Travel is essential for businesses and their employees. From traveling sales staff to executives going to important meetings, there are countless reasons why travel is important. However, it can create stress in staff, especially if they travel often. Business travel can also create opportunities for financial drains that keep the company from profitability. There are many different ways to make the travel experience better now only for staff, but also for your company’s budget. Here are some of the top solutions to help everyone.
Tech Hacks to Make Business Travel Better
Let’s face it, there isn’t a single sector of life where technology isn’t used in some way or another. Using the right tech tools is one way you can improve business travel, including the costs. Technology can be used for everything from booking flights to tracking expenses, making some of the most tedious tasks a little easier. Many employers require their staff to use specific apps when they travel to help manage the different facets of their trips.
They can use tech to manage itineraries, check on flights, and even stay on top of receipts and expenses with ease. Being able to use technology to handle these tasks means that every expense gets accounted for and if reimbursements are needed, they can more easily happen. This makes the process easier on employees and also benefits your business. Staff members who are less stressed about work are able to perform better long term.
Other ways to use tech when you travel for business include bringing along presentations, documents, and more in a digital form. These digital documents can be easily shared with meeting attendees when you get to your destination. You can also leverage things like smart luggage that incorporates USB charging ports, global WiFi hotspots so you can stay connected from almost anywhere, and wearable tech to track your sleep and activity while you are away.
Travel Management Systems and Apps
Businesses that want to be successful in controlling and using travel expenses wisely often use a travel management process and system. While letting employees simply book their own trips and turn in a bunch of receipts might seem like a great idea, this high touch process can be streamlined with travel management for business travel. This is one of the most effective ways to save money and streamline the entire travel process.
Businesses often choose to use a centralized platform for travel management to ensure that staff stay at approved hotels, use preferred vendors, and get better deals on each part of their trip. From car rentals to finding flight deals, these platforms offer numerous ways to keep travel costs down. Plus, with a travel management company or system, they can offer 24/7 assistance if one of your employees needs help while they are on the go. This ensures that they won’t be left stranded on a weekend trip when the office doesn’t open until Monday.
Plus, you can often turn in all your receipts directly through the app which simplifies cost tracking. This can make it easier on employees so they don’t have to carry tons of receipts for the duration of their trip. They can simply snap a photo and upload it to the system. You can pull up reports as well that can help your company see where spending is too high and you can make suggestions to bring these costs down as well.
Helping Employees Stay Well When They Travel
Travel can be exhausting. This tiredness can lead to mental and physical stress that can be hard to manage. If your company wants to take good care of your staff, you can focus on offering options that prioritize employee health and wellness on trips.
Many companies offer flexible travel arrangements including a day of downtime when they are on a business trip. This allows them to see local sites and enjoy things that they may not have had time for when they were focusing on work. Building in more buffer time between trips is another great way to care for the wellbeing of your employees.
You can also allow staff to choose hotels and places to stay that offer options that improve health and how employees feel. This can include healthy meals, fitness centers, pools, and even more comfortable beds and pillows. Staying at a budget hotel might be great for your bottom line, but it won’t be great for your team when they need to travel often. Another option is to allow your team to use a wellness stipend when they travel to get massages, chiropractic care, and other services that can reduce pain when they go on trips.
