Workation 2.0 amid Return-to-Office Push

Remote and hybrid work are reshaping workplaces, offering greater authenticity, confidence and flexibility while also producing loneliness, miscommunication and uncertainty about performance that can particularly harm new hires, according to communication scholar Dr. Peggy Kendall. Some founders — including CompAI cofounder Claudio Fuentes — and major employers and governments across North America are issuing return-to-office mandates to rebuild culture and productivity, prompting worker backlash and uneven compliance. A survey of 1,091 U.S. professional women found everyday gender discrimination (being ignored, interrupted, given administrative tasks or having ideas credited to others) is more common in-person, suggesting mandates could disproportionately harm women’s workplace experiences. Business travel and “workations” are evolving as younger professionals and digital nomads combine work with leisure, and governments such as Japan are promoting digital-nomad visas and workcation programs to disperse visitors and support regional economies. In markets like the U.K., flexible schedules and zero-hour contracts continue to reflect labor-market shifts that affect immigrant and contingent workers balancing multiple commitments.