Nearly half of Australian employees (45%) said they would consider working remotely from a holiday destination without telling their employers, according to a new survey from Robert Half. Some have already done so.

When asked if they have or would consider working remotely from a holiday destination without telling their employer, 12% of employees said they have done so, and 33% would consider doing it in the future.

For 55% of employees, however, taking advantage of remote work entitlements by working at a holiday destination is a step too far, and they have not done it and would not consider it.

“As a result of the widespread remote working phenomena, a fascinating trend of what some call ‘quiet vacationing’ is emerging where employees take advantage of the flexibility of their job to work from holiday destinations without notifying their employers,” said Nicole Gorton, director at Robert Half, in a press statement. 

“This trend underscores a significant shift in how work and personal life are blending in the modern workplace as workers seek ways to maximise their work-life harmony,” Gorton said. “But while all employees deserve and need a holiday to fully recharge, combining work and personal life in this way without disclosing it to your employers can erode trust and lead to conflict.” 

Furthermore, the survey found that the younger the employee, the more likely they are to work remotely from a holiday destination without informing their employer. 57% of Gen Z workers would secretly take their work with them on vacation. That compares to 47% of millennials, 44% of Gen X, and 34% of baby boomers.

Of those who have worked remotely or would consider working remotely from a holiday destination, 53% said they are simply tapping into the benefits of remote work privileges.

On the flip side, 42% said they would consider working from a holiday to save money rather than having to take unpaid leave, followed by the ability to extend their holiday at 36%. In addition, 27% of employees reported that working from a holiday location would boost their productivity, and another 25% say they do so because of fear their employer will not approve their holidays.

If employees were discovered secretly working from a holiday location, most workers believe there would be no significant consequences. However, others feel that their employers would implement strong repercussions.