The Global Business Travel Association’s (GBTA) January 2023 outlook report says 9 in 10 travel managers think employees are willing to travel for work in the months ahead (with almost 7 in 10 being ‘very willing’). This high demand for travel suggests that offering such opportunities may boost employee retention and appeal to new talent.
To combat the country’s current labor shortages and keep employees happy, companies should focus on providing a great experience for those traveling for work. Currently, not all business travel experiences are created equal. So, how can travel managers ensure their employees are satisfied during business trips?
Here are our top tips for giving employees a five-star guest experience during business travel stays…
5 ways to boost business travelers' guest experience
__Involve them in travel plans __
Over half of travel managers find meeting employee business travel expectations a challenge. This is no surprise when each employee is different and has their own ideas about where the accommodation should be located and what amenities it should have. Therefore, it only makes sense to involve your employees in the business travel planning process to meet their needs better.
Previously involving employees in the long, tedious process of sourcing verified housing options would have caused a ton of extra work for travel managers. This may be why many employees have little say over where they stay on trips. But thanks to advancing technology, including online booking tools, travel managers can now easily hand over the reins.
Employees can simply filter amenities, locations, and more on the booking marketplace to create a shortlist of their favorite housing options. Since all of the accommodations available on marketplaces, such as 3Sixty, are already pre-vetted, involving employees can reduce work for travel managers rather than doubling it. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.
__Equip them with technology __
Tech is not only valuable for the booking process of a business trip but can also support employees when they’re on the road. Whether the goal is to cut transport time with an app such as Citymapper, stay safe using security data updates via GeoSure, or make travel expense recording easy using Expensify — there’s a tech solution that can make your employee’s trip a breeze.
Providing employees with the right tech tools for a trip can help reduce business travel stress, enabling them to have an overall better experience.
__Book quality housing __
The key to keeping employees happy while traveling for work is to give them a comfortable ‘home base’ where they can recuperate from long commutes or events, get work done, and relax in their leisure time. This is why it’s so important for travel managers to book quality and vetted housing for business travelers.
Online business travel marketplaces make it easy to source affordable, yet quality, housing options for every type of business travel need. Whether your employees are going on a three-day conference trip, staying longer to attend multiple meetings, or relocating long-term, accommodation that provides a home away from home feeling will go a long way in creating that all-important, five-star guest experience.
__Make trips as convenient as possible __
While business trips are essential for company growth, client relationships, and learning — and while many employees enjoy traveling for their careers — it doesn’t take away from the fact that business travel can be majorly disruptive and stressful. Taking every step possible to reduce inconvenience can make things all the easier for your employees and help to minimize burnout.
Simple things, such as booking employee accommodation as close as possible to the city, event, or workplace mean travelers don’t have to spend as much time navigating around an unfamiliar destination. Not to mention, nearby housing can drastically reduce travel expenses.
Also, choosing accommodation with in-unit facilities, such as a kitchenette, enables employees to cook for themselves if they don’t wish to venture out into a strange city after a long day. These seemingly minor decisions can have a huge impact on your employee’s experience, including reducing travel stress.
__Ensure they’re supported __
It's part of your duty of care to support employees whether they’re in the office, working remotely, or traveling for work. This may seem difficult when workers travel internationally and will be in a completely different time zone from the rest of the company. In these cases, choosing housing that prioritizes guest safety and has 24/7 customer services to support employees in real time is even more vital.
Keeping business travelers happy on the road can help companies retain top talent as well as attract new workers. The key to meeting employee expectations is to involve them in travel plans. Quality housing, round-the-clock support, convenient living, and tech tools also help in giving travelers that five-star guest experience.
3Sixty
3Sixty is the business travel industry’s most secure and intuitive accommodation platform. Our online booking tool has over one million quality accommodations around the world, including serviced apartments, short-term rentals, hotels, aparthotels, and condos.
Start booking a five-star business travel trip for your employees today using our marketplace of quality, pre-vetted housing.