The majority of business travelers (67%) consider hitting the road critical to their career, including 51% who also enjoy traveling for business. But undercutting that enjoyment is cutbacks to flexibility, which 91% have experienced over the last year, according to a survey of 3,750 business travelers in 24 global markets conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of SAP Concur. These include not being allowed to spend a night to avoid a long day trip, not being able to opt for costlier preferred travel options like direct flights, and not being allowed to add personal travel to a business trip—or even traveling for non-client purposes, like conferences or training or internal staff meetings.
These hits to traveler flexibility may lead to increased tension with their employers. Virtually all (92%) would decline a business trip for reasons like safety, social, or environmental concerns or the potential impact on their work-life balance. And this pushback could come up against company priorities, given that 42% of travelers believe their businesses are prioritizing cost cutting over travel flexibility.
There are some compromises, including “booking buffers,” the extra time that 86% of travelers see as necessary due to unpredictable travel delays. This flexible travel option is in the company’s best interest to avoid missing important business meetings. It may also be overshadowed by the additional steps companies are implementing in an attempt to manage spending, including requiring pre-travel approvals. AI may offer a path forward, as business travelers are overwhelmingly open to it to lessen their administrative burdens. Yet this, too, comes with additional expectations of the company, primarily regarding training and data privacy.
At a time riddled with concerns over safety, costs, and sustainability, companies and travelers alike need to reach a new understanding of what flexibility is, and how to use it to achieve both of their objectives.
The majority of business travelers (67%) consider hitting the road critical to their career, including 51% who also enjoy traveling for business. But undercutting that enjoyment is cutbacks to flexibility, which 91% have experienced over the last year, according to a survey of 3,750 business travelers in 24 global markets conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of SAP Concur. These include not being allowed to spend a night to avoid a long day trip, not being able to opt for costlier preferred travel options like direct flights, and not being allowed to add personal travel to a business trip—or even traveling for non-client purposes, like conferences or training or internal staff meetings.
These hits to traveler flexibility may lead to increased tension with their employers. Virtually all (92%) would decline a business trip for reasons like safety, social, or environmental concerns or the potential impact on their work-life balance. And this pushback could come up against company priorities, given that 42% of travelers believe their businesses are prioritizing cost cutting over travel flexibility.
There are some compromises, including “booking buffers,” the extra time that 86% of travelers see as necessary due to unpredictable travel delays. This flexible travel option is in the company’s best interest to avoid missing important business meetings. It may also be overshadowed by the additional steps companies are implementing in an attempt to manage spending, including requiring pre-travel approvals. AI may offer a path forward, as business travelers are overwhelmingly open to it to lessen their administrative burdens. Yet this, too, comes with additional expectations of the company, primarily regarding training and data privacy.
At a time riddled with concerns over safety, costs, and sustainability, companies and travelers alike need to reach a new understanding of what flexibility is, and how to use it to achieve both of their objectives.
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