The shift to increased remote work for many has allowed employees in a variety of sectors to work from anywhere—even while traveling. And according to a recent survey, many travelers are taking full advantage of the trend by embarking on what’s been coined “blended” trips.
Blended travel refers to trips that include both work and leisure time, whether it’s adding extra vacation days to a business trip or working remotely during a vacation, and is becoming more popular in today’s work-from-anywhere era.
Travel insurance provider Squaremouth recently polled more than 2,500 customers regarding their upcoming travel plans and their experience with blended trips. According to the survey, nearly half of respondents have taken a blended trip. While mixing work with vacation may not be for everyone, nearly 50% of Squaremouth customers confirm that they have experience mixing business with leisure, having taken a blended trip in some capacity in the past.
And travel experts expect the trend of blended travel to continue moving forward. Roughly a quarter (24%) of Squaremouth customers foresee themselves taking a blended trip in some capacity within the next 12 months.
Travelers who voiced interest in blended travel indicated what type of trip appeals to them most:
- 53% of travelers would prefer adding vacation days to their business trips
- 39% would opt to work remotely while on a personal vacation
- 8% would prefer to travel and work simultaneously as a digital nomad
No matter what type of blended trip you may have planned, the following tips will help you make the most of both your work effort and your vacation time:
- Be clear about how much time you will be devoting to work vs. vacation. For example, if you intend to be online only from 9 a.m. – noon, make sure everyone is aware of your schedule in order to manage expectations.
- Articulate the type of work you will be available for while traveling. For example, responding to emails may be fine but Zoom calls may not be possible. Communicate such details to your team.
- Let everyone know when you’re officially off the clock. Blended trips are great until a colleague or client infringes on your vacation time. Be sure everyone is aware when your personal time is in effect by updating your autoresponder, voicemail and chat channel settings.
