'We've had employees conquer it completely solo to colleagues booking group trips'
One of Canada’s largest public relations firms has launched a work-from-anywhere benefit for a second year in a row.
Media Profile is once again offering a “work away” benefit so employees can work anywhere in the world for up to one month with $3,000 in financial support from the company.
This follows a successful staging of the program last year, with nearly half (47 per cent) of workers taking advantage.
It’s “fantastic” to see people get so excited about the benefit, says Alison King, president of Media Profile.
"There's no limit to the creativity too — we've had employees conquer it completely solo to colleagues booking group trips and banding together. I think this really speaks to how supportive the culture is here at our agency."
In 2020, Sunwing gave 100 frontline employees free, all-inclusive vacations to honour their efforts amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coverage, timing
Media Profile’s benefit is open to everyone who's worked at the agency for a minimum of six months. Staff can work anywhere in the world for up to one month, working EST in their chosen destination.
Workers can use the $3,000 from the company to help cover travel expenses, including transportation, accommodations or short-term residential leases.
In 2022, 9employees travelled to European favourites, metropolitan cities and beachy escapades. Employees went on solo travel, reunited with relatives and refocused on their mental health.
"Solo travel has always been on my to-do list, but having just started my career, I assumed I would have to compromise this dream. I'd ask myself ‘Can I afford to spend significant time away? Would I have to sacrifice a job I love for an experience I've always wanted?’" says Max Vanderkooy, consultant at Media Profile, who took his workaway to the Netherlands.
"MP's benefit gave me the opportunity to satisfy my desire for travel without ever worrying it was at the cost of my career."
Media Profile’s program comes at a time when people are doing a lot of “revenge travel”: data from KAYAK show searches by Canadians for international flights are up 98 per cent compared to last year.
In 2020, many North American companies restricted workers’ travels to and from countries deemed to be of high risk for COVID-19 infection.
