Workcation in Sydney – Alex Stubbings from Ecovis in London

Alex is a Manager in the Outsourced Business Services team at ECOVIS Wingrave Yeats in London, UK.

In March 2024, Alex took a brief, 4-day workcation at the Ecovis office in Sydney, Australia. Alex had always wanted to visit Australia, but given the distance from the UK and the need to spend several weeks there to justify the 24 hour journey, it was difficult to arrange the time off work to go. Adding a workcation to the end of his holiday gave Alex the opportunity to take an extended trip overseas while minimising the impact on his work commitments.

What were your main goals during your workcation in Australia?

To meet and work with my colleagues from the Sydney office, some of whom I share a client with. It was good to visit another office in the network and see how things are similar (and different) to the London office. And of course to work.

Did you feel more productive during your workcation, ie did you get much work done?

Being in the Sydney time zone gave me a lot of quiet time to catch up on emails after being away for two weeks. The Sydney office were great hosts, I was given an office space and it was seamless to log in and crack on with my own work.

How did you balance work with enjoying time exploring a foreign city?

I travelled to Australia for three weeks so spent the first two weeks visiting and exploring the city. It was good to have ‘holiday’ time around the workcation and of course, in the evenings I was still experiencing Sydney.

Did you have any networking opportunities during your workcation?

Yes, I had a mutual client with the Sydney office and it was great to meet the team and share ideas. The partners were all so welcoming and I had some enjoyable lunches / drinks with the firm.

What were the highlights of your workcation experience?

Meeting the Sydney team and getting to know all of those guys.

Did you experience any challenges or difficulties?

The only real challenge was the time zone difference. There wasn’t much crossover of working hours with the UK office, however I had planned for this in advance with my team and my clients to minimise any disruption.

How did the workcation experience contribute to your overall well-being and work-life balance?

It enabled me to take a three-week trip to Australia, so immensely!

Any tips for individuals considering a workcation for the first time?

Plan ahead and work with your teams if there are major time zone differences. Embrace it and enjoy!

Alex Stubbings