• Home
  • About
    • Work with Me
  • Travel Planning & Itineraries
  • Destinations
    • England
    • France
    • Italy
    • Scotland
    • United States
    • Wales
  • Mental Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
Life Well Wandered

Life Well Wandered

21 May 2019 · Leave a Comment

Vacation With Your Coworkers – Is It A Good Idea?

Destinations· Lifestyle· Travel Tips

Share this post:

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on LinkedIn Share on Email

In the past eight months, I’ve gone on two vacations in Europe with coworkers from two different jobs. The first trip was to France with a coworker I call a close friend and the second was to the UK with two coworkers whom I had met only recently at a new job. Despite the different circumstances, I wouldn’t take back either trip.

vacationing with coworkers in france

Going on vacation with your coworkers might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you consider using your valuable vacation days. But why shouldn’t it be? If the circumstances are aligned, why not give vacation with your coworkers a try?

If you want to travel, don’t want to go alone, and don’t have friends willing to go to the same location at the same time, going on vacation with your coworkers might be a great alternative. Here’s why:

You already spend most of your time at work. Why not switch up the surroundings?

You spend 40+ hours a week at work with your coworkers. If you’ve bonded in any way, why not take a vacation together?

My trip last year to France started after my coworker and I bonded over our mutual love of France, pastries, and speaking French. We talked for a couple of months about wanting to see different regions of the country and decided one day to just book a trip. 10 days of eating our way through France later and we are closer than ever!

Perks of traveling with coworkers? Someone is always there to take your picture!

My most recent trip to Europe this spring happened as a result of three of us figuring out we all shared April birthdays. Two of them were already planning on going somewhere and they kindly invited their new colleague (me!) along for 10 days in England, Ireland, and Scotland. Turns out, three female coworkers can travel together and still get along after the trip!

Nothing says teamwork like navigating a foreign country together

If you want to grow closer and work together, nothing says teamwork like figuring out how to navigate (geographically and otherwise) a new place together. Traveling will require you to work together in ways you haven’t worked together before.

Whether you will share duties or dole out roles based on each other’s strengths, traveling with your coworkers means working together, problem-solving together, and bonding over mutual struggles and triumphs.

You bond about things outside of work

Going on vacation with your coworkers is different than going on a work trip with them. On a work trip, everything is planned, scheduled, and coordinated — and everything is work related. Going on vacation with your coworkers is informal, fun, and a chance to get to know each other when you’re not constantly in meetings or rushing through lunch breaks.

travel edinburgh with coworkers

When traveling with my coworkers outside the confines of the work week, we talked about things we wouldn’t have brought up in office settings – friends, family, struggles, life updates, food, favorite movies, and TV shows, anything really. And instead of worrying about work the entire time, we had fun.

See also  Life Lately: Spring Activities in NYC

You [hopefully] come back closer than before

Learning more about my coworkers without the pressures of work gave me a new insight into their personalities I never would have gotten otherwise. I learned what their stressors are, what makes them laugh, and what makes them tick.

This newfound knowledge and teamwork brought me closer to my coworkers than ever before. I’m glad to call them friends and not just work proximity acquaintances (colleagues).

You learn more about yourself

Travel always teaches you a lesson. Whether it’s something small like a new food you loved or hated or something larger like a profound new love for a different country or an epiphany about your life, you will learn something.

On trips with your coworkers, you will learn more about how you like to travel, and how you travel with others.

Tips for going on vacation with your coworkers

The rules for going on vacation with coworkers are similar to the rules for going on vacation with friends. Some are [hopefully] obvious and all are necessary to keep in mind.

Go with coworkers you actually like

This post isn’t meant to encourage you to go on vacation with coworkers you don’t get along with just to go on vacation. That’s just a recipe for disaster.

If you’ve bonded with a few coworkers, think about how you would get along in a new, non-work-related location. If you think it’d be fun? Go for it! If not, maybe consider finding another travel buddy. If you’re unsure, test out whether you’d be good travel companions and go on a day trip together — it’s a small commitment and if it doesn’t work out, you’ll be glad you didn’t commit to a longer trip.

Set boundaries and expectations

I’m highly introverted and get tired after a day of exploring and being around people. That usually leaves evenings for quieter alone time for me. Some people are early risers. Others need a long time to get ready. Others like to sleep in. Or get hangry.

It doesn’t matter what they are. If you have any particularities, be upfront about them so you and your travel buddies are prepared and can plan accordingly.

Other important questions to ask:

  • Will one or more of you need to share a bed at some point?
  • What accommodations will you book? Hostels, Airbnbs, hotels, or a mix?
  • How will you pay for everything? Will you pay for things together, or alternate between who pays for what? How will you keep track of expenses and who owes what?
  • What’s the general budget?
  • Who takes the longest to get ready? Who sleeps in? Who is an early riser?
  • If you’re going to more than one location, what time do you prefer to travel? Early mornings, midday, evening?
  • Will the trip be more structured or freeform?
  • Will someone be in charge of an itinerary? Or navigation?
  • Will you always be together? Or will you split up at times?
guinness factory advertisements

Prepare for conflict

Travel is full of stressors: flights, trains, currencies, food, navigation, and things to do and see. Naturally, these things bring up tension during any trip. Acknowledge that they will happen and don’t take it as a bad omen when tense moments occur. It’s just part of travel. Take a few deep breaths. It will pass.

See also  Trip Highs & Lows

If things do become tense, take some time apart, whether just a few minutes of quiet time or a few hours of different activities. And don’t take it personally. Travel makes people stressed and if nothing else, it will show you how your coworkers handle stressful situations!

Compromise

Part of traveling with other people is compromising. Not everyone likes to do the same thing at all times. I gravitate towards churches and walking. Others gravitate towards food. Still others, bars. Find out what your coworkers are interested in seeing and doing and work out how to compromise on everything.

Maybe your different tastes mean you separate at times so you can all do what you want. Maybe you alternate between activities, making sure everyone gets to do what they want. Maybe you make it up as you go along. Whatever your plan, be open-minded and get excited about your vacation!

Have you ever gone on vacation with your coworkers? Would you do it?

Ultimately, I think under the right circumstances going on vacation with your coworkers is a great idea. I don’t regret either of my trips with my coworkers and I feel that, had we not gone on these trips, I wouldn’t be as close to them as I am now. So next time you’re looking for a travel buddy, take a look around your office and see if anyone would be a good fit.

You may also like

Share this post:

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on LinkedIn Share on Email
Previous Post: « Walking Around The Quiraing On The Isle of Skye
Next Post: 10 Days in France: A Travel Journal »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Life Well Wandered

alex life well wandered

Welcome to my corner of the internet! Life Well Wandered is a travel blog where you'll find a little bit of everything. I love sharing itineraries from past trips, secret spots I've discovered on my travels, histories of places I find fascinating, and stories about my mental health.

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Life Well Wandered

Search

What’s New

  • A Guide to Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds
  • The Real-Life Inspiration for Moria? Exploring St. Edward’s Church in Stow-on-the-Wold
  • A Lord of the Rings Guide to the Cotswolds: Places That Inspired Tolkien’s World
  • Day Trips from London: Stonehenge & Salisbury
  • Visiting Upper Slaughter in the Cotswolds: A Guide
Follow
college tourist

Note: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Please check our disclosure page for more information.

lifewellwandered

My favorite stop in Bruges was City Hall. Built in My favorite stop in Bruges was City Hall. Built in 1376, it is one of the oldest in the Low Countries and has been used as the seat of the city government for over 600 years. 🤓
Inside City Hall is the beautiful gothic hall. It was remodeled in the 19th century and decorated with beautiful murals and woodwork from floor to ceiling. The ceiling dates from 1385. The murals were painted in the 19th century and depict different people from Belgian history, including Jan Van Eyck, Brueghel, Rubens, and more. 😍 #lifewellwandered
If you fancy climbing up about 400 steps in a spir If you fancy climbing up about 400 steps in a spiral staircase, then consider visiting the Belfry in Bruges. From the top, you'll see just how beautiful Bruges is, with its winding streets and orange rooftops. 😍
Dating back to the 13th century, the Belfry is the most important tower in Bruges. At over 83 meters (272 feet) tall, it was an important status symbol in the Middle Ages. It formerly housed the treasury and city archives, as well as a market for the town. 🏰
At the top of the tower, you'll find a carillon—47 bells playable by hand with a keyboard—with bells ranging in weight from two pounds to 11,000 pounds. Historically, the bells were used not only to mark the passage of time but also to alert residents of fires, work hours, or important events. Today, if you visit at the top of the hour, you'll get to experience the ringing of the bells. 🛎 #lifewellwandered
In March of 2015, I began my biggest trip around E In March of 2015, I began my biggest trip around Europe to date. We had about 5 weeks off (during which we were supposed to be revising for exams) so my friend and I took the opportunity to see as much of Europe as possible while also getting to know each stop as well as possible. A hard balance to strike, but we did the best we could! 🇪🇺
Our first stop was Bruges. We visited on the day of a solar eclipse, but it was already cloudy and foggy so the lack of sunlight wasn’t noticed. We spent our day in Bruges wandering around the streets and eating waffles - not a bad start to a trip around Europe that would be characterized by eating and wandering! 🍽 #lifewellwandered
The last stop on my series of day trips around Eng The last stop on my series of day trips around England was Windsor. I had been close to Windsor once before but had yet to visit Windsor Castle or the town. Windsor Castle was overwhelming. 🏰
It is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, founded by William the Conqueror and the home of 39 monarchs. We spent hours walking around the various wings and exhibits, trying to absorb everything we could. Have you visited Windsor Castle before? 👑 #lifewellwandered
Bath is most famous for, well, its Roman baths. As Bath is most famous for, well, its Roman baths. As a Roman history nerd, Bath was on my to-visit list for ages and I spent my entire visit to the baths geeking out over all of the artifacts and ruins. 🤓
For thousands of years, 240,000 gallons of 115ºF water has risen into this spring, known as the Sacred Spring, daily. In Roman times, this phenomenon was believed to be the work of the Gods, so Romans built a temple dedicated to the goddess Sulis Minerva, a deity with healing powers, around the spring. Water from it feeds the Roman baths. 🛁 #lifewellwandered
Three churches have occupied the site of Bath Abbe Three churches have occupied the site of Bath Abbey since 757AD. There was first an Anglo-Saxon monastery, then a massive Norman cathedral (the foundations of which can be seen underground in one part of the Abbey) and then the present abbey church from the 1600s. ⛪️
The first King of England, King Edgar, was crowned here in 973 - his coronation set the precedent for the current coronation ceremony of all kings and queens of England. 👑 #lifewellwandered
I visited Winchester on what felt like the first w I visited Winchester on what felt like the first warm, sunny day in months. When you live in a place without regular sun, you always take advantage of beautiful days. Winchester made the perfect destination for a beautiful day spent walking around and exploring. 🤗
Winchester’s High Street is built along the original Roman street that led through the town. Today, it has buildings dating from the 16th century. The clock was presented after a visit from Queen Anne in 1713. 🕑 #lifewellwandered
Chances are, you’ve heard of the Knights of the Chances are, you’ve heard of the Knights of the Round Table. Did you know that the Round Table of King Arthur can be found in the Great Hall in Winchester? ⚔️
While this table was created around 1290, well after the death of King Arthur and his knights, it’s still impressive to visit. Weighing over one ton, it is thought to portray King Arthur on his throne surrounded by 24 places for his knights. King Henry VIII added a Tudor Rose during his reign. Swipe for a closer look at the table! 🤓 #lifewellwandered
In another edition of always visit the cathedral i In another edition of always visit the cathedral in the town you visit, I bring you Winchester Cathedral. One of the reasons why I chose to visit Winchester of all places was its connection to Jane Austen. Jane Austen spent the last weeks of her life in a house in Winchester and was laid to rest in its cathedral in 1817. ⛪️
Have you ever traveled somewhere because of a favorite author? 🤓 #lifewellwandered
Load More... Follow on Instagram
  • Home
  • About
  • Travel Planning & Itineraries
  • Destinations
  • Mental Health
  • Lifestyle

Copyright © 2023 · beloved theme by Restored 316