As competition for talent intensifies, younger employees prefer to work for companies that offer frequent travel or flexible/blended (work and leisure) travel possibilities as a perk, confirmed a new study.
As many US businesses struggle to find and retain workers, employees are in a stronger bargaining position. Around 65% of Millennials (25-44 years old) and 59% of Gen Z (18-24 years old) employees are more inclined to work for a company that offers frequent travel or flexible blended travel possibilities, revealed a new study from Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts.
The brand’s YouGov survey found that four in five business executives worry that, unless they increase business travel, their professional (80%) and personal lives (80%) will suffer. In fact, many of today’s employees (54%) believe flexibility in working hours is just as important as a high salary (56%) or a four-day work week (36%).
BLENDED TRAVEL PERKS
Employers looking to retain or attract talent must act to harness this increased desire for blended travel as today’s employees view flexibility in working hours as an important factor when choosing where to work, alongside a high salary, despite the cost-of-living crisis, the research revealed.
The evolution of remote work, as a result of the pandemic, combined with the renewed ability to connect in person is speeding up Crowne Plaza’s plans for further hotel openings to keep up with demand. The brand plans to build 107 more hotels in the next three years; alongside renovating 50% of its existing portfolio of 400+ hotels.
COMBINING WORK WITH LEISURE
Of those surveyed, 31% believe that combining work travel and leisure would allow them to progress further in their career. Another 39% said that it would increase their happiness levels. Meanwhile, the brand’s ‘Blended Travel’ white paper found that the majority of business executives worry that their professional (80%) and personal lives (80%) will suffer unless they increase business travel.
The survey also revealed that 35% of Americans believe that it will give them greater flexibility, to combine work with a leisure trip abroad. Nearly two-fifths (36%) would add on average two to three more leisure days on to future business trips; and feel a bit to more confident in travelling this summer if their holiday was blended into a work trip.
Top reasons for wanting to travel for work include discovering new places, countries, and cultures (48%). Crowne Plaza has reported an uplift in business travel stays at its hotels, particularly for combined travel and work across the US.
ATTRACTING & RETAINING TOP TALENT
“As US employers struggle to fill vacancies, there is pressure on them to attract and retain the best talent. We’ve been playing in this space for many years, and we closely monitored evolving work and leisure trends. The shift since the pandemic has accelerated dramatically. Across our hotels and resorts, we’ve seen an uplift in those who blend work travel with leisure. With 107 new hotels in the pipeline during the next three years, Crowne Plaza has already laid the groundwork by creating spaces and a service style that are specifically catering to these desire,” confirmed Ginger Taggart, Vice President, Brand Management, Global Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts. “People want in-person connections. They also want the space to satisfy demands outside of the traditional 9-5 to enhance their well-being.”
To explore the changing needs of its guests in relation to the uplift in demand for combined work and leisure travel, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts, has launched the first ‘Blended Travel’ white paper by a hospitality brand: The Future of Blended Travel.
EMERGING WORK LEISURE TRENDS
The ‘Blended Travel’ white paper, developed in partnership with global trends and insights business, Stylus, identifies four emerging sub-trends that speak to guest’s evolving needs:
| Reworking work | Travel to a hotel or resort in a warm, exotic overseas location or an exciting city as a base for remote flexible working has boomed over the past two years. |
| Hybrid living, hybrid lives | Increasing number of business travellers are planning to extend their work travel with leisure days to get the most from their trips. Key to this is the flexibility and ability to work while traveling – whether it is a long-haul trip or a weekend visiting family – that’s enabled by new working practices. |
| Upskilling and side-hustles | Upskillers and Side Hustlers are using the power of travel to fuel inspiration, feed curiosity and enable networking and connections. |
| New care economy | More than ever before, families want to travel with children and grandparents. Multi-generational travellers seek out destinations that cater to all ages. |
PROVIDING WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Travel for both leisure and work are back – but it’s different now. Guests of Crowne Plaza claims it’s the only premium hotel offering with purposefully designed service and spaces which lend themselves to a blended lifestyle. This includes Plaza Workspace, a grouping of work and relaxation areas including the private, creative Studio zones that enable guests to work, eat and play, to the signature bar, providing a dynamic environment to socialise, work and relax. The brand’s patented WorkLife Room offers a combination of comfort, connectivity and flexibility with distinct zones that maximise space for work, relaxation and sleep.
With premium hotels currently based in more than 409 locations in city, airport, leisure and suburban destinations, the brand boasts properties spanning across 63 countries, catering for modern business traveller wanting blended travel to recharge and refuel.
Despite the cost-of-living crisis and rising inflation, most employees value work-life balance more than pay, a new survey suggests. Click here to read more
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