When it comes to work perks and employee satisfaction, business travel ranks highest among Gen Z and Millennial staff, highlighting an opportunity for Australian companies to invest in these opportunities to avoid quiet quitting and improve wellbeing in the workplace.
New research shows that eight in 10 Aussie Gen Z and Millennial workers say travel is the best part of their job and makes them more likely to stay with an organisation.
Gen X were slightly less enthusiastic with 68 per cent in this age range saying it was the best part of their job, and 61 per cent saying travel makes them more likely to stay.
The World Travel Protection x Opinium survey of Australian business travellers found early-career professionals in particular see work trips as key to retention, career progression and wellbeing in the workplace.
It also comes as 49 per cent of Australasian businesses indicated plans to increase business travel budgets in 2025.
Gen Z were most likely to say work trips were crucial to raising their profiles within the organisation (85%) compared to 80 per cent of Millennials and 75 per cent of Gen Xers.
As well as career growth, travelling for work is important for wellbeing. Around three-quarters of Gen Z (76%) and 79 per cent of Millennials surveyed say it positively impacts their mental health, significantly more than Gen X (61%).
With the increase of hybrid and remote work, face-to-face interactions are considered even more important. Among those who primarily work from home, 73 per cent of business travellers agree that travel is more important to them since they began WFH arrangements.
More than three-quarters (78%) of business travellers say travel is essential to their work and 86 per cent stress the importance of in-person meetings for relationship-building.
Other business travel benefits include the ability to network with new people (82%) and build deeper relationships with team members (80%).
