited to?
The digitalisation of the working world is advancing rapidly, so it is no longer only digital nomads or social media personalities who can work remotely. In an age in which flexible ways of working such as working from home have become part of everyday life, many professions can set up their virtual workplace - at least temporarily - anywhere in the world. Whether in Premeno, the tourist centre in the mountainous hinterland of Verbania, or in Sesto Calende where the Ticino flows out of the southern end of Lake Maggiore, a stable internet connection is often all you need to work from anywhere.
Professions well suited to combining work and holiday include IT, marketing and search engine optimisation, human resources development, and writing, graphic design and photography. Bookkeeping and tax consulting are also suited to a flexible change of workplace.
The benefits of a workation at a glance
Work-life balance is greatly improved by the opportunity to work where others holiday. This flexibility allows you to unwind, which helps effectively to prevent stress and burnout. This benefit is not only for employees but also for the company.
An attractive environment is also motivating, lifts the mood and so boosts performance. In addition, a successful workation allows employees to gather a range of life experiences. These include unforgettable memories and positive side effects such as broadened horizons, greater self-confidence, better language skills and improved self-organisation.
A workation also offers unlimited opportunities for networking. In many sectors and modern companies with international links or even offices abroad, employees who otherwise only know each other from video calls can get together. A face-to-face meeting, an afternoon coffee or a beer after work cannot be replaced by video conferencing. Such personal contacts can make a big difference and lead to effective, constructive and easy-going collaboration.
Anyone who wants to benefit from these and many other advantages should talk to their employer or, if self-employed, explore their personal options.