As the business world transforms with technology and advancement for travel, business x leisure is gaining much higher attention. From short trips across the Caribbean to multi-city trips with a goal of business and a hint of leisure, travel has never been more flexible. The combination of business and leisure has given rise to a new term known as “Bleisure” which involves a hybrid goal for both business and tourism experience.
The latest trend of bleisure is taking the world by storm with its prime benefits of offering a great deal of work-life balance and overall well-being. That is why more and more people are joining the trend bandwagon to achieve much rewarding experience of work and tourism simultaneously.
Several factors contribute to the traction of bleisure into the business landscape. Let’s have a look at various reasons why blending business with leisure is gaining a higher popularity.
1. Higher Networking Opportunities
If there is one area where travel has shown remarkable results, then that would be networking opportunities. The travel industry is highly receptive to connecting with like-minded people and strengthening the relationship in the long run. The ability to visit an attraction along with networking for business creates a much more rewarding experience.
Today, businesses are also allowing their employees to visit various events and travel to vibrant communities to explore new networking opportunities. This will not only help in building a healthy employee bond but can also help businesses expand to new markets. On top of that, networking fuels trust, which is highly valued for building long-term business relationships.
2. Promoting Work-Life Balance
Along with networking opportunities, bleisure also promotes a healthy work-life balance for employees. COVID-19 played an important role in expanding the trend of bleisure to cater to the work-life balance. The integration of leisure into business travel can greatly aid with mental and physical health.
Business travel allows employees to enjoy the new culture and destinations while working at the same time. The opportunity to work in a unique environment among new communities encourages employee productivity and smooth growth.
To expand the work-life experience further, corporate businesses can also provide efficient vehicles to help employees reach all kinds of destinations without disconnecting from work. Opting for reliable vehicles like luxurious MPVs or a medium sized 12 seater minibus with a driver can allow employees to work on the go while traveling all kinds of long-distance journeys.
It is important to note that business travel for employees can often get daunting with scheduling meetings, clearing tasks, and coping with jet lags. The key is to provide better features to support the employee’s work-life balance, which will go hand-in-hand with productivity.
3. Bleisure Is Fueled By Technological Advancement
Technological advancement is reducing the gap between businesses and employees. That is why many corporate businesses are stepping up to devise new policies and strategies that allow employees to travel from anywhere around the globe. Whether you are in a remote area, on a road trip between countries, or working from home, different trailblazing tools connect employees with work effortlessly.
Not just employees, but businesses also have access to a diverse set of tools and applications that support business travel for employees. From building an effective travel policy to communicating with employees and project management, businesses can ensure smooth operations while keeping up with the enhanced employees’ morale.
4. Saving Cost
While it is easy to identify the productivity benefits of bleisure among employees. But did you know it also helps with saving the overall operational cost? With a proper travel policy, businesses can greatly reduce overall travel costs and streamline operations without delay.
Unlike the traditional approach, where employees would travel for leisure separately, businesses can merge business and leisure to allow both aspects at the same time. This will help cut down travel expenses significantly.
One of the indirect ways that businesses are saving higher costs through bleisure is through employee retention. Allowing employees to travel to different countries for work along with smart leisure activities can push their professional development.
5. Higher Job Creativity
In the end, a blend of business with leisure can also promote increased creativity among employees. Allowing the employees to engage with new people and building business relationships encourages enhanced creativity and innovative solutions.
Thanks to the cultural exposure while traveling to new destinations, employees can learn new skills and strategies that can support the overall business growth. Not to mention, soaking up the cultural influence of different destinations can open new boundaries for businesses while minimizing risks.
Final Words
As bleisure becomes mainstream, businesses can expect an uptick in the trends of better employee productivity and retention. Gone are the days of traditional workspaces that restricted employees in a bubble. Today, businesses must quickly adapt to the changing landscape of employee productivity to stay ahead of the curve and reduce the turnover rate.
It all starts with an effective business travel plan and creative strategies to allow employees to balance work and life. The cultural exchange offered by a bleisure activity is unmatched to raise the bar of employees’ productivity and boost their morale.
