Before I joined BTiQ I was already aware of different traveller types and traveller friction without knowing there were terms for it and blogs written about it. When I first started travelling for work I'd often talk to my dad, a now ex-road warrior, about what I liked about my work trips and my expectations. His views differed greatly to mine. Even the purpose, destination and what was expected of us on our travels impacted what we thought about a particular trip. A two-day press trip in Madrid is different to a week-long workshop and bid in Kuwait (the latter even has a different working week).
So it seems obvious to me that travel managers should be thinking about different travel policies, the impact of work travel on personal lives and allowing travellers the option to personalise.
For, as Scott Gillespie pointed out in our recent webinar, flights are often taken in personal time and we often spend downtime in hotels. When a traveller is making that sacrifice it should be no surprise they want to do things how they want to.
Traveller profiles, technology and multiple policies help but Caroline Strachan thinks travel policies could eventually fall under benefits like medical or a gym membership. HR expert Joe Ales agrees that under such a scheme employees could 'buy' the right for business class or an upgrade.
This pick and mix style draws similarities to the ancillary model in the airline world. Fares have been unbundled for full customisation and are sometimes repackaged for a certain type of traveller.
It all comes back around to engagement too. The panel agreed that travel policies often come up in the interview stage but HR doesn't normally acknowledge the 'wear and tear' of travel in exit interviews. What is happening in the time between?
For my dad, by the time redundancy came knocking he'd had enough. Is that how you'd want employees to be feeling about both the frequency and quality of their business travel?