UAE: Working on vacation? 'Paycation' common among some younger employees

'Pay-cation' is becoming a growing trend among UAE residents, where more people are opting to work even while on vacation.

This new buzzword in the travel industry describes the practice of working during a holiday, gaining popularity especially among millennials and Gen Z.

Unlike 'bleisure', which combines business travel with leisure time, a 'pay-cation' involves working while on vacation, meaning no actual 'time-off'.

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Feeling the need to prove oneself

“I agree that working during vacations has become increasingly common, especially among millennials in the UAE. A lot of it comes down to the pressure of staying connected in such a fast-paced and competitive environment. Employees tend to feel the need to prove themselves, stay reliable, or avoid falling behind and so sometimes continue to work during their annual leave," said Aws Ismail, General Manager, Marc Ellis, Dubai.

“As an employer, I don’t believe it has to be this way. For employees, it’s all about proper planning, wrapping up your tasks, hitting your deadlines, and doing a proper handover. When that’s done right, you can disconnect without stressing about things falling apart,” he added.

For employers, the focus should be on creating a culture that encourages people to actually take a break, Ismail said.

“Realistic workload planning and supporting time-off go a long way in reducing burnout. When everyone knows their role and the importance of completing their jobs, the whole team benefits,” added Ismail.

“My employees don’t really work during their vacation but they might just have an eye on their phone in case of any emergency. We do full handover. It’s only every now and then that they may get a message so they usually forward it to the team to sort it out,” Nicki Wilson, Founder and MD of Genie Recruitment said.

She said the company incentivisees its employees if they work from another location even during their regular working days.

“We implemented an initiative two years ago, where every employee receives Dh1,000 to work from anywhere in the world for one week. ‘Why did we introduce this?’ That’s because I believe flexibility fuels creativity, and creativity leads to growth. It’s not just about productivity, it’s about freedom and trust.

"When employees have the opportunity to work from a location of their choice, it enriches their lives with new experiences, perspectives, and joy. Some of our team members choose destinations within the UAE for a change of scenery. Others take the opportunity to visit their home countries and work from there, reconnecting with family while staying productive. Some of the team will go to the UK and get up at 5am to start work so they have the whole afternoon free; it does work quite well.”

She highlighted that offering such benefits creates a culture of trust and loyalty while promoting better work-life balance.

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