87% of those who find travelling for business stressful claim to lose at least one hour of productive time once they arrive due to the impact of this stress. As business travel bounces back, with the sector poised to hit a record spending high by year-end, a new report, “Premium experiences meet productivity: the changing face of travel and work”, uncovers the impact that travel planning is having on business travellers’ productivity.

With 85% of UK businesses looking to maintain or increase business travel spend over the next year, the report, launched by global chauffeur services provider Blacklane, reveals how the dynamics of business travel are evolving in relation to wellness and productivity, and how the evolution of premium amenities has the potential to improve professional’s overall productivity.

Blacklane’s report, “Premium meets productivity: the changing face of travel and work” explores how the current approach to global business travel planning causes executives to lose productive work hours as a result of fragmented journeys: 86% of global participants claimed to lose at least one hour of productive time across their trip, rising to 87% in the UK. Of that, over a third (34%) of UK business travellers reported losing between four and eight hours, equating to a full working day. The impact on UK C-level executives is higher, with 38% losing between four and eight hours of productive work time due to travel stress.

In order to enhance work productivity, up to 90% of business travellers are combining work and leisure, and are seeking out more premium experiences, such as travelling with a chauffeur.

Dr. Jens Wohltorf, CEO and Founder at Blacklane, said: “This report highlights a significant shift in business travel, where enhancing comfort and ensuring safety is not just a perk, but essential for boosting productivity, especially among executives. Understanding these evolving expectations is crucial for the industry and businesses overall to better meet the needs of today’s executive travellers.”

The Rise of Premium Experiences: A key to productivity 

Over the past year, the majority (59%) of business travellers in the UK have noticed cuts when it comes to travel budgets. For two thirds (62%) of travellers, these cuts have negatively impacted their productivity and performance when travelling for business. Interestingly, this increases to 74% among business owners and 79% among C-level executives. These results highlight an opportunity for travel planners to reconsider priorities in order to optimise productivity on business trips.

Blacklane has a unique perspective on the UK travel market, with millions of kilometres of chauffeured journeys taking place annually across the country. Early mornings, particularly between 6-8am on Mondays and Fridays, are peak times for travel. With these periods being among the most congested and stressful times to travel, ensuring comfort is essential to reducing stress and boosting productivity.

When it comes to business travellers’ priorities, the most important elements of the journey are arriving on time (38%), travelling in comfort (33%) and convenience (30%). Meanwhile, the most sought-after premium amenities when on-the-move are flying premium or business class (38%), WiFi access to allow work on-the-go (37%) and pre-booked private airport transfers (35%). These experiences when travelling for business would not only reduce stress but nine out of ten (89%) believe they would actively contribute towards their productivity and success when travelling for business.

Where Business Meets Leisure

Bleisure is here to stay after millions of Brits took to the beach to work this summer. In Blacklane’s latest report, 86% highlight they have combined business and leisure while travelling for work. Similarly, during trips dedicated to business, almost all (92%) said that they prioritise time for personal activities and relaxation at some point.

When asked what the attraction of such travel is, almost half (45%) said they wanted to explore the locations they visit for business, while 38% said it makes the business side of a trip more exciting. Importantly, three quarters of respondents (75%) believe “bleisure” travel either makes them more productive or does not have a negative impact on work performance. However, there are signs that a stigma around “bleisure” remains, with one in three (33%) believing strict rules around this type of travel will be implemented by business in the next five years.

Blacklane is dedicated to providing a high quality experience that meets the needs of its guests everywhere and ensures that they arrive better. The company offers a portfolio ranging from airport transfers to City-to-City routes connecting metropolitan areas, Chauffeur-by-the-hour services as well as In-city mobility to address all needs and is one of the safest mobility services globally, showcasing 60% less incidents than taxi services.

Interestingly, Blacklane data shows weekend mornings are also a popular time for Blacklane journeys, with early Saturday and Sunday trips comparable to mid-week demand, highlighting the growing trend of blending business with leisure.

James Dow, Blacklane’s UK general manager, comments: “Poorly planned business travel has a stark impact on the UK’s productivity. Traveller wellbeing needs to be carefully protected. Blacklane is supporting travellers to ensure all stages of a journey are high quality which means comfortable, reliable, memorable and most importantly delivering a successful business trip in all senses.”