Melissa Hirst
Work and home life are intersecting. Take, for instance, bleisure — the art of combining business travel with leisure.
Contrary to shying away from this, many businesses are embracing bleisure by incorporating it into their company travel policy. In many cases, employees are already tagging a few days on to a business trip. The main benefit of implementing a bleisure policy, assuming it's right for a business, is that it erases any blurred lines and unanswered questions employers and business travellers may have.
Tips for implementing a bleisure policy
It's important to cover all bases when drawing up a plan and that every scenario is planned for and every question answered.
The nature of these questions will vary but some will be universal. For instance, there needs to be a clear definition of what constitutes as personal and business expenditure, and how the two are recorded. It's also essential that employers address any issues that may arise as a result of duty of care, and whether or not the company is liable if something goes wrong during the bleisure leg.
Other factors to take into consideration include determining whether a business should limit the number of days an employee can put towards the bleisure aspect of their trip, and employees should be made aware from the beginning that any weekdays tacked on for leisure purposes must come from their holiday allowance. It should also be made clear whether travellers can use a different booking site than that which was used to arrange the business portion of the journey, as this may depend on supplier preferences or agreements. It may prove more cost effective to book the whole journey in the same booking as some sites and hotels offer discounts for longer stays.
The end result of a strong bleisure policy should be something that enables employees to have enriching experiences during their travels, while protecting both the traveller and employer. This should be an ongoing process that is constantly monitored to ensure that employees are adhering to the presented guidelines and requirements, yet flexible enough to accommodate the needs of each individual business traveller.
Benefits of embracing bleisure
Employee satisfaction: Employees can see that their employer is taking their well-being into account; a few days away can go a long way for preventing burnout and boosting morale.
Second, they see that they are trusted. Encouraging bleisure will show that they are not only valued, but that you acknowledge them as responsible and trustworthy individuals. Involving employees in conversations or planning around implementing a bleisure policy will not only ensure greater buy-in, but will also bring any concerns or desires of business travellers to the table.
Attracting new talent: Millennials are driving the bleisure craze so employers need to keep an open mind. The new talent pool has different desires, including the need to add value to every aspect of their life. As a result, we have seen a change in the benefits offered to employees in recent years, with everything from gym memberships, cinema discounts and flexible work. For businesses to be competitive and attract new talent that will drive them forward, the needs of the talent pool must be taken into consideration.
Cost efficiency: Some businesses are finding that bleisure can actually be cost efficient. One perk that makes this possible is that business travellers typically return from their trip during peak travel times. However, if they tack a day or two over the weekend, the likelihood is that their return trip will fall outside of peak times, saving the business on transportation costs.
Again, it's worth being aware that some hotels offer more competitive prices for longer stays. Though employees would be responsible for paying for additional nights when they're not engaged in work activities, the overall discount could positively affect the business.
Melissa Hirst writes on behalf of CT Business Travel