DOI: https://doi.org/10.14710/jis.21.1.2022.75-97

The Emerging Workcation Trend in Indonesia: A Preliminary Study on the Demographic Profiles, Motivations, and Experiences of Workcationers

*Meta Indriyani Kurniasari  -  Department of Sociology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia
M. Falikul Isbah  -  Department of Sociology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia
Muhammad Najib Azca  -  Department of Sociology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia
Open Access Copyright (c) 2022 JURNAL ILMU SOSIAL under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0.

Citation Format:
Abstract

This study investigates the trends of workcation in Indonesia, and the motivations and expectations of workcationers. Workcation is a new way of working that has gained momentum globally, including in Indonesia, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, research on the workcation trend involving Indonesian workers is limited, if not non-existent. Thus, this study aims to identify the profiles of those who adopt this work style, their motivation, preferences, and experiences. The data in this paper were drawn from an online survey and interviews with workcationers. We use a mixed method and adopt the New Ways of Working (NWW) approach to the sociology of work to provide new insights into the emerging workcation trend in the digital age. The findings show that Indonesian workers who adopt this work style are mostly millennials employed in the formal sectors and earn above the regional minimum wage. They believe that workcation can improve well-being and productivity. However, this trend has drawbacks for workers, such as alienation due to a low sense of belonging, depression, and work-life imbalance. Based on these findings, we propose some relevant social policy responses.

 

Fulltext View|Download Email colleagues
Keywords: New Ways of Working; Workcation; Flexible Workplace; ICT; Work; Tourism

Article Metrics:

Article Info
Section: Articles
Language : EN
Most cited articles
ECONOMIC RESILIENCE PADA INDUSTRI KREATIF GUNAMENGHADAPI GLOBALISASI DALAM RANGKA KETAHANAN NASIONAL Peran Indonesia Dalam Memerangi Terorisme More cited articles
  1. Aaltonen, I., Ala-Kotila, P., Järnström, H., Laarni, J., Määttä, H., Nykänen, E.Nagy, G. (2012). State-of-the-Art Report on Knowledge Work – New Ways of WorkingAjzen, M. (2021). From De-materialization to Re-materialization: A Social Dynamics Approach to New Ways of Working. In New Ways of Working, 205–233 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-61687-8_9),[Online]
  2. Anon. 2009. Undang - Undang No 10 Tahun 2009 Tentang Kepariwisataan
  3. Antoine, M. (2021). Rise and Fall of a New Way of Working: A Testament of an Organizational Identity Mimicry. In New Ways of Working, 429–452. (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-61687-8_17),[Online]
  4. Arena, L., & Hussenot, A. (2021). From Innovations at Work to Innovative Ways of Conceptualizing Organization: A Brief History of Organization Studies. In New Ways of Working, 367–399 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-61687-8_15),[Online]
  5. Bahri, Mohammad Thoriq, and Derajad Sulistyo Widhyharto. 2021. Social Network Analysis (SNA) on #Kristengray Hashtag: Understanding Gentrification Side Effects Behind the Digital Nomad Phenomenon. Jurnal Studi Pemuda, 10(1): 75–92 (doi: 10.22146/studipemudaugm.65255),[Online]
  6. Baloh, P., & Trkman, P. (2003). Influence of Internet and Information Technology on Work and Human Resource Management. Informing Science
  7. BPS Provinsi Bali. (2022a). Banyaknya Wisatawan Mancanegara ke Bali dan Indonesia, 1969-2021 [Online]. Retrieved from https://bali.bps.go.id/statictable/2018/02/09/28/banyaknya-wisatawan-mancanegara-ke-bali-dan-indonesia-1969-2021.html [Accessed August 10, 2021]
  8. Barth, A. S., & Blazejewski, S. (2021). Space for Tensions: A Lefebvrian Perspective on New Ways of Working. In New Ways of Working, 267–291 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-61687-8_11),[Online]
  9. BPS Provinsi Bali. (2022a). Banyaknya Wisatawan Mancanegara ke Bali dan Indonesia, 1969-2021 [Online]. Retrieved from https://bali.bps.go.id/statictable/2018/02/09/28/banyaknya-wisatawan-mancanegara-ke-bali-dan-indonesia-1969-2021.html [Accessed August 10, 2021]
  10. BPS Provinsi Bali. (2022b). Tingkat Penghunian Kamar (TPK) Hotel Bintang Menurut Kelas di Provinsi Bali, 2000-2022 [Online]. Retrieved from https://bali.bps.go.id/indicator/16/230/3/tingkat-penghunian-kamar-tpk-hotel-bintang-menurut-kelas-di-provinsi-bali.html [Accessed August 10, 2021]
  11. Deloitte. (2020). 2020 remote work survey The impact of remote workers on payroll and employment tax [Online]. Retrieved from https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/Tax/us-tax-remote-work-survey.pdf [Accessed August 10, 2021]
  12. Demaj, E., Hasimja, A., & Rahimi, A. (2021). Digital Nomadism as a New Flexible Working Approach: Making Tirana the Next European Hotspot for Digital Nomads. In The Flexible Workplace: Coworking and Other Modern Workplace Transformations, 231–257 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-62167-4_13),[Online]
  13. Fleissner, P. (2007). On the Ambivalence of Information and Communication Technologies. The International Review of Information Ethics, 7:146–154 (doi: 10.29173/irie16),[Online]
  14. Gede, I. G. K., Marhaeni, K. E., Putrana, I. W., & Sanjiwani, I. G. A. M. (2021). A Model of Community-Based Development in Digital Nomad Tourism in Intaran Village Bali, 382–386 (doi: 10.2991/assehr.k.210424.073),[Online]
  15. Genki. (2021). Nomadic Report: An Expanding Survey of Digital Nomad. Dorothee-Sölle-Platz 2, 50672 Cologne, Germany [Online]. Retrieved from https://nomadic.report/ [Accessed August 10, 2021]
  16. Golonka, M. (2021). Coworking vs Corpoworking: Realistic Perspective. In The Flexible Workplace: Coworking and Other Modern Workplace Transformations, 97–112 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-62167-4_6),[Online]
  17. Haking, J. (2018). Digital Nomad Lifestyle : A Field Study in Bali. KTH, Industrial Economics and Management (Dept.)
  18. Hensellek, S., & Puchala, N. (2021). The Emergence of the Digital Nomad: A Review and Analysis of the Opportunities and Risks of Digital Nomadism. In The Flexible Workplace: Coworking and Other Modern Workplace Transformations, 195–214 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-62167-4_11),[Online]
  19. Hermann, I., & Paris, C. M. (2020). Digital Nomadism: the Nexus of Remote Working and Travel Mobility. Information Technology & Tourism, 22(3): 329–334 (doi: 10.1007/s40558-020-00188-w),[Online]
  20. ILO. (2021). World Employment and Social Outlook 2021. Geneva [Online]. Retrieved from https://www.ilo.org/global/research/global-reports/weso/2021/WCMS_771749/lang--en/index.htm [Accessed August 10, 2021]
  21. Isbah, M. Falikul, and Arif Budi Darmawan. (2021). “Perspektif Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial di Era Digital: Disrupsi, Emansipasi, dan Rekognisi.” In Perspektif Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial di Era Digital: Disrupsi, Emansipasi, dan Rekognisi. Gadjah Mada University Press: pp. 140–61
  22. Kemenparekraf. (2021). Siaran Pers : Work From Bali akan Diluncurkan Mulai Juli 2021 Secara Bertahap [Online]. Retrieved from https://kemenparekraf.go.id/hasil-pencarian/siaran-pers-work-from-bali-akan-diluncurkan-mulai-juli-2021-secara-bertahap [Accessed March 16, 2021]
  23. Kicheva, Tatyana. 2021. Opportunities and Challenges of Remote Work. Izvestiya Journal of the University of Economics – Varna, 65(2): 145–60 (doi: 10.36997/IJUEV2021.65.2.145),[Online]
  24. Kozinets, Robert. 2010. Netnography: Doing Ethnographic Research Online (1st ed.). London: ‎ SAGE Publications Ltd
  25. Leclercq-Vandelannoitte, A. (2021). Do Coworking Spaces Promise a Revolution or Spark Revenge? A Foucauldian Spatio-Material Approach to the Re-spatialization of Remote Work in Coworking Spaces. In New Ways of Working, 151–173 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-61687-8_7),[Online]
  26. Matsushita, K. (2021). Workations and Their Impact on the Local Area in Japan. In The Flexible Workplace: Coworking and Other Modern Workplace Transformations, 215–229. Springer. /(doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-62167-4_12),[Online]
  27. MBO Partners. (2021). The Great Realization [Online]. Retrieved from https://info.mbopartners.com/rs/mbo/imagesMBO_2021_State_of_Independence_Research_Report.pdf [Accessed March 16, 2021]
  28. MIO Industry. (2019). Workplace Messaging Report 2019 [Online]. Retrieved from https://dispatch.m.io/mio-workplace-messaging-report/ [Accessed December 26, 2021]
  29. Mukherjee, A. (2021). Technology and the Simultaneous Collapsing and Expanding of Organizational Space: A Covid-19 Experience. In New Ways of Working, 343–364 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-61687-8_14),[Online]
  30. Heinzel, V., Georgiades, S., & Engstler, M. (2021). Corporate Coworking – A Catalyst for Collaboration, Creativity, and Innovation. In The Flexible Workplace: Coworking and Other Modern Workplace Transformations, 81–96 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-62167-4_5),[Online]
  31. Hensellek, S., & Puchala, N. (2021). The Emergence of the Digital Nomad: A Review and Analysis of the Opportunities and Risks of Digital Nomadism. In The Flexible Workplace: Coworking and Other Modern Workplace Transformations, 195–214 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-62167-4_11),[Online]
  32. Hermann, I., & Paris, C. M. (2020). Digital Nomadism: the Nexus of Remote Working and Travel Mobility. Information Technology & Tourism, 22(3): 329–334 (doi: 10.1007/s40558-020-00188-w),[Online]
  33. ILO. (2021). World Employment and Social Outlook 2021. Geneva [Online]. Retrieved from https://www.ilo.org/global/research/global-reports/weso/2021/WCMS_771749/lang--en/index.htm [Accessed August 10, 2021]
  34. Isbah, M. Falikul, and Arif Budi Darmawan. (2021). “Perspektif Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial di Era Digital: Disrupsi, Emansipasi, dan Rekognisi.” In Perspektif Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial di Era Digital: Disrupsi, Emansipasi, dan Rekognisi. Gadjah Mada University Press: pp. 140–61
  35. Kemenparekraf. (2021). Siaran Pers : Work From Bali akan Diluncurkan Mulai Juli 2021 Secara Bertahap [Online]. Retrieved from https://kemenparekraf.go.id/hasil-pencarian/siaran-pers-work-from-bali-akan-diluncurkan-mulai-juli-2021-secara-bertahap [Accessed March 16, 2021]
  36. Kicheva, Tatyana. 2021. Opportunities and Challenges of Remote Work. Izvestiya Journal of the University of Economics – Varna, 65(2): 145–60 (doi: 10.36997/IJUEV2021.65.2.145),[Online]
  37. Kozinets, Robert. 2010. Netnography: Doing Ethnographic Research Online (1st ed.). London: ‎ SAGE Publications Ltd
  38. Leclercq-Vandelannoitte, A. (2021). Do Coworking Spaces Promise a Revolution or Spark Revenge? A Foucauldian Spatio-Material Approach to the Re-spatialization of Remote Work in Coworking Spaces. In New Ways of Working, 151–173 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-61687-8_7),[Online]
  39. Matsushita, K. (2021). Workations and Their Impact on the Local Area in Japan. In The Flexible Workplace: Coworking and Other Modern Workplace Transformations, 215–229. Springer. /(doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-62167-4_12),[Online]
  40. MBO Partners. (2021). The Great Realization [Online]. Retrieved from https://info.mbopartners.com/rs/mbo/images/MBO_2021_State_of_Independence_Research_Report.pdf [Accessed March 16, 2021]
  41. MIO Industry. (2019). Workplace Messaging Report 2019. Retrieved from https://dispatch.m.io/mio-workplace-messaging-report/ [Accessed December 26, 2021]
  42. Mukherjee, A. (2021). Technology and the Simultaneous Collapsing and Expanding of Organizational Space: A Covid-19 Experience. In New Ways of Working, 343–364 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-61687-8_14),[Online]
  43. Mulyana, C., Sudana, I. P., & Wikanatha Sagita, P. A. (2020). Persepsi dan Motivasi Digital Nomad Berwisata di Desa Tibubeneng, Canggu, Kuta Utara. Jurnal IPTA, 8(2): 183 (doi: 10.24843/IPTA.2020.v08.i02.p03),[Online]
  44. Pecsek, B. (2018). Working on Holiday: the Theory and Practice of Workcation. Balkans Journal of Emerging Trends in Social Sciences, 1(1): 1–13 (doi: 10.31410/Balkans.JETSS.2018.1.1.1-13),[Online]
  45. Putra, Gierlang, and Fauzan Alfi Agirachman. 2016. Urban Coworking Space: Creative Tourism in Digital Nomads Perspective
  46. Sousa-Uva, M., Sousa-Uva, A., Mello, M., & Serranheira, F. (2021). Telework during the Covid-19 Epidemic in Portugal and Determinants of Job Satisfaction: a Cross-Sectional Study. BMC Public Health, 1–11 (doi: 10.1186/s12889‑021‑12295‑2),[Online]
  47. Tahir, S. (2021). Remote Working During the Pandemic and Technostress. Academia Letters, 1–4. (doi: 10.20935/AL1017),[Online]
  48. Takahashi, N. (2021). Telework and Multi-Office. Annals of Business Administrative Science, 20(4): 107–119 (doi: 10.7880/abas.0210705a),[Online]
  49. The ASEAN Post Team. (2020). Digital Nomads in Southeast Asia [Online]. Retrieved from https://theaseanpost.com/article/digital-nomads-southeast-asia [Accessed August 10, 2021]
  50. Thompson, B. Y. (2021). Digital Nomads as Canaries in the Coalmine: Disruption and the Future of Work and Leisure. In Digital Nomads Living on the Margins: Remote-Working Laptop Entrepreneurs in the Gig Economy. Emerald Publishing Limited,101–117 (doi: 10.1108/978-1-80071-545-520211009),[Online]
  51. Undang - Undang No 10 Tahun 2009 tentang Kepariwisataan. Pub. L. No. UU 10 Tahun 2009, 1 (2009)
  52. Wang, B., Schlagwein, D., Cecez-Kecmanovic, D., & Cahalane, M. (2020). Beyond the Factory Paradigm: Digital Nomadism and the Digital Future(s) of Knowledge Work Post-COVID-19. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 21: 1379–1401 (doi: 10.17705/1jais.00641),[Online]
  53. Waters-Lynch, J., & Duff, C. (2021). Coworking’s Cooperation Paradox: On the Role of Stigmergic Curation. In The Flexible Workplace: Coworking and Other Modern Workplace Transformations, 133–156 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-62167-4_8),[Online]
  54. Weiss, Y. (2009). Work and Leisure: A History of Ideas. Journal of Labor Economics, 27(1): 1–20, (doi: 10.1086/596993),[Online]
  55. Whitaker Institute. (2022). National Remote Working Survey April 2022. Ireland [Online]. Retrieved from http://whitakerinstitute.ie/project/remote-working-during-covid-19-irelands-national-survey/ [Accessed August 10, 2021]
  56. Xymax Real Estate Institute. (2020). Greater Tokyo Office Worker Survey 2020: Capturing changes in workers’ work styles and values. Tokyo [Online]. Retrieved from https://www.xymax.co.jp/english/research/images/pdf/20201124.pdf [Accessed August 10, 2021]
  57. Yoshida, T. (2021). How has workcation evolved in Japan? Annals of Business Administrative Science, 20(1): 19–32(doi: 10.7880/abas.0210112a),[Online]

Last update:

  1. How the Japanese workcation embraces digital nomadic work style employees

    Keita Matsushita. World Leisure Journal, 65 (2), 2023. doi: 10.1080/16078055.2022.2156594

Last update: 2026-11-05 14:08:21

No citation recorded.