Among the myriad changes in business in the post-pandemic world is the corporate approach to business travel. It’s something most corporations haven’t had to rethink in decades, but the transformation in the way we operate in our day-to-day has forced leaders to reconsider what’s best for their people and their business.
Traditionally, we think of business travel as getting on a plane to meet with a client or to attend a conference, but the new landscape is driving changes to that definition. Now, it might refer to an employee heading to HQ for a quarterly meet-up, or to a digital nomad touring the world, who only meets colleagues in-person at an annual holiday party. Company events, seasonal gatherings, and corporate retreats are now driving more business travel than they may have previously. Because of this, different types of employees now need, or have more flexibility to, travel.
More than just meetings
There’s nuance when it comes to in-person and remote work models. Take Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky for example. Chesky has become a massive proponent of fully remote work. Even so, Chesky has said the most meaningful connections happen in-person, and that being in the same room for creative work and collaboration is best. That’s why Airbnb is still committed to having its employees meet regularly for team gatherings, off-sites and social events.
But not every industry has the same flexibility as tech. Look at financial services company J.P. Morgan. CEO Jamie Dimon initially said he wanted employees fully back in the office every day, perhaps due to rigorous expectations from banking clientele. But he has since eased up his stance. Now the company allows certain employees to work from home. Regardless of the working model, the vibrancy of face-to-face interactions is clear.
As the global head of Uber for Business, I am the first to admit that I’m genuinely excited that I’ve returned to traveling for work, interacting with colleagues outside the one-dimensional Zoom room and meeting folks I’ve never met in-person before. I’ve found the value of in-person work is especially evident when it comes to teamwork, camaraderie and connection. For example, we’ve found it’s far more effective to train our sales reps in-person, where they can listen and interact directly with their peers and managers. That’s an instance where we’ve deemed travel necessary. There’s no substitute for learning how to pitch than shadowing mentors, which builds stronger trust, clearer communication and greater accountability.
The new age of business travel: bleisure and base
Even if business travel may not have bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, leisure travel is leading the recovery according to the hotel and airline industries. Hyatt’s CFO says they’ve seen some of their biggest corporate clients return to pre-pandemic travel levels, but they’ve seen more growth in the leisure sector.
What’s even more interesting is the way in which employees are capitalizing on newfound flexibility and “bleisure” trips—trips that serve as both business trips and personal vacations. Now, more than one-third of business travelers are combining personal travel with business trips, including weekends. While the concept of bleisure isn’t wholly new, the greater flexibility we’re seeing employers give an unprecedented number of hybrid and remote employees is opening more doors for people to travel. Over the last few months, I’ve seen a substantial increase in the number of my colleagues adding personal time to their sales trips, which is great to see. I recently received feedback from a teammate that this new flexibility is helping her balance work with her other personal priorities, like being able to spend time with family in the area after a trip to meet with a client.
I’m also seeing companies take this a step further with “return to base” travel, where remote workers are brought to a hub to reconnect. Salesforce’s new 75-acre Trailblazer Ranch amid the picturesque redwoods in California is the perfect example. With the majority of its 70,000 person workforce working hybrid or remote, Salesforce sought a travel destination that served as a place for employees to stay and connect.
The future of travel is sustainable
The best companies are not requiring their employees to travel unnecessarily, limiting negative impacts to the environment. More than 1,700 organizations around the globe have submitted concrete plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, verified by the Science Based Targets initiative. Carbon emissions tracking actually became a top requested feature from Uber’s corporate users, so we recently created a sustainability insights feature for companies to have a clearer picture of their corporate travel footprint. Travel and accommodation industries are also implementing similar changes.
In addition to airlines transitioning to sustainable fuels and placing major orders for clean energy engines and aircraft, we’re also seeing sites like Google Flights provide fliers with tools like a “Low Emissions” filter when booking flights. Train travel is a sustainable option people are looking at too. Europe’s NightJet trains claim to be 50 times more climate-friendly than an airplane. Meanwhile in the U.S,. Amtrak is positioning itself as a way to shrink travelers’ carbon footprint, since it says there are up to 73% fewer emissions compared to flying.
Hotel chains are also making major moves to reduce their environmental footprint. Hilton has already reduced carbon emissions by 43% since it released its Travel with Purpose strategy, which sets goals for 2030. They’ve also reduced water use and landfill waste intensity. This approach to putting corporate social responsibility at the forefront is a hopeful indication that business travel can play a role in addressing climate change head-on.
I don’t anticipate business travel will look the same as it once did. Change and challenge are constant, from the pandemic to supply chain issues to inflation. To be most effective as business leaders we must ask questions, think critically and be willing to reevaluate our approach, always considering what’s best for our people and the planet. We must recognize that travel is, and will continue to be, a huge part of professional work. It’s up to us as leaders to manage business travel as holistically as possible, knowing that the decisions we make carry a considerable amount of weight—both at a micro level within our own company cultures and at a macro level in the way we show up in the world.
Susan Anderson is global head of Uber for Business.
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