Despite fintech winter, Raisin allows employees to work from home abroad and pays for their accommodation. The company has rented a villa in Greece over the winter, where up to ten colleagues can set up their laptops simultaneously.
The rent for a villa in Greece is around 50,000 euros. This “has a pool as well as a kitchen under the open sky. You have a great view of the sea,” explained Marcel Höschler, Director of Product at Berlin-based fintech Raisin, in an interview with the news agency “Bloomberg.” The company behind the deposit platform, Weltsparen, is awarding 260 places over the winter based on one-week stays at a time.
Home office abroad – also known as a workstation – is a trend that has gained tremendous momentum in the financial sector. BayernLB, LBBW, DZ Bank, and ING Deutschland, for example, also let employees work abroad on a mobile basis for a limited time. In this way, they want to increase employee satisfaction and keep them at the company longer. “The offer helps create a collaborative work environment and strengthen team bonds. Employees are more satisfied and motivated,” Höschler also confirms.
Anyone who wants to join the “Winter Office” at Raisin should only briefly coordinate with their boss whether there are any presence appointments during the desired period. The HR department is not involved any further. If you can also provide a flight ticket with CO2 compensation, you can reserve one of the 260 seats in the Greek villa.
In principle, there is no official obligation at Raisin. Those who wish can work permanently on a mobile basis within Germany. The home office may also be abroad for up to three months per year, except for a few countries such as China, North Korea or Russia.
After the first Corona waves, Raisin had initially issued a rule in October 2021 that each employee should come into the office two days a week. “We quickly realized that the teams did not necessarily favour this,” said Maria Göhler, head of human resources. As a result, she said, the regulations have been adjusted again.
The Raisin Villa in Greece is located in the village of Saronida, about 30 kilometres south of Athens. It was rented from the beginning of November to the end of April. A strong wifi signal provides the best conditions for working during the day, while a flat wine rate ensures a good after-work program in the evening. Whether there will also be a home office abroad at company expense next winter has yet to be decided.