The summer slump usually plays a role above all in politics and the media. Little of substance seems to happen there during the hot summer months of the year. This often leads to minor events being blown out of proportion and reported on.
But the summer slump doesn't stop at HR either. This is logical when you consider that not only are many employees on vacation during this time, but also potential applicants and important decision-makers in companies. As a result, there is regularly a lull in the job market in the summer, which we also feel as the number of orders for recruiting campaigns decreases.
In keeping with the vacation season, we have some current figures on the subject of vacation and workation from a study commissioned by the KÖNIGSTEINER Group.
Workation and vacation
Working while on vacation does not appear to be very common among German employees. For example, 27% of respondents state that they can always be reached by phone while on vacation. Also interesting: 13% of respondents regularly work on vacation and 35% have worked on vacation at least once. That is almost half of all employees.
Of course, the motivation behind this willingness remains questionable. Whether it is pressure from above or the "typical German sense of duty" is left open at this point.
Let's turn the perspective around and take a look at the latest figures on workation . This trend seems to be gradually spreading. According to the survey, 15% of respondents have already done workation. 13% state that their employer offers the opportunity. This still seems very cautious and contrasts with what employees would like to see.
This is because 39% state that their employer does not offer it, but they would like it. There is definitely a discrepancy here. Companies where workation is theoretically feasible should definitely consider offering it, as it can give them a decisive competitive advantage in the battle for qualified employees.
These results are also consistent with figures from a Statista survey from 2022, which shows that 12% of working people in Germany have already carried out a workation. A further 23% of respondents stated that they would be interested in doing so in the future.
It can therefore be seen that the proportion of interested parties has risen more significantly than the number of those who have actually completed a workation. This is a clear indication that employers need to catch up.
Silly Season - a bit of AI fun
In English, the summer slump is also known as "silly season". Reason enough to have a bit of fun with artificial intelligence . In addition to many useful and practical applications, AI also offers plenty of potential for unintentional comedy.
This beautiful picture was taken at our half-yearly retreat.
