Mobile working: Workation & semester abroad at iSYS

As well as immersing yourself in a new culture, you can improve your language skills, expand your networks and take on personal challenges.

We offer our employees the flexibility to combine professional goals and personal interests. That’s why we make it possible to work remotely from abroad within an individually agreed time frame.

Anne and Marlène work for us as software developers and have managed their projects from abroad for several months. We asked them what it was like to be flexible in their choice of location during the course of their work.

Anne and Marléne, when did you go abroad and where to?

Anne: I spent a semester abroad in Santander in Spain from February to July 2022 and then travelled through Europe in August and September with an Interrail ticket, including France, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland. During this time, I worked 8 hours a week as a student trainee for iSYS. This year I was back in Santander for a whole month in June and am currently in Croatia for 3 weeks. So I’m currently working from a ‘remote office’, if you like.

Marléne: I moved to France in April this year and am currently living there, which has always been a dream of mine. After 30 years in Munich, I simply wanted a change of environment, new people and new experiences in life. But France will not be my final destination. I want to keep travelling in the future.

That sounds very exciting. What was it like for you to approach iSYS with your wish to work from abroad for a certain period of time?

Anne: It was actually completely relaxed and unproblematic. Of course, the prerequisite was that the quality of the work was not affected by the stay abroad and that the availability during the specified working hours was maintained. Exceptions to this should be agreed in advance. But apart from that, all my colleagues were very open-minded.

Marlène: I brought up the idea during my job interview, as I had been planning to live in France one day for some time. The interview went really well, which made me really happy. Everyone involved was open to the idea and immediately got involved and gathered initial information about working abroad.

How does working from abroad differ from working in Munich?

Anne: During my Erasmus stay, I always worked on a fixed day, which I also kept during my trips in August and September 2022. In Santander, I mainly worked from my flat or the university library. During my travels, I worked in my accommodation or in cafés. In June this year, I was lucky enough to find a cosy and quiet café next to my accommodation, which was even designed for digital nomads. In Croatia, I currently work from my accommodation. The working day is actually not very different from a home office working day at home – apart from possible time differences, depending on where you are.

Marlène: I feel the same way. My current daily routine is not much different from working from home in Munich. Moving to another country hasn’t brought much change in this respect. I’m still very well connected via our internal portals and can easily take part in most meetings via video conference.

What is special about working from abroad for you?

Anne: With the option to work from abroad, iSYS offers us the chance to take advantage of opportunities and get to know other countries, e.g. through longer stays abroad or the Erasmus programme. At the same time, we can still maintain our familiar working environment, which above all offers financial security. We also have the flexibility to get to know other countries in Europe outside of our regular holiday, bank holiday and weekend periods.

Marléne: The special thing for me personally is being free and not being tied to a fixed location. Despite my stay abroad, I can still do my usual work. I really appreciate that. The special thing about being abroad is, above all, gaining new experiences, getting to know new people and becoming a little more cosmopolitan.

Do you have any recommendations for people who are considering working from abroad for a certain period of time?

Anne: Personally, I really appreciate having an extra monitor, as I’ve noticed while travelling. I therefore recommend taking a mobile monitor with you. It is also important, especially when travelling with frequent changes of location, to make sure that a suitable workspace is available in the accommodation before starting work or that there is another easily accessible workplace. In cities, it is often possible to work in flexible offices. Although these are usually not free, they are relatively affordable. Above all, you should ensure a stable internet connection and low noise levels at the workplace.

Marlène: You have to be aware of what to expect when you move outside of work. In another country, you first have to orientate yourself and usually get used to a new language. After that, you should of course try to socialise and make friends. Tackling all of this at the same time can be a challenge, but it’s also a lot of fun.

Thank you very much for your time and have fun travelling!

Anne: Thanks, see you back in the office soon!

Marléne: Thank you very much, I will!

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