DALLAS--()--A complete respite from work is a thing of the past in the U.S., according to new research from the global leader in flexible workplace solutions, Regus.
The majority of Americans expect to stay connected to their office during their summer vacation, whether it’s checking or responding to emails, taking work with them, or attending meetings. Regus polled more than 5,000 U.S.-based professionals and found:
- 50 percent of Americans admit they will work during their vacation this summer;
- 75 percent of Americans plan to stay connected to the office in some way while on vacation;
- 66 percent will be checking and responding to email during their time off; and;
- 29 percent expect they may have to attend meetings virtually while on vacation.
Not only is work eating into Americans’ vacation time, achieving daily work-life balance appears to be eroding. Nearly six out of ten respondents (58 percent) say they take work home more than three times a week.
Americans who have to work on vacation will face all the challenges associated with working on the move: spotty or weak hotel Wi-Fi; lack of access to secure IT connections and administrative support; and calls coming at inappropriate times and places – when they’re driving, having a family meal, or swimming at the beach.
Guillermo Rotman, CEO, Regus, Americas observes: “Modern work pressures mean that more and more of us work during our vacations. The important thing is to minimize the inconvenience by working as efficiently as we can. Rather than struggle through three stressful and unproductive hours trying to work by the poolside, you could do the same amount of work more efficiently in a single hour at a business center, with free Wi-Fi, secure high-speed broadband, and professional administrative support. You then have two hours free to relax properly.”
The best way to blend your vacation and work time is to set a few rules, and stick with them:
- If colleagues need to update or consult you, ask them to send a single daily report, by email, at a set time each day. That way, they won’t overwhelm you with hour-by-hour questions and progress updates.
- Change your smartphone settings so you have to actively check your emails, rather than have them arriving all day long.
- Decide that you’ll work for a set period each day, at a set time. Don’t work outside these times.
- If you’re going to work, make sure you have a proper setting. Instead of struggling with unreliable Wi-Fi or phone signals, find somewhere professional to work – for example, a local business center. That way, you’ll wrap up your work quicker.
Rotman continues: “Regus’ network of more than 400 locations in the U.S. and 1,100 centers in 500 cities and 88 countries worldwide means travelers can access our high-quality, consistent workspace wherever and whenever they want. If it looks like your vacation is going to turn into a ‘workation,’ then this is the pain-free way to do it.”
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About Regus
Regus is the world’s largest provider of workplace solutions, with products and services ranging from fully equipped offices to professional meeting rooms, business lounges and the world’s largest network of video communication studios. Regus enables people to work their way, whether it’s from home, on the road or from an office. Customers such as Google, GlaxoSmithKline, and Nokia join hundreds of thousands of growing small and medium businesses that benefit from outsourcing their office and workplace needs to Regus, allowing them to focus on their core activities.
Over 800,000 customers a day benefit from Regus facilities spread across a global footprint of 1,100 locations in 500 cities and 88 countries, which allow individuals and companies to work wherever, however and whenever they want to. Regus was founded in Brussels, Belgium in 1989, is headquartered in Luxembourg and listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information please visit: www.regus.com.
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