Open Forum

Hello everyone! We are ready to start this Monday with our Huddle of the Week post!

Business travel decisions are changing as business travel is recovering. Significant factors such as cost increases and staffing challenges are slowing down recovery, and company-work-from-home policies are now taking precedence when it comes to making business travel decisions. While weekend demand is almost fully recovered, traditional shoulder days (Sundays and Thursdays) seem to have recovered more quickly than other weekdays. This is an interesting growth in travel demand that combines business and leisure.

We want to hear your thoughts is the comment section below!

1. Do you think flexibility in remote work has been a good enabler for business travel?
2. Are you working remotely, in a hybrid setup, or back to the office full time?
   

#HuddleoftheWeek
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Tanvi Kakodkar
Customer Marketing at Cvent
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We want to hear your thoughts is the comment section below!

1. Do you think flexibility in remote work has been a good enabler for business travel? - I have noticed people tend to have less in person meetings due to remote work.  However, when they do have meetings, they tend to be larger offsite meetings.  Making the most out of their travel and time together.  Also, with more remote work people have moved to less expensive areas, rather than the cities.  This leads to more travel when needed for work/meetings.
2. Are you working remotely, in a hybrid setup, or back to the office full time? - We have a work from home policy which allows us days as needed based on the volume of business.  It is nice to have that opportunity, it's rare in my line of work.

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Erinn Ambs
Assistant Director Of Catering And Events
Hilton McLean at Tysons CornerUnited States
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Do you think flexibility in remote work has been a good enabler for business travel?
The pandemic has clearly altered business travel at least for a little while longer, and the necessity to travel for work has understandably lessened. However, it seems as though any business travel taken now has a more defined, productive purpose vs. traveling for meetings where the work could have easily been accomplished remotely. Investing in technology that facilitates this is of greater necessity now.

Are you working remotely, in a hybrid setup, or back to the office full time?
I have always been remote, but do go into the corporate office for in-person meetings from time to time, with far less business travel than before.

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Bouran Qaddumi
Sr. Manager, Training
Church's Chicken
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1. Do you think flexibility in remote work has been a good enabler for business travel?  Business travel has definitely changed as many more people are working remotely. However, when there are in person meetings and events they have more purpose. 
2. Are you working remotely, in a hybrid setup, or back to the office full time? Yes, work is mostly remote with the occasional in office day. 

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Elizabeth Rathje
Assoc Events Coordinator
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Do you think flexibility in remote work has been a good enabler for business travel?

Business travel has changed since some people are still working remote.

Are you working remotely, in a hybrid setup, or back to the office full time?

Back in the office full time.

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Jonathan stanaj
Events Manager
United Federation of TeachersUnited States
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• Do you think flexibility in remote work has been a good enabler for business travel? Not necessarily business travel but all travel. People are armed they can do what they need from wherever they want.
• Are you working remotely, in a hybrid setup, or back to the office full time? I work remotely, but I've been working remotely since 2016 so it's nothing new.
  

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Rachel
NJ
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I love working remotely and I think it really enhances flexibility for all manner of things, including business travel. Our company is still fully remote (though some employees have begun going into the office more regularly, in addition to some who have had to go in throughout the pandemic because of job duties). The office space I worked out of is currently being consolidated and remodeled to transition to a hoteling model going forward.

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Jessica johnson
Web Site Editor
APCIA
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1. Do you think flexibility in remote work has been a good enabler for business travel?  BT Travel has been down, however anticipated to be better in Q4 of 2022 and BT travel should up in 2023.  
2. Are you working remotely, in a hybrid setup, or back to the office full time? Have always stay 100% in office. 

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Colleen Beck
Director of Sales & Marketing
The Westin Tampa Bay
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Do you think flexibility in remote work has been a good enabler for business travel?
I think those that were traveling for business before the pandemic were already equipped for remote work. Now with more flexibility, additional employees are equipped to be productive no matter where they are (home, office, hotel, airport, etc.) making it easier for anyone to travel for business and remain successful. 

Are you working remotely, in a hybrid setup, or back to the office full time?
Fully remote

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Jennifer Jones
Senior Specialist
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1. Do you think flexibility in remote work has been a good enabler for business travel? Absolutely! Working while traveling is so much easier than it used to be which helps to justify travel.
2. Are you working remotely, in a hybrid setup, or back to the office full time? Hybrid - in-office T/Th, home MWF.

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Rebecca Quinn
Corporate Events Manager
Transplace Texas, LPUnited States
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1. Do you think flexibility in remote work has been a good enabler for business travel? I think it has provided for more leisure travel as people can travel on non weekend days easier. Unfortunately it also means that we are seeing guest want nights pre and post our program dates at the group rate for vacation. 
2. Are you working remotely, in a hybrid setup, or back to the office full time? In the office full time. 
   

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Justina Hulen
Events dirwctor
RSLC
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I think one benefit of COVID was it forced companies to have their employee work remotely.  We discovered we had the technology that allowed us to interact with one another.  The silver lining to this is that is truly expended the candidate pool for open positions as companies saw that they would be able to hire people who in the past did not live close enough to company headquarters.

I am currently 100% remote and most of my team is 90% remote only going into the office occasionally.

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Amy Lewis
Event Manager
3MUnited States
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On the down side of WFH, are new hires. We hired one person and I feel it's taking a long time to get up to speed.
There is a lot to be gained by sitting around having lunch together once in a while.

In my opinion, zoom meetings are just a time sucker with people multitasking and not paying attention to the meeting.
One person, who I will call bobble head, just nods up and down. Contributes nothing at all. :)
I had 3 virtual meetings in a row one day and by the 3rd I can't remember for the life of me why any were even scheduled. :)

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Steven Schlossman
Jack of all trades. Master of none.
BMW Car Club of America
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1. Do you think flexibility in remote work has been a good enabler for business travel? I think people may be more willing to travel more often for business travel if they work remotely. This gives them more flexibility during their "normal" work days (no commute, more time with family, etc.) and may making them dread business trips less.
2. Are you working remotely, in a hybrid setup, or back to the office full time? I work 100% remote and was set up this way pre-pandemic.

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Gina Allega, CMP
Senior Program Manager
BCD M&E
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Do you think flexibility in remote work has been a good enabler for business travel?
I don't think that remote work and the normalcy of virtual meetings has been an "enabler" of business travel at all. The contrary! Business travel in our company has certainly lessened, and even with events - only key partners are there. This is good for the company's bottom line, however with more rules and restrictions in place due to the pandemic I feel like we actually need more event staff on-sit. 

Are you working remotely, in a hybrid setup, or back to the office full time?
I work mostly remote - only having to be in the office about 1-2x a month.

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Olivia Popofski
Marketing Coordinator
Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada and AffiliatesCanada
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1. 1. Do you think flexibility in remote work has been a good enabler for business travel?
      1. Yes, I think people are more apt to travel, as they know they can still get the work done that is needed, but be in person for a specific meeting or reason.
   2. Are you working remotely, in a hybrid setup, or back to the office full time?
      
      1. I work remotely and love it!

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Beth Vriesen
Events Registration Admin
Associated Bank Corporation
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Do you think flexibility in remote work has been a good enabler for business travel?
During the pandemic, I actually increased my personal traveling since I could work from any beach. Seems like business travel is increasing, but slowly. Sadly, the overall travel experience is pretty awful. The travel industry just hasn't recovered, so I feel for those who have to travel for work. 

Are you working remotely, in a hybrid setup, or back to the office full time?
We were remote for 18 months and now hybrid (3 days in office and 2 days at home).

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Jacqueline C. Ward, CMP
Director, Conferences and Special Events, UNC-Chapel Hill
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