91% of Brazilian employees say they like to travel for work, points out an unprecedented survey conducted by Only

Traveling for work is a practice valued by 91% of Brazilian professionals, according to the “Perfil do Viajante Corporativo”, a recent survey by Only, the largest B2B travel tech in Latin America, conducted in partnership with Opinion Box.The study, which was born with the aim of helping companies better organize their travel management, improve the experience of employees and optimize travel policies in a more strategic and grounded way, heard 1,021 professionals across the country.

The data show that 64% of corporate travelers have been in their current companies for more than five years and that 55% are in leadership positions.The study also reveals that the main reasons for corporate travel are due to training and training (47%), events and fairs (45%) and field visits (32%). 

Regarding travel frequency, 15% of professionals responded that they travel once a year, 22% once a semester and 28% travel once every three months.

Sectors that provide more business trips

The survey also points out the segments that perform the most corporate travel: service organizations lead this list, representing 16%, followed by others, with 15%. Health appears in third place, with 11% and technology in fourth, with 10%. 

However, 53% of professionals who travel for work said that the companies where they operate do not have a specific area responsible for the organization of travel. “This result shows how companies in Brazil can still invest in innovation when it comes to the experience of their employees with corporate travel, aiming to simplify the lives of those who travel for work, ensure greater transparency for managers and save at the end of the MONTH”, comments Marcelo Linhares, CEO and co-founder of Onfly. 

Travel expenses

The main expenses associated with these trips are for food (87%), lodging (79%) and local transportation (60%).

Travel policies

Only's research shows that 89% of corporate travelers have clarity on their companies' travel policies, with access to guidelines mainly through online documents (49%), meetings with the responsible sectors (27%) or via platforms (27%). Marcelo Linhares evaluates that, with the transparency of travel policies, traveling professionals have all the tools necessary to take care of their trips autonomously. “As the data shows, if most people have this clarity about travel, booking this type of freedom would not need to be done with their own preferences.

The study also presents data regarding the means of payment used in corporate travel: 37% of professionals said they make payments via corporate card, while 35% still pay expenses on travel on their own and then receive reimbursement. When it comes to accountability, 39% of respondents showed that this process is carried out in an automated way, while 32% still need to do this via paper documents.

“Technology is an essential tool for all sectors today, but unfortunately we still see companies that carry out reimbursement processes for corporate travel expenses in an archaic way, where employees need to keep receipts and present on the return of the trip to have their reimbursement and, often, this financial return takes days, weeks and even months to fall into the”, says Linhares, who adds that this habit of companies harms both the employee, who needs to bear the costs and may face personal financial difficulties, and the management of the company, which loses visibility and faces a greater risk of fraud and problems in reconciling the accounts.

Routine outside the home

Being away from home during corporate travel directly impacts the daily lives of professionals: 60% of travelers who participated in the survey reported that physical exercise is the most affected routine, while 57% said to be the change in personal time and other 57% assume to have difficulties in maintaining a balanced diet. These challenges are even more felt by women, who record rates higher than men in these aspects, especially exercise: 64% versus 57%. 

Traveller preferences

When it comes to the service channels preferred by travelers to solve issues related to business travel, WhatsApp is the most used (65%), followed by email (60%). This reinforces the need for fast and affordable channels to meet the demands during travel.

On check-in preferences, 44% of travelers opt for online check-in, while 20% prefer check-in at the counter and 16% for self-service. 

The CEO of Only believes that the survey results endorse the opportunities that companies have to improve employee well-being, helping travel managers to organize this type of demand more strategically. “The corporate traveler is increasingly seeking flexibility and practicality in their journey. Providing solutions that meet these demands is critical for companies that want to value their professionals, optimize travel results and follow their policies and compliance to the letter”.