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Would you be tempted to stay a few more days at your vacation spot thanks to the magic of remote working? You are not alone. According to an Opinionway survey carried out in 2020, 42% of French people think that remote working will allow them to go on holiday more often during the year. Even if the fear of being less productive is a real one, 48% believe that working remotely in a vacation spot makes it possible to be more efficient than working from home. Read on for our Cooptalis experts’ advice for working remotely on holiday!
What does the law say about remote working at your vacation spot?
Do you have the right?
There is no law that prohibits remote working in a place other than one's home (e.g. café, coworking place, second home, vacation spot, etc.).
However, your company may have a work charter or a collective agreement in which there are rules governing the practice of remote working. In these documents, the employer can, for example, require that remote working be carried out in a coworking place, that the employee must define in advance one or more remote working places or that the telework be carried out only at home. However, these requirements must be justified and motivated.
Otherwise, the employer can refuse a request for remote working at a holiday location but this refusal must also be motivated by a legitimate reason such as the need to be nearby in case of a problem, or the lack of security of personal information.
Should you inform your supervisor?
It is not recommended to move to another location without informing your supervisor.Firstly, for safety reasons. The employer must be able to ensure your safety in your workplace. If something happens to you, informing them will allow it to be considered an accident at work. Secondly, confidence at work is important, and all the more so in the context of remote working. Abusing it could jeopardise your remote working authorisation.
How can you stay productive at your vacation spot?
The place
The main risk of working from your vacation spot is distraction. You will be tempted to settle down peacefully in the sun. But between the kids playing in the pool, the cousin who listens to music and your grandmother who talks to you every hour, you're not going to move forward with your work. The best solution is to position yourself away from other vacationers, a quiet place where you will not be stimulated by outside signals. It could be a separate room, a corner at the back of the garden or even a café or coworking place in the next village.
Equipment
You should of course take everything you need with you. It would be a shame to miss out on a contract because you left a file at your desk. So think about everything you might need to complete your tasks for the week: computer, documents, pen, notebook, phone. Check what equipment your vacation spot has to offer: printer, good internet connection, desk, plug socket. If you do not have reliable internet connection, you can opt for a 4G dongle or buy mobile data for your phone. You can also organise all of your important videoconference meetings over a day or a half-day and go to a café or coworking place.
Timing
You will not have the same schedule as the other people with you. It will be important to set rules for your loved ones, for example you can’t be disturbed between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. and also for your colleagues, so no meetings after 4 p.m. for example. Organize yourself to do the most important tasks in the time slots when you are most productive and where you will be less likely to be disturbed (in the morning, when the children are sleeping in etc.).
You can also see if you can reorganise your schedule with your superiors. Work from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. instead of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to be able to enjoy your afternoons more or work 4 hours more on one day to have your afternoon free the next day.
A final option, which can be implemented in certain cases but which is not possible for everyone, would be to work in terms of objectives and not in terms of schedules. You have the week to complete your tasks, it's up to you to organize your time as you wish.
You have all the keys to work peacefully from your vacation spot. Do you want to make professional changes? Summer can also be the time to apply!
by Valentine Carton
