Enhancing Corporate Travel: Strategic Approaches to Boost Employee Well-Being That Work Within Your Policy and Budget

The Importance of Wellness in Travel:

The challenges of being a “road warrior” are well known: jet lag that disrupts sleep, unhealthy food grabs while on the go, reduced water intake, lack of time for exercise or outdoor activities, etc. These factors, often considered to be “what comes with the territory,” are now being reevaluated.

Recent industry trends indicate a significant shift towards prioritizing employee well-being during business trips and for good reason. According to a 2025 McKinsey survey, millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) and Gen Zers (born between 1997 and 2012) are increasingly seeking personalized wellness experiences, including sleep optimization and stress management while on the road.

Furthermore, a report by the Global Wellness Institute highlights that wellness tourism initiatives are gaining traction, with a focus on recovery retreats and burnout prevention. This report states that global wellness tourism is now worth $651 billion annually and has a forecasted annual expenditure growth of 16.6% to 2027.  

As travelers seek to improve their mental, physical, and emotional well-being, how does this translate into your employees’ needs during business travel? Does your company’s travel program prioritize the health of your business travelers? What, realistically, can employers do for employees, especially while operating with tight budgets?

Key Strategies for Implementing Wellness-Centric Travel Policies:

Let’s face it: business travel can be expensive, and it’s one of the largest controllable line items for many organizations. If you’ve been tempted to squeeze costs wherever possible, you are certainly not alone. But before you lock in the absolute lowest fares with multiple layovers, or the cheapest hotel rates, pause to consider the negative potential of ripple effects on your people. A badly timed itinerary or an unsuitable overnight stay without reliable Wi-Fi can turn a cost-saving tactic into a productivity loss at the moment that matters most. Here are some suggestions to protect both your bottom line and your people — even when your budget and policy flexibility are limited.

1. Optimize Rest Periods:
   • Implement policies (when possible) that mandate recovery days after long-haul flights, especially for transatlantic travel. Even offering recovery time as remote work the day after multi-day travel is beneficial. Rest reduces fatigue, errors and burnout.
   • Look at options for flexible scheduling to accommodate time zone adjustments and minimize jet lag.
   • Use loyalty-program perks (lounge access, priority boarding) selectively for long-haul trips.
2. Promote Healthy Travel Choices:
   • Partner with hotels that offer fitness centers and healthy dining options. Access to simple amenities (breakfast, water for refillable bottles, quiet floors) improves wellbeing without big spend.
   • Provide employees with resources on maintaining physical activity, mindfulness, and nutrition while on the road. Several hotels now partner with mindfulness apps. For instance, Hilton has an exclusive partnership with Calm for in-room content, while World of Hyatt partners with Headspace. Consider curating free walking routes where practical and leverage any resources of your Employee Assistance Program.
3. Integrate Bleisure Opportunities:
   • Clearly define guidelines for combining your employees’ business and leisure travel, ensuring compliance and cost control. Establish parameters of allowable extension length, require manager pre-approval, and keep business vs personal expenses separate in the process.
   • Offer support for those seeking to extend their trips for personal time. Did you know ADTRAV Travel Management also has a leisure division? Our travel advisors provide personalized trip consultation, 360° trip management, and exclusive perks!

4. Explore VIP Services as Needed:

• There are occasions when the value of time saved, enhanced safety, and memorable bespoke details justify the additional expense of VIP and concierge services. Need limo arrangements to and from the airport for an important client? What about floral services, event tickets, tee times, or restaurant reservations? ADTRAV enables executives to concentrate on business goals by providing tailored experiences. We reduce planning stress, handle any unexpected issues, and leverage our strong global network to access better deals for exceptional value.

5. Post-Trip Wellness Check or Feedback Loop:

• For a quick win, send a one-question pulse check (e.g., “How would you gauge your mental and physical sense of restfulness during and after this trip?”) to capture important trends and issues.