MEDIA RELEASE
Taking another look at business travel
a break or a burden?
JOHANNESBURG, 28 March 2022 – Business travel looks glamorous, with images of briefcase-swinging jetsetters tapping away on keyboards in exotic locations. And now that PCR tests for vaccinated travellers have been scrapped, most road warriors are in the travel starting blocks – ready to take off.
After two years of no travel, it’s easy to forget the downsides of corporate travel: long hours, flight delays, disrupted routines, fatigue, unhealthy eating and lack of exercise. The good news is that as long as you keep an eye on burnout levels, business travel can be just as exciting as the glossy magazines will have you believe it is.
As executives enter the POVID (yep, that’s ‘post-covid’) phase of business, they are creaking under the twin burdens of rebuilding their companies while making up for lost time – and revenue – during the pandemic and lockdown. Work-life balance was always difficult to achieve, but with these accelerated pressures, the time-honoured business trip can become a chore instead of an opportunity. For small and medium businesses, travel is not a luxury but a necessity, built around the need for maximum productivity and focus.
“Small-to-medium businesses are leading the way in returning to pre-COVID levels of business travel,” says Oz Desai, GM of Corporate Traveller South Africa. “They are travelling because they can’t afford not to. SME’s don’t have time to waste in getting back on board with their clients, suppliers and partners, and the quickest way to do that is to knock on their door.”
Even large companies are reconsidering their attitude to executive travel. The 80s work ethic – where being successful was synonymous with burnout and stress – was heading towards the bin even before COVID. Lockdown and WFH have proven that the office’s ties can be broken without a break in productivity. Companies realise that a happy employee is also a useful employee –sharper, more productive, fewer sick days and less likely to job hop. Even though business travel is back on the agenda, the best business trip is about creating a routine where work is done, deadlines are met, business goals are achieved – but without any of the stress.
Desai shares five ways to turn a business trip from a burden to a well-earned getaway.
Give a little bit
Use a different approach right from the planning stages: skip that red-eye flight, make provision for some downtime and book the lounge at the airport ahead of time. If there is a possibility to do so, explore the option of adding a few bleisure days to your trip.
“All companies, big and small, will benefit from a formal travel policy,” says Desai. “A policy eliminates leakage when staff book flights and hotels on their own and helps to control costs. A Travel Management Company (TMC) can design a policy that sets guidelines about who pays for what (when a business traveller takes the family along), preferred airlines and accommodations, integrating leave into the travel times, and booking requirements. Having a set of formal rules will raise staff morale, as staff will realise that the company means business when it comes to leisure.”
Outsource the admin.
Did you know that the average business traveller visits around 38 websites before booking a trip? And – if we can believe a recent study by Phocuswire – business travellers spend 108 hours a year on admin work related to corporate travel — i.e. researching, booking, adjusting, cancelling and expensing travel.
Beat the admin burnout and rather hand the bookings, flights, visas, admin and all those devilish details over to a TMC. Let someone else do the worrying for a change. If cost is a factor, note that TMCs can negotiate special offers and discounts to offset their fees.
“Not only does a TMC source the best deals,” says Desai, “but they also stay on top of booking changes, COVID restrictions, entry regulations and red tape. With their supplier connections and buying power, they can also arrange early or late check-in, flexible flights and excursions, shuttles, lounges, hotel perks, and more. They can identify areas for savings, such as using serviced apartments instead of hotels, travelling off-peak, or identifying loyalty programmes with airlines, hotels and restaurants.”
A healthy mind in a healthy body
The disruption of travel makes it easy to indulge your inner couch potato. But you can counter the excuses even before you leave: choose hotels with exercise opportunities like a gym, golf course, pool or jogging trails. Pack your exercise gear like running shoes and leisurewear. And – to prevent meeting overruns and deadlines from interfering with your personal time, diarise your exercise sessions and family excursions into the itinerary.
Healthwise, keep to your normal sleep routine, drink plenty of water, make time for breakfast with the family (great for bonding) and ask the hotel for packed lunches.
It’s a go to say No.
Professionals find it hard to say no, but if you want to beat business travel stress, you’ll need to stand up. For example, booking a bleisure trip is pointless if you stay chained to your laptop while the family cycles around the local beauty spots. Right from the booking phase, schedule your personal or family time, ensuring that you get the balance right between your work and your holiday, with plenty of buffers between work commitments for recharging the batteries.
Switch off and power down.
Staying connected 24/7 is the new business reality, but it is not always necessary or advisable. During your downtime, switch off the phone and the internet, and connect with your family instead of the world. Checking devices last thing at night leads to sleeplessness and a lack of focus. Rather relax with a good book, a good companion, or a long bath – or maybe all three together.
For more information about Corporate Traveller, or to interview Corporate Traveller South Africa GM Oz Desai, call Dorine Reinstein on 083 278 8994 or email dorine@bigambitions.co.za.
**ends**
About Corporate Traveller
Corporate Traveller is a division of the Flight Centre Travel Group, dedicated to saving businesses across Southern Africa time and money. Corporate Traveller has the benefit of being part of the world’s third-largest travel retailer, leveraging its global negotiating strength. It has access to over 50 of the world’s leading airlines and deals with more than 100 000 hotels around the world to guarantee savings for clients. Corporate Traveller provides clear, consolidated reporting of all its clients’ travel activities, helping them to control travel spend and identify opportunities to save costs.
Issued by:
Big Ambitions
Dorine Reinstein
dorine@bigambitions.co.za
