The Bleisure
Guilt Trip
Why business travellers can’t enjoy their own free time
“Bleisure”, where people mix business and pleasure, is of course already happening. But, without clear permission from their employer, workers don’t feel comfortable combining the two.
Business travel takes employees to some of the world’s most exciting destinations. But, most aren’t making the most of it, because they feel guilty.
Even though 82% of business travellers admitted to adding personal time to work trips, our research found that nearly half (41%) felt guilty for doing so – even outside of working hours.
worry their manager will judge them
46%
feel the same about colleagues
60%
feel pressure to stay constantly available
46%
struggle to switch off
The Problem
Guilt is getting in the way
We found that even when free time does exist on a work trip itinerary, it’s often wasted.
This isn’t just because of internal pressure, it’s cultural, with our research showing:
Would make better use of personal time if encouraged by their employer
78%
Want leisure time built into their travel schedule
We also found that on average, business travellers spend just 3.5 hours per day in meetings or conferences, leaving around four hours of downtime that’s currently being lost due to guilt.
Introducing theBleisure ClauseSolution
Employees won’t reclaim their personal time if they’re worried about how it will look. So, we’ve introduced a Bleisure Clause designed to remove the fear and make the permission official.
“While travel is instrumental for many businesses, it takes a real toll on employees. Being away from home and feeling constantly on the clock is a pressure in itself, and when taking personal time comes with guilt on top of that, something has gone wrong.
Our Bleisure Clause puts the fix at the point of booking, making rest a legitimate part of all travel from the outset.”
Built into the Good Business Travel booking system, it allows employers to:
- Allocate protected leisure time
- Pre-approve that time through Bleisure Vouchers
- Make personal time fully supported and guilt-free
Make every spare moment count
Permission is the first step, but time also needs to be easy to use. That’s why we’ve created a Bleisure Tourism Guide for the top European travel destinations.
Whether your team only has 30 minutes before a morning meeting, a free evening to decompress or a full weekend, the guide is packed with recommendations for local cafes, landmarks, and hidden gems – quick to explore and tailored specifically for the time-pressed business traveller.
Give your team permission to switch off
If your team travels for work, they deserve to travel well. The Bleisure Clause builds rest into every trip and removes the guilt completely.
To speak about adding the Bleisure Clause to your fully tailored corporate travel management packages, get in touch.
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