Out of the office: honest or guilty?

I am currently on holiday with friends who run a successful fashion business and I would like to share what happened yesterday. 

While we were at the beach, one of my friends received a call from a client. He calmly stood up, moved away a few steps in front of the sea and started speaking. He did not mind the sound of the sea breeze and waves in the background. 

A few hours later, the other friend received a call from a client. He started running away from the beach to the near hotel in order to find a quiet place and give the impression he was working remotely from home. 

Later, the same friend received a call from an employee: again, he ran to the hotel to give the impression he was working remotely. 

Both friends are very committed to their business, with strong work ethics and huge respect for clients, colleagues and suppliers. All three calls, I have been told, were important and required immediate attention.  

In a time when “working remotely” means we could conceivably have the freedom to work from anywhere, these two different approaches made me think the following: 

• Everyone is entitled to have a break - why is there still a widespread perception in the workplace that our clients and colleagues might think less of our commitment or of the quality of our work, if we do it while we are on vacation and we are honest about it?
• Keeping boundaries from work while taking a break and still being available and effective when work needs us, is a valuable skill making us more balanced and healthy individuals. Why do so many of us feel guilty about being away? 
• As more companies are moving towards remote working post-Covid, can we create a culture in our firms focusing on results rather than on the number of hours worked and work location?

Enjoy your break - I am sure your clients and colleagues do not mind :)

If you want to share your own experience, discuss your current situation or share your thoughts, please feel free to reach out at Vici Doctors on [email protected]