Some staff go to great lengths to cover hush trips from their bosses.
But employees of the Polish company PhotoAid needn’t hassle.
The company, which helps travelers take their very own passport photos at home, allows its employees to remain at an apartment in Spain without cost — provided they work while they’re there.
The apartment is in Tenerife, the biggest of Spain’s Canary Islands, an archipelago west of Morocco. Employees can not sleep to a few weeks at a time and might visit as repeatedly in 12 months as they like, depending on demand from other employees.
The corporate reimburses half of employees’ airfare too, as much as 1,000 Polish zlotys ($246), annually. Flights from Warsaw to Tenerife can start at around $150 for a six-hour direct flight.
Employees can not sleep to a few weeks at a time on the Tenerife apartment and might visit as repeatedly as they like.
Source: PhotoAid
The corporate began renting the apartment in Tenerife’s capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in the summertime of 2022 as a approach to create relationships and construct morale amongst its employees, all of whom work remotely, said co-founder Rafal Mlodzki.
Plus, Mlodzki said he and the opposite co-founders, Marcin and Tomasz Mlodzki — who’re also his brothers — desired to offer an organization perk that will stand out.
How the ‘workcations’ work
PhotoAid is a small company with a young workforce, so most employees do not have children, said Mlodzki. But those that do are likely to group together and use the profit in the summertime months when schools are closed.
Employees can request to bring their partners too, which the corporate reviews on a case-by-case basis, he said.
Employees must abide by several rules, he said, similar to the check-in and check-out protocol. Employees must upload a photograph of the apartment on arrival, then do the identical on departure to point out the subsequent group of employees how they left it.
Workcation time spent in Tenerife doesn’t count as worker vacation time, which is as much as 26 days a 12 months, said PhotoAid co-founder Rafal Mlodzki.
Source: PhotoAid
On arrival, employees are assigned a cleansing task too, but the corporate hires knowledgeable cleaner for deep cleans, he said. While drinking wine on the balcony and chatting into the night are regular occurrences, employees are usually not allowed to drink during work hours, he said.
Mlodzki told CNBC Travel that employees wish to visit Tenerife with coworkers with shared interests. For instance, a recent group played sports of their free time, while one other group went to music concert events.
‘One of the best onboarding on the planet’
Around 50 of PhotoAid’s 143 employees have now stayed on the Tenerife apartment, many meeting their teammates in person for the primary time during their stays. Around 10 were onboarded as recent starters there too, said Mlodzki.
“One among the explanations we decided to open this office was the potential of offering the very best onboarding on the planet for senior team members. Those onboarded are usually not only thrilled but additionally deeply understand the corporate and their role in it,” said Mlodzki.
Coworkers with shared interests — similar to sports and music — travel to Tenerife together.
Source: PhotoAid
“Often, spontaneous moments occur. For instance, after a series of 45-minute sets with 10-minute breaks, we’d go on a mini mountain trip and proceed onboarding informally. It would even transition into a night on the terrace.
“We just onboarded our recent chief operating officer during a workation in Tenerife, and he was deeply impressed. He had never experienced an onboarding like this before.”
Two senior leaders have scheduled a strategic planning and brainstorming session on the apartment this winter, where average temperatures in January are 68 degrees Fahrenheit, higher than 34 F within the Polish capital of Warsaw.
The apartment
The three,200-square-foot apartment overlooks the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It has three bedrooms, a spacious lounge with board games, two balconies and a small gym. There are also eight workspaces with high-speed web, computer monitors and ergonomic chairs.
The apartment has eight workspaces with high-speed web, computer monitors and ergonomic chairs.
Source: PhotoAid
There is a bakery round the corner for fresh bread, with restaurants, bars, wineries, and vermuterias (bars specializing in Spanish vermouth) nearby.
Workation as a ‘wow’ factor
When she was interviewing, Aleksandra Staromiejska said the Tenerife profit made PhotoAid stand out. Now an organization digital public relations specialist, she stayed within the apartment for 2 weeks in May, together with a colleague from her team.
Aleksandra Staromiejska began her work days early to maximise her time on the beach, she said.
Source: Aleksandra Staromiejska
She began and finished her work early, she said, to spend as much time as possible on the beach, a 20-minute bus ride away. Over the weekend, she and her colleague went mountain climbing in Macizo de Anaga (Anaga mountains).
“I noticed my productivity levels were higher,” said Staromiejska. “I actually desired to do my job quickly so I could finish my work day and have time to go to the beach.”
Vacations to Spain’s Canary Islands are popular with employees of PhotoAid, an organization based within the much colder city of Warsaw, Poland.
Source: PhotoAid
“It was actually a really relaxing trip. Just being in nature is something else. My batteries were just charged up,” she said.
The Spanish apartment is usually mentioned in worker satisfaction surveys, said Mlodzki.
“Once we recruit, it’s a gorgeous profit that candidates all the time react positively to.”
A vacay with the boss?
Enamored by the culture and scenery, Mlodzki said he spends half his time in Warsaw and half his time in Tenerife, staying in the master suite at PhotoAid’s apartment.
Mlodzki acknowledged that some people might feel nervous about spending a lot time with their boss. (Indeed, Staromiejska admitted she did before her workation.) But he said it’s great for rapport.
“It’s super interesting for me to get to know more people. To offer and get feedback could be very enriching for me,” he said.
Rafal Mlodzki, Aleksandra Staromiejska and Michel Jonca. “It’s super interesting for me to get to know more people,” said co-founder Mlodzki.
Source: PhotoAid
From leasing the apartment to paying for workers’ flights, Mlodzki said the investment has been price it.
“We expect concerning the Tenerife office because the ‘company charger’ with the goal of reenergizing employees and boosting team spirits that may get depleted by distant work.”