Aussies working from home are taking a midweek hush trip without telling the boss where they really are

It’s a working-from-home perk – a midweek hush trip – going away to a fabulous location without telling the boss where you really are. A growing number of Aussies are taking advantage of a travel trend where people who are supposed to be working from home secretly work from another remote destination instead. New research revealed 44 per cent of gen Z workers admitted to sneaking off on a hush trips, with most giving their workplace the impression they were working normal hours and using a virtual background in meetings to trick their employer. Intrepid travellers basking in holiday vibes say a hush trip is a win-win situation. Ella Maree, 26, started hush-tripping after Covid when her corporate workplace adopted a 3:2 work week, which meant she could work from home on Mondays and Fridays. “Since travel options were limited, hush trips became my go-to choice,” she said. Ms Maree has taken a few hush trips, recently travelling to the Hunter Valley with friends who all worked from their accommodation during the day while “basking in the holiday vibes”. They wanted a reset and since they didn’t have many annual leaves days, the friends decided to go on a hush trip. “A cozy country escape was top of the list and somewhere within driving distance from Sydney, so Hunter Valley it was,” she said. Ms Maree has also travelled interstate on a family holiday without having to request annual leave or flag it with her employer. “I flew out Thursday evening and worked by the hotel pool, restaurant and room on Friday,” she said. “I maintained the same level of productivity as if I were physically in the office or working from home, so really, a win-win situation.” Ms Mareee did not feel the need to flag these trips with her boss because they were not disruptive to her workday but said she would tell them if she was knew she would miss a meeting. While she was worried about getting busted by her boss on her first hush trip, she said every time since then had been worry free and she would get a bit of an adrenaline rush by organising a hush trip. “Most of my office work from home Friday, so really, I’m just making the most of our remote work flexibility,” she said. “I make sure to look at my diary ahead of time in case I’m needed for any face-to-face meetings. “I don’t think my boss would mind. It’s more this common perception that if you’re not physically in the office or working from home, people assume you’re not putting in the effort. “For many, most of what we do day-to-day takes place online and we’re all so connected via multiple platforms, so I believe it doesn’t matter where I’m working from, just as long as the work is getting done. “I think Covid has taught us we can work anywhere and everywhere. Hush trips are an ideal scenario helping to boost productivity and reduce stress by changing up your work environment.” IHG Hotels and Resorts East Asia and Pacific vice-president Dean Jones said the concept of “work from anywhere” skyrocketed during Covid, and as people returned to a more normalised way of working, the appetite for flexibility remained. “Work-life balance is one of the most talked-about concepts of our time,” he said. “Anecdotally, we know colleagues are happier and more productive when they opt for a work-life blend, as opposed to the balancing act. “And if Covid taught us anything, it’s that we can trust employees to be productive in a range of environments – whether that’s a traditional workstation, hotel desk, restaurant table or even by the pool.” Mr Jones said IHG championed a “guest how you guest” philosophy, with their patrons as varied as the hotels they stayed in. “Whether it’s to remedy a sense of burnout or maximise a business trip abroad, the beauty of hotels is they provide practical and inspired environments where travellers can easily experience the best of both worlds,” he said. “The magic is a hush trip is whatever you want it to be.” Mr Jones said hotel design had also come a long way and provided more spaces and amenities to accommodate a mix of traditional work and leisure. “Hush trips mean guests are no longer having to choose what is strictly work and what is strictly leisure, and within reason, this can be a positive thing,” he said. The hotel chain offers guests who are busted by their boss on a hush trip special perks if they can prove they were caught as well as tailored packages to people who blend their working hours with travel experiences, offering everything from espresso martinis to keep cups. “The hush trip perks by IHG are a fun-spirited and limited time offer, so whether you were a solo traveller or taking off with a small group of friends, we have destinations from Terrigal to the Mornington Peninsula ready to help,” Mr Jones said.