As we continue our blog series around the redefinition of care, we need to consider the WHY of this issue.
Why now? Why does care need to be redefined? What benefit will this redefinition have for travellers, traveller bookers, and your business?
We tackled the changing expectations of travellers, and consumers as a whole, in the previous blog post, acknowledging a growing desire by individuals to be seen as just that: an individual.
This doesn’t mean personalisation in terms of marketing wizardry – AI or advanced algorithms guessing what your preferences are based on previous behaviours – it means adopting a life-centric approach to business travel, where you truly understand the drivers and motivations of your travellers, and accept that they will undoubtedly move and change.
Alongside the changes in expectations, the second trend we believe is influencing the need to reconsider our definition of care, is the change in the make-up of the global workforce.
'Big Four' Accountancy Practice, PwC, claims that Gen Z (those born between 1997 – 2012) and Millennials (those born between 1981 – 1996) currently make up approximately 38% of the global workforce - and this percentage will rise to about 58% by 2030.
Much has been written about these generations and their seeming departure from traditional working practices. One thing is clear though: Gen Z, in particular, have expectations and are willing to walk away from a business if those expectations are not met.
According to a study by software developers, LMS, “Unlike previous generations who were bringing their depersonalised self to work, young professionals are openly expressing their values and expect their employers to align with them.”
It is this personalisation, the holding of values and willingness to seek out employers who are in alignment, that advances the need to redefine care from a legal duty to a true concern for the individual.
From a business travel perspective, these employee groups are not just your current travellers – they are your future stakeholders. They are the ones who will be shaping travel policy, choosing suppliers, and dictating the way the company travels in years to come.
And they will be doing it all with their personal values front and centre.
These changes are already being seen in the current global workforce and more specifically in business travel. One of our own Travel Counsellors, Dom Pokropek, has observed this trend within his client base. Specialising in oil, gas and marine, Dom knows the bespoke nature of travel management his corporate clients require.
“I’m seeing more frequently that one way of working or one travel management style does not suit all companies. Every client, and every one of their travellers, is different and has differing requirements,” Says Dom.
“As TMCs, we need to start offering a bespoke travel management service tailored to each individual’s needs, being fluid enough to evolve and adapt our service as our clients grow and their needs change. Not everyone is there yet, but as a Travel Counsellor, I think our definition of care is quite unique in the travel management industry.”
This ability to be fluid, adapting and growing with your business' needs, is going to be essential in the continuation of corporate travel and a rebuilding of the industry as a whole.
According to a survey by SAP Concur, Gen Z travellers are 14% more likely to decline a business trip than older generations.
But what is more interesting is the reason why.
Ranging from personal commitments to global concerns, sustainability to mental health, Gen Z are not hopping on a plane, train or automobile at the drop of a hat. They want purpose, to know that the trip has value, and that their wellbeing and personal preferences are prioritised alongside the needs of the business.
The message here pulls us back to life-centricity and care: if you want to get your travellers travelling, then you need to care enough to make it truly personal.
This acknowledgement of a new generation’s need to be ‘seen’ and considered as an individual has clear impacts. As we explored in our previous blog post, Changing Expectations, there is a consumer need for individuality, and this is spilling into business as well.
These wide-ranging preferences within the workforce need to be embraced, using tools and services that can meet everyone’s needs – rather than forcing travellers down specific paths. A TMC that can cater for those with an online and offline preference, like we aim for at Travel Counsellors, helps your travel programme remain relevant and accessible to as many travellers as possible.
We can see then that care in business is no longer about wellbeing programmes and free fruit baskets. It is about employers remaining flexible and understanding, working with the right suppliers to deliver the right mix of technology, personal service, and individualism to meet their diverse traveller needs.
And those who do so are more likely to come out ahead in the competition for talent.
Redefining care in this way, and creating a culture of individualism and respect, can foster ongoing loyalty – both to a travel programme and a business.
Beginning to lay the foundations of care in this newly defined sense, establishes a culture and an environment that the leaders of tomorrow will be proud to remain in association with, and build upon for the future.
Here at Travel Counsellors for Business, we can help you devise a care-led travel programme that suits the needs of all your travellers. Get in touch to find out how we help your organisation to redefine care.
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