A new survey* from Cambria Suites fielded by the GBTA Foundation, the research and education arm of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), revealed that work-life balance is an important goal for almost nine of 10 surveyed business travelers.
Free Wi-Fi Almost As Important As a Comfortable Bed When Travelling for Work
Seventy-one percent of respondents say the key to achieving work-life balance is focusing on “work-life productivity” while travelling, which means living their entire life more productively and putting equal focus on work and personal needs. Business travellers identify the right hotel and technology as top drivers of their productivity, according to the “Total Work-Life Productivity of Business Travellers” survey. Technology plays such an important role for the efficiency of modern day road warriors that 62 percent rate free Wi-Fi almost as important as a comfortable bed (65 percent) when it comes to very important hotel services and amenities.
Companies Seek Greater Efficiencies from Business Trips
On the heels of reports that U.S. business travel continues to grow, so do the expectations of employers. The survey shows that road warriors feel employers are demanding greater outcomes and higher efficiencies from each and every business trip. In line with a still-recovering economy, the survey suggests that companies are specifically looking for greater cost efficiencies. Almost a quarter (23 percent) of business travellers say that they are staying less frequently at hotels that are full-service or luxury class, and more than one out of five (21 percent) say they are facing greater scrutiny over outcomes from their business trips. The survey of 407 business travellers was commissioned by Cambria Suites, a contemporary, all-suites brand from Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), and is one of the first in the industry to explore how business travellers can achieve overall “work-life productivity” in an environment where cost efficiencies are top of mind for business travellers.
Value of In-Person Meetings Undisputed
Even in times of easily accessible technology and the rise of social media, American business travellers still want to have face-to-face meetings, with nearly eight of 10 (79 percent) claiming that in-person meetings are necessary for doing business successfully. More than three quarters of business travellers (76 percent) report that these trips help their companies grow.
“Business travellers are feeling more pressed today compared with a year ago. They are facing greater demands from all sides as they are seeking to balance their work and personal lives, according to the survey,” says Michael Murphy, SVP of Cambria Suites. “In this environment, productivity away from the office is very important. Our findings also revealed that if business travellers focus not just on their work productivity while travelling, but also on their personal productivity, they can make inroads to achieve a better work-life balance, which is an important goal for nine out of 10 road warriors (87%).”
Technology Critical to Balance Top Personal Challenges on the Road
The Cambria Suites survey found that spending time with loved ones (62 percent) and missing important events and milestones in their personal lives (42 percent) are two of the top five challenges cited by business travellers while on the road. Others include: eating healthy and on a regular schedule (68 percent), getting proper sleep (62 percent), and exercising regularly (60 percent). Caring for pets at home (24 percent) is also a concern for some business travellers.
According to the survey, technology is a top tool for business travellers to balance personal and professional needs; nearly two-thirds (66 percent) of business travellers cite technology as critical in achieving greater overall work-life productivity. While technology has made business travel more efficient and productive for nearly eight of 10 travellers (78 percent), it is equally significant in helping them stay connected with loved ones on business trips (81 percent).
Right Hotel has More Impact on Staying Productive than Flight or Rental Car
The survey also revealed the importance hotels play in achieving balance and productivity when travelling. More than half of road warriors (56 percent) say that the hotel component has a greater impact on their ability to work productively than other trip components, such as their flight or rental car. Comfortable beds and bedding (65 percent), closely followed by free Wi-Fi (62 percent) are cited as most important when it comes to hotel services and amenities. Friendly, helpful staff (39 percent), free parking (30 percent) and a spacious, well-appointed hotel guest-room (26 percent) complete the top five must-have hotel services for business travellers.
“At Cambria Suites hotels, we check off the top must-haves from a business traveller’s wish list without busting their expense budget,” says Murphy. “Today’s business traveller is really looking for great value in a hotel and Cambria Suites provides that.”
The all-suites hotel chain offers spacious suites that are larger than average hotel rooms with separate sleeping and living areas; free high-speed Internet and remote printing throughout the hotel so that guests can stay connected on the road.
More Women Than Men Use Technology to Stay In Touch with Loved Ones
The survey found women value and use technology more than men to stay connected with their personal lives on business trips. Women are more likely (plus 13 percent points) than men to say that social media in particular has enhanced their business travel experience by keeping them in touch with their personal and professional networks (42 percent compared with 29 percent). Eight of 10 female business travellers state that technology is just as important in their business and personal life to enhance their overall productivity, compared to seven of 10 men. The survey also revealed that achieving work-life balance is more important to female road warriors, with 96 percent of women saying work-life balance is an important goal compared with 82 percent of men.
Survey respondents were full-time employees and had taken at least four business trips with a minimum distance of 50 miles in the last 12 months. More than eight out of 10 respondents (83 percent) said that it was not only important to increase their work productivity, but to live their entire life more productively.
All Cambria Suites hotels feature Reflect, a casual dining and gathering area serving a dinner menu, liquor, wine, beer, freshly prepared grab-and-go gourmet salads and sandwiches, a barista bar featuring Wolfgang Puck® coffee and a hot breakfast buffet; Refresh, a state-of-the-art fitness centre with an elegant pool and hot tub/spa area; and Refill, a 24-7 convenience store that offers energy drinks, snacks and sundries.
*Cambria Suites commissioned the GBTA Foundation to field an online survey of frequent business travellers between Aug. 1-11, 2012. The GBTA Foundation provided recommendations and edits to the questionnaire drafted by Cambria Suites. The GBTA Foundation programmed and fielded the study to a representative online sample of 407 frequent business travellers utilizing the population samples provided by ResearchNow. All analysis conducted with the data was performed by Cambria Suites. To participate in the study, respondents had to be at least 18 years old, be employed full-time and have taken at least four business trips in the last 12 months that required travel of at least 50 miles. All surveys have a margin of error due to the random nature of sampling. The margin of sampling error for aggregate results is +/-4.9 percentage points.