GenesisLabs Workcation Review - Marketer's HR Culture Edition

On November 13, 2023, a group of 10 GenesisLabs marketers, each with their unique skills and expertise, went on a workcation at GenesisLabs. These marketers play a crucial role in our organization, driving our marketing strategies and initiatives.

At Genesis Labs, we've always believed in providing opportunities for personal and professional growth. This workcation was no exception. It was a chance for our team to not only increase productivity but also to explore new ways of working and to grow personally. We believe that the most powerful motivator is seeing immediate benefits, and this workcation was a testament to that.

Last year, we had a company-wide workshop, but as the number of employees nearly tripled in a year, it became difficult to organize a full workshop, so we started accepting applicants individually.

The term "workcation" is a portmanteau of work and vacation, meaning working while on vacation. This way of working has come into the spotlight with the rise of remote work due to COVID-19, but it's been a common practice in the Western world.

1. Before the workcation

1-1 Why did I apply for a work vacation?

I applied for a work vacation because I thought I could create branded content on the work side, and I was looking forward to a small change and refreshment on the life side.

Originally, I only published HR insight content on the ViewinterHR blog, but the search volume of keyword searches for such content is usually not high, so I wanted to see what the response would be to branded content that can expect a little more search volume. Branded content refers to content that is specifically created to promote a brand. When I received the work vacation application, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to write branded content.

The work vacation was to Mangrove Goseong, and I thought that if I could save 2 hours of commuting time every day, I could use that time for a vacation at the Goseong, and since the sea is right in front of me, I could refresh my mind that I hadn't taken care of for a while due to work. This unique workcation experience not only provided a change of scenery but also allowed me to rejuvenate and recharge, leading to increased productivity and creativity.

1-2 What I expect from workcation

 
I was looking forward to two things: ⓐ creating branded content and ⓑ motivation.
I wanted to share our story of creating and running ViewinterHR with the world to demonstrate our authenticity. Authentic marketing is much more valuable than bragging marketing. Consumers are now more interested in authentic brands. How can we show this authenticity?

In today's world, it's harder to be authentic with a technological edge. The technological edge has levelled off quite a bit, and everyone has a significant technological edge. At the end of the day, if we're all great, we want to connect with people/organizations that we trust.

One of the first things I noticed when I came into this company was that it was a group of people who were full of human and professional credibility. I kept thinking about how we can convey this feeling to our audience, which can only be found within the organization, and the answer is branded content.

This workcation will be an opportunity to create that branded content.

One of the key benefits of this workcation was the opportunity to foster a sense of belonging. As a group trip, it allowed us to connect on a deeper level and feel more connected to Genesis Labs. This sense of connection and belonging is invaluable in a team setting and can greatly enhance productivity and creativity.

1-3 What was your favourite thing to do outside of work hours during the workcation?

I wanted to free up as much time as possible in the evening to go for a night run, but the night temperature was much colder than I expected, and I ended up working a lot of late nights, so I didn't get to do it. Unfortunately, next time I have the chance, I would like to join a running session with other users of Mangrove Goseong.

Instead, I went fishing in the morning with Mincheol from People and Myung Myung from ZUICY Product Planning. We caught more fish than I expected, so the 10 Genesis Lab members who went to the Goseong for lunch could provide for themselves—photos taken on board.

1-4 Is there any place in Goseong you could have visited during your work vacation?

I was okay with just being able to see the ocean.

I relieve my physical fatigue with a good night's sleep and my mental fatigue with the sea and river. When I look out over the open river and sea, I feel that my tense chest is also open. During this work vacation, I could work with the sea (Gyoamri Beach) before I went, so I felt very relaxed.

1-5 What would your daily routine on a work vacation?

I slept well, worked hard during work hours, and tried to see, walk, and listen to the night sea a lot after work hours. In fact, there were days when I worked late until dawn, so I didn't enjoy vacation as much as I wanted, but I definitely worked with high efficiency. The workcation allowed me to maintain a healthy work-life balance, with dedicated work hours and ample time for leisure activities.

2. During Workation

2-1 My first day of work vacation

I've travelled to many places in Korea, but I couldn't believe that my work vacation home was in such a great location.

2-2 My thoughts on the last day of my work vacation

I've travelled so much in Korea, but I couldn't believe I had a work vacation home in such a great location.

2-3 Reflections on the last day of my work vacation

After staying for 5 days and 6 nights, I felt a sense of accomplishment. It was just the right amount of time, not too much, and just when I thought I wanted to go home, I had to go home. Despite the initial expectation of a more relaxed pace, things were going so well that my roommate (Inkyu from the Webfront development team) and I were burning the midnight oil. Looking back, we were 1.5 times more efficient, which was a great source of motivation.

2-4 What's the difference between working in an office / working from home/workcation?

Working in the office is the most efficient because there are many monitors and a neat place to sit. Although the commute takes more energy than I thought, the most significant advantage is that I can have offline meetings with that person or that person.

I don't prefer to work from home because there are many monitors and a neat desk, but my work efficiency is not good even if I don't spend energy commuting. I sit at my desk when I'm resting, so I don't concentrate on my work, but I work until dawn because I don't have a boundary to leave the office.

Workcation was the worst work environment I've ever had. Still, I was the most efficient because the change in environment was relaxing and stressful simultaneously, allowing me to maintain the right level of focus.

2-5 What kind of work did you do during your workcation?

I worked on two main tasks.
ⓐ Renewal project of ViewinterHR homepage
ⓑ Sales process improvement project

Both projects required a lot of meetings and input from various stakeholders. Still, I could organize all the sessions before the workcation schedule was set, and I left for the workcation to focus on the things I needed to plan and set up in my cubicle.

I was given very little time for the homepage design, so it was really challenging to come to a conclusion within the time limit on what kind of homepage configuration would make it easiest for ViewinterHR's prospects to find the information they were looking for.
For the sales process improvement project, I was responsible for setting up a pre-discussed sales automation process in HubSpot and making it work. We could go live the week after the retreat, thanks to the high focus.

2-6 How does your work efficiency compare to working from home/going to the office?

Concentration was best during the workcation, but the reality is that the work environment, including equipment utilization, was less than in the office or working from home.

Of course, if you consider the same work environment, e work efficiency is the highest in the workplace. Of course, if you need to plan a website, automate a sales process, or discuss with many stakeholders, work efficiency is the highest in the office.

3. After Workation

3-1 What was your favourite time of day at the Goseong?

In the morning, the view is like this. The rooms and the work crown have different scenery in the morning, day and night.

3-2 Was the workcation a good fit for me?

A room-only workcation would be a good fit for me. Going to the same place as my coworkers was great because it allowed me to connect with people I hadn't seen in a while, but being in the same room for long periods was uncomfortable.

3-3 Has workcation helped you in work-side?

It was beneficial when I needed to focus and work alone.

3-4 Did the workcation create good opportunities for collaboration?

Out of the ten people I went with, we all had business contacts, so there were no opportunities for collaboration. Next time I go on a work vacation with my coworkers, it would be better to go with the same team or task force we already work with so we can talk more about work and collaborate more intensely.

3-5 Did my work vacation refresh me?

I'd like to know how to measure the effectiveness of refreshments before I go quantitatively. Still, it seemed challenging, so I compared the records of my smartwatch before and after the work vacation.

(Average Mon-Fri duration of work vacation / Average Mon-Fri before work vacation vs. Mon-Fri after work vacation)

• Heart rate: During the work vacation, my heart rate average decreased by 10% compared to my usual average. The lowest average was almost the same (46 during the work vacation and 48 during the usual), but the highest average differed (125 during the work vacation and 141 during the normal). The lack of commute time movement reduced my peak heart rate.
• Stress: This was also 10% lower during the work vacation than usual. This number increases when the heart rate changes quickly and generally calmer during the work vacation.
• Sleep duration: I slept about the same hours as usual, but I got an extra 2 hours of sleep, precisely what I used to get when commuting.
• Deep sleep: Going from sleeping alone to sharing a room with two other people naturally decreased the quality of my sleep, and I got about 30% less deep sleep than usual.

Overall, I was more comfortable while I was awake and more uncomfortable while I was sleeping. This was despite my roommate, Inkyu, being a light sleeper and incredibly considerate while we shared a room. I was very fortunate to share a room with a suitable roommate.

3-6 What would you like to see changed to make the work-study program better, and how?

Reflecting on my experience, I believe two areas could significantly enhance future work-study programs: single-occupancy rooms and the opportunity to share the experience with colleagues who are also participating in the program. These changes could further improve the effectiveness and comfort of such initiatives.

I'm sure it's no secret, but I sleep better when I'm alone.

If you have to go with coworkers, it's nice to get to know people you've never met, but I think there are more business benefits to being with coworkers who are doing the same thing at a time when you need to be focused during collaborative work.

3-7 What were some of your expectations before going on a workcation, and how were they met?

The workcation's intention of refreshing was precisely what I was expecting, with the side effect of the branded content that emerged from it.

This year has been a particularly tough year for me. I didn't travel all year, I worked a lot more nights than I didn't, I was the last one out of the office, and I had about three weeks off, but in that short period, I was writing day and night to finish a book manuscript, so I was pretty exhausted.

Given my challenging year, with no travel, long work hours, and minimal time off, the workcation announcement felt like a much-needed respite. While I understood it wasn't a traditional vacation, I anticipated an environment that would be refreshing and conducive to work. And indeed, it was precisely that.

Quantifying the effectiveness of the work vacation is challenging, but the decrease in heart rate, stress levels, and increase in sleep time outlined above provide a tangible measure. The refreshment was refreshing, but the most significant outcome was the deep sense of belonging I developed with Genesis Labs. This was fostered by forming close friendships with colleagues I hadn't interacted with. This sense of belonging, in turn, led to a deeper immersion in my work after the vacation, a genuinely beneficial side effect.