According to a study by Robert Half, 12% of employees have worked from a vacation destination without informing their employer, while 33% have considered it.

By Maggie Mancini

Many Australians are planning a short break this winter, with almost half of employees (45%) having worked from a holiday destination or considering doing so without telling their employer, according to new research from. Robert Half finds.

When asked if they have worked from a vacation location in the past or would consider doing so without telling their employer, 12% of employees said they have and 33% would consider doing so in the future. However, for 55% of employees, taking advantage of the benefits of remote work by working from a vacation location is a step too far and they have neither done so nor would they consider doing so.

This phenomenon, called “quiet vacation,” has become more widespread as telecommuting becomes more common, says Nicole Gorton, director at Robert Half.

The younger the employee, the more likely they are to work from a vacation location without informing their employer. Generation Z (57%) is much more likely to take their work with them on vacation than their Millennial (47%), Generation X (44%) and Baby Boomer (34%) counterparts.

Of those who have taken or would consider taking a quiet holiday, more than half (53%) say they are simply taking advantage of the benefits of remote working. More than four in ten (42%) say they are doing this to save money rather than having to take unpaid leave, followed by the ability to extend their holiday (36%). A quarter (27%) of workers say working from a holiday location would increase their productivity, and a further 25% say they are doing it because they are worried their employer would not approve their holiday.

Most workers believe there would be no serious consequences if their employer found out they were secretly working from a vacation spot, the study found. Others, however, fear their employers would respond with serious consequences. Some of these include:

• employers would do nothing if their work was done (36%);
• Employers feel that trust has been broken (28%);
• Employers would issue a formal warning or disciplinary action (28%); and
• Employers would terminate the employment relationship (7%).