Tag: Workforce Travel

Want business class tickets when travelling for work? Here’s which companies fly you business class The inside look at how companies balance budgets and productivity in the air Everyone wants to know who actually gets to fly at the front of the plane. The fully flat seat, the quiet cabin, the glass of something cold before take-off – it’s the ultimate business travel perk. But while most people squeeze into economy, a select group of employees still swipe their passes for business class. So, which companies allow employees to fly business class? And more importantly, why do they choose to? Over the past few years, corporate travel policies have started to change. Rising competition for talent, growing awareness of burnout, and the push for better work–life balance have all changed how organisations think about travel. The focus is moving from pure cost-saving to keeping employees productive, safe and rested on the road. For HR, finance and travel managers, this creates a new challenge: balancing the budget with genuine care for the people doing the travelling. In this guide, we’ll explore the companies offering business class travel, the logic behind their policies, and what other businesses can learn from them. Because travel isn’t just about getting from A to B anymore, it’s about how you arrive. The reality of business class travel Business class isn’t a single experience, it depends on where you’re flying and who you’re flying with. A seat labelled “business” on a short European route can look very different from the same ticket on a long-haul international flight. And for companies managing travel budgets, that difference matters. Short-haul: comfort, not luxury Within Europe, business class usually means a slightly upgraded economy seat. The rows are identical, but the middle seat is kept empty for extra space. Travellers board first, enjoy better food, and skip the queues with priority check-in and security. It’s more about convenience than indulgence. For many companies, this version of business class is easy to justify – especially for frequent flyers or client-facing staff who need to work during travel days. It keeps employees fresher, saves time at the airport, and allows for more flexibility when schedules are tight. Typical examples include: British Airways Club Europe – extra legroom, lounge access, and an open middle seat. Lufthansa European Business – front-of-plane seating and better catering on short hops. Air France Business Europe – flexible fares and fast-track boarding rather than full recline. In short, European business class offers efficiency rather than extravagance – a small upgrade that signals professionalism and saves valuable time. Long-haul: rest and real productivity Once you cross continents, the story changes completely. International business class means fully flat beds, privacy pods, larger screens, and onboard dining that feels closer to a restaurant than a galley tray. This is where travel comfort has a real business case. Long-haul flights often lead straight into high-pressure meetings or project work. If your employee has spent 10 hours awake and upright, they’re not starting at their best. A good night’s rest on the plane can mean sharper thinking, fewer errors, and a far better first impression. Here’s how a few major carriers approach it: Qatar Airways Qsuite – private doors, lie-flat beds and space to work or rest. Singapore Airlines Business Class – extra-wide seats and chef-prepared meals. Virgin Atlantic Upper Class – access to onboard lounges and full privacy screens. Companies that allow long-haul business class tend to have clear rules. Flights over four to seven hours often qualify, or those that cross multiple time zones. In some cases, business class approval depends on frequency of travel or the seniority of the traveller. The balance between comfort and cost The jump from economy to business class can multiply the ticket price several times over. That’s why most corporate travel policies draw a firm line between short-haul convenience and long-haul necessity. The key question HR and finance teams keep asking is: does the comfort justify the cost? For many, the answer is yes – if it’s part of a consistent, data-led policy. A few extra hours of rest or a calmer travel day can translate into measurable productivity gains. For others, it’s about perception and fairness: recognising the effort employees put into frequent travel and designing a policy that respects their time. At Roomex, we see both sides of that discussion every day. The best approach isn’t all-or-nothing. It’s about knowing when an upgrade improves outcomes, and when it’s simply unnecessary. That balance is what separates the companies that fly smarter from those that just fly. Looking for comfortable accommodation and simple expense management tailored specifically for the mobile workforce? Discover how Roomex can streamline your travel needs, offering hassle-free booking and expense solutions designed to keep your team focused on the job. Try Roomex today and experience the difference in efficiency and convenience for your mobile workforce. Request a Demo Which companies allow employees to fly business class So – who actually gets to fly business class for work? The answer depends on the company, the route, and the reason for travel. But patterns are changing. Some industries have long considered premium travel part of the job, while others are catching up as wellbeing, productivity and retention rise up the priority list. Below, we break down which companies allow employees to fly business class, and what their policies tell us about the future of corporate travel. These examples are based on publicly available information and reports from past and current employees, so while they give us a clear picture of industry norms, they shouldn’t be taken as official company policy. Consulting and professional services Few sectors travel more than consulting. Teams often fly to multiple countries in a week, meeting clients, delivering projects and leading workshops. That level of mobility makes comfort and recovery essential. McKinsey & Company – typically business class on flights over three to four hours, with flexibility based on project intensity and travel frequency. Boston Consulting Group (BCG) –..

The top KPIs every business should use to measure travel management For HR, finance and travel leaders who need visibility that actually drives results Business travel has changed – but the way most companies measure it hasn’t caught up. Every trip now produces a trail of data: where it was booked, how much it cost, if it followed policy, how the traveller felt afterwards. Yet when finance or HR teams try to pull that information together, it’s often spread across booking tools, email chains and invoices. The result? Decisions made on gut feeling instead of facts. That’s where KPI travel management makes the difference. When you track the right data – from spend per trip and compliance rates to traveller satisfaction and cost savings – you finally see the full picture. Travel stops being a moving target and becomes something you can plan, predict and optimise. For HR leaders, that means proof that policies are fair and wellbeing is supported. For finance, it’s clarity on budgets and spend behaviour. And for travel managers, it’s confidence that every booking, every rate and every report ties back to a strategy – not a scramble. In this guide, we’ll unpack the KPI travel management metrics that matter most: what to measure, why it matters and how to turn data into better decisions. And because visibility alone isn’t enough, we’ll show how Roomex brings all of it together – bookings, spend, analytics and reporting – in one simple platform designed for busy teams who want control without the chaos. Why tracking KPIs matters You can’t improve what you can’t see, and when it comes to workforce travel, visibility is everything. Without clear metrics, it’s impossible to know if your programme is efficient, fair, or even compliant. You might suspect travel costs are creeping up, but without data, that’s just guesswork. Tracking KPI travel management metrics gives you that visibility. It turns travel from an operational chore into a strategic function that supports people, budgets and performance. Here’s why it matters. 1. Visibility equals control When you have the right KPIs in place – from average cost per trip to policy compliance – you can see exactly where the money goes. Finance teams can forecast more accurately, spot overspend early and prove the impact of negotiated rates or new travel policies. 2. Compliance becomes automatic Policy rules are only useful if people actually follow them. Measuring compliance KPIs lets you see if employees are booking within approved channels and rates – and where the process might be breaking down. With Roomex, travel policies are built into the booking flow, automatically flagging out-of-policy options before they become expensive mistakes. 3. Traveller wellbeing gets the attention it deserves KPIs aren’t just for finance. Tracking traveller satisfaction, booking behaviour and reimbursement speed tells HR whether the system actually works for employees. Long wait times, poor accommodation experiences or constant last-minute changes are more than admin issues – they affect morale and retention. Looking for comfortable accommodation and simple expense management tailored specifically for the mobile workforce? Discover how Roomex can streamline your travel needs, offering hassle-free booking and expense solutions designed to keep your team focused on the job. Try Roomex today and experience the difference in efficiency and convenience for your mobile workforce. Request a Demo 4. Data drives better decisions Once your KPIs are in place, trends start to appear. You can see which projects or departments are driving the most travel, where policy exceptions happen most often, or when rates typically spike. That insight turns travel management from reactive firefighting into proactive planning. Simply put, if you can measure it, you can manage it. And when you can manage it, you can improve it. Roomex Analytics was built with exactly that in mind – turning fragmented travel data into clear insights that finance, HR and travel teams can act on instantly. The four main categories of KPI travel management Not every business travel KPI tells the same story. Some show where you’re spending, others reveal how smoothly things run, and a few uncover what really matters to employees on the road. To measure travel management properly, you need balance across four key areas – financial, operational, traveller experience, and duty of care. 1. Financial KPIs – clarity on every pound spent These are the numbers that keep finance teams awake (and auditors happy). Financial KPIs show if your travel budget is working as hard as it should. Key metrics to track include: Total spend per trip or per department – understand where travel costs concentrate and why. Savings from negotiated or exclusive rates – Roomex customers typically save up to 18% with Exclusive Roomex Rates. Average nightly rate – benchmark your spend across suppliers to spot overpriced stays. Cost avoidance – measure how much you save through early bookings or preferred suppliers. Financial KPIs aren’t only about cutting costs, they’re about proving value. When finance can see exactly how each booking contributes to efficiency, discussions shift from “how much are we spending?” to “how well are we spending?”. 2. Operational KPIs – measuring process and performance Operational KPIs look at how smoothly your travel programme actually runs. These metrics are crucial for travel managers juggling multiple moving parts. Examples include: Booking tool adoption rate – how many travellers use the approved platform versus booking elsewhere. Policy compliance rate – the percentage of bookings that meet company rules. Advance booking window – how far ahead trips are booked; late bookings cost more. Change and cancellation rate – a spike here often signals unclear approval processes or shifting project timelines. Roomex streamlines this category by pulling all activity into one place. You can see who’s booking what, when and how – no chasing emails or reconciling spreadsheets. 3. Traveller experience KPIs – putting people first Travel only works when it works for your people. HR leaders, in particular, need metrics that show whether travel policies support or frustrate employees. Track: Traveller satisfaction score – post-trip surveys..

19 bleisure statistics you need to know for your next travel plans From boardrooms to beaches: the data behind the travel trend Source: Pexels Bleisure – the art of blending work trips with a little personal time – has gone from travel perk to travel norm. It’s changing how employees plan, how airlines and hotels market and how companies budget. These bleisure statistics show why “business trips” in 2025 rarely mean just business anymore. What is bleisure? Bleisure is shorthand for business + leisure, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: extending work trips to squeeze in some downtime. What started as a quiet hack – sneaking a Saturday night after a conference – has become a recognised segment reshaping the travel industry. For employees, it’s a way to turn obligation into opportunity: if you’re already flying across the Atlantic for a meeting, why not tag on a long weekend in Paris? For families, it means hopping onto a partner’s itinerary to enjoy a few days in Sydney or Berlin. And for employers, it signals a new reality: work trips are no longer “in and out” by default. Common bleisure moves include: Blocking off a long weekend in Barcelona after a client pitch, trading PowerPoint slides for tapas and a stroll along Las Ramblas. Extending a trip to Edinburgh beyond the quarterly meeting, catching the Fringe Festival or hiking up Arthur’s Seat. Adding a couple of days in Paris after a cross-channel sales conference, swapping the train home for an evening by the Seine. Turning a New York business trip into a chance to catch a Broadway show before flying back across the Atlantic. And where’s it happening most? According to Navan, the top 10 bleisure destinations right now are: New York London San Francisco Chicago Paris Las Vegas Austin Sydney Berlin Seattle 19 bleisure statistics that show just how big the shift really is Bleisure isn’t a quirky side-trend anymore; it’s become one of the biggest forces reshaping corporate travel. The numbers tell the story better than anything else: 1. In 2024, the global bleisure travel market is worth $430 billion, up from $394 billion in 2023, for a CAGR of 9.3%. Source: The Business Research Company That’s not a side hustle, that’s an industry. If your policy still treats bleisure as a cheeky add-on, you’re missing where the money’s actually flowing. Employees are booking extra nights whether you allow for it or not, so the smarter move is to bake it into your travel programme and steer that spend towards the partners you actually want to use. 2. Global spend by travellers combining business and leisure will more than double by 2027 compared with 2021. Source: Euromonitor Hybrid work has blurred the edges of “on” and “off” time, and travel is following the same curve. For companies, it’s less about saying “yes” or “no” to bleisure, and more about asking: how do we make it work for everyone? That might mean building in recovery days, clarifying what counts as a reimbursable night, or just accepting that work trips are rarely “straight there and back” anymore. Source: Pexels Looking for comfortable accommodation and simple expense management tailored specifically for the mobile workforce? Discover how Roomex can streamline your travel needs, offering hassle-free booking and expense solutions designed to keep your team focused on the job. Try Roomex today and experience the difference in efficiency and convenience for your mobile workforce. Request a Demo 3. American Airlines recently stated that bleisure travelers are the fastest-growing segment of its business. Source: American Airlines When airlines start reshaping their pitch around bleisure, you know the demand is real. The opportunity for businesses? Suppliers are competing for these travellers, which means perks, bundles and leverage if you’re organised. The risk? If you’re not, employees will just follow the perks themselves – and book off-channel. 4. 54% of business travelers took at least two trips that blended business and leisure in 2024 Source: The State of Corporate Travel and Expense 2025 That’s half your travelling workforce stretching their itineraries. So, if you – as a business – don’t plan for it, you’ll be left patching together policies on the fly. Build bleisure into the framework – whether that’s clearer expense rules, partner hotels happy with mixed-use stays or recovery time on return – and you’ll keep employees happier and costs cleaner. 5. Marriott International said business travelers stay 20% longer than they did in the past. Source: Marriott International One extra night doesn’t sound much until you scale it across hundreds of trips. For businesses footing the bill, it’s a reminder to check what’s company spend and what’s employee spend. For employees, it’s proof hotels are already expecting you to linger – which means more packages, perks and offers targeting bleisure stays. 6. 62% of CEOs expected to increase their corporate travel budgets in 2024. Source: TravelPerk  That confidence says a lot. After years of travel being seen as optional, leaders are putting money back on the table. For bleisure, it’s a green light: if budgets are rising, employees are likely to tack on extra days. The challenge: Making sure the leisure add-ons don’t quietly eat into the corporate side of the spend. 7. Nearly nine out of 10 (89%) travelers want to add some leisure time to their business trips Source: American Hotel & Lodging Association This isn’t a niche preference anymore; it’s mainstream. Nine in ten is basically everyone. The question isn’t if your employees want bleisure, it’s whether you’ve given them a safe and sensible way to do it. Ignore the demand, and they’ll just book off-policy anyway. Source: Pexels 8. 66% of corporate travellers said they extended a business trip for leisure in 2023. 14% said they did so on three or more trips. Source: Deloitte Two-thirds extending at least once is significant; one in seven doing it regularly is culture shift territory. That’s not a “perk” anymore, but a habit. The implication for employers is obvious: don’t fight..

Why working with a corporate travel management company is the best way to find hotel deals Sorry, Booking.com: a better business trip starts elsewhere Source: Pexels We’ve all done it: hunched over a laptop at midnight, juggling ten open tabs on comparison and “secret deal” sites, convinced we’re seconds away from a steal. For leisure trips, maybe that’s half the fun. For business travel, it’s a pain. DIY deal-hunting ignores the hidden value sitting behind the scenes: negotiated corporate rates, re-shopping technology that drops your price when the market dips, and duty-of-care obligations that protect employees on the road. With that in mind, the best way to find hotel deals isn’t about shaving a few pounds off a single night’s stay, but securing savings and consistency across hundreds of nights, in dozens of cities, without losing visibility or control. That’s where a corporate travel management company (TMC) comes in handy. And there’s a lot at stake. According to the Global Business Travel Association, global business travel spend is forecast to hit $1.57 trillion in 2025 – finally surpassing pre-pandemic levels. More bookings mean more complexity, and more chances for spend to leak out through poor processes. The companies that win won’t be the ones with the fastest fingers on comparison sites, they’ll be the ones with better systems. Why hotel prices are so slippery now 2 What a corporate TMC actually does for hotel savings 3 The 2025 hotel RFP landscape in one screen 4 Why DIY booking and OTAs leave money on the table 5 Proof points: what the data says 6 How to work with a TMC to unlock hotel value (step-by-step) 7 Current topics buyers should watch 9 FAQs 9 From theory to practice 10 Why hotel prices are so slippery now If you’ve ever checked a hotel price in the morning, only to refresh at lunchtime and find it’s jumped £40, you’ve met dynamic pricing. Hotels use revenue management systems that adjust rates in real time based on demand, competition, booking windows, even weather. SiteMinder calls it the “heartbeat” of modern hotels – prices move constantly, and no human can out-refresh an algorithm . That volatility hit hard in 2024–25. STR reported that 65% of global hotel markets saw year-over-year growth in revenue per available room (RevPAR) by mid-2024, with many outpacing inflation in major cities . Translation: the “cheap rate” you spot in the morning could be gone by lunchtime. Looking ahead, analysts expect hotel prices to level out rather than keep spiralling. HospitalityNet notes that rate increases should stabilise into 2025–26, though shifts will remain lumpy from city to city . A conference week in Chicago or London could still blow the budget, while other markets gradually soften. This is why chasing public rates is a losing game. You can’t brute-force the system by refreshing more often. But corporate travel management companies can. By combining negotiated discounts with tech that spots drops and rebooks automatically, they turn slippery pricing into steady value. What a corporate TMC actually does for hotel savings So if price comparison sites aren’t the answer, what exactly does a TMC bring to the table? In short: they play the long game. It’s less about snagging a one-off “secret deal” and more about putting structure around your spend so savings show up every single month. Negotiated discounts and perks At the heart of a TMC’s value is its ability to secure rates you’ll never see on public sites. Corporate programs pool spend across hundreds of clients, which translates into leverage with hotel chains. Think of it like group buying power: one company might represent 500 room nights a year, but a TMC represents 50,000. Hotels notice that difference. The result? Lower nightly rates plus perks baked in – things you’d usually pay extra for on an OTA, like Wi-Fi, breakfast, or flexible cancellation. Corporate Traveler estimates savings of up to 13.9% per room night compared to public rates, and while that’s marketing spin, it reflects a real gap. Across thousands of nights, those “little extras” add up to six-figure differences in the budget. Last Room Availability (LRA) Anyone who’s tried to book during a big conference knows how quickly “standard” rooms disappear. LRA agreements guarantee your negotiated rate even if the hotel has only one room left. That’s the kind of protection you’ll never get scrolling hotel comparison sites at 11pm the night before a trade show. It matters because peak weeks are where unmanaged programs fall apart. Without LRA, you end up either paying double for the same room or pushing employees to stay miles away from the venue. With it, you keep cost predictability and traveller convenience intact, even when demand is sky-high. Looking for comfortable accommodation and simple expense management tailored specifically for the mobile workforce? Discover how Roomex can streamline your travel needs, offering hassle-free booking and expense solutions designed to keep your team focused on the job. Try Roomex today and experience the difference in efficiency and convenience for your mobile workforce. Request a Demo Rate assurance and auditing Hotels don’t always keep their distribution channels squeaky clean. The same room might appear at three different prices depending on where you look, and sometimes mark-ups sneak in. TMCs run regular rate audits to make sure the negotiated deal you signed is the one you actually get at checkout. It’s unglamorous work, but it prevents leakage. Imagine negotiating a £120 nightly rate only to find staff checking out with a £150 bill because of a rogue channel. Rate assurance closes that gap – quietly, consistently and without finance having to chase mystery variances every month. Re-shopping and price tracking Just because you’ve booked doesn’t mean the rate is set in stone. Prices rise and fall with cancellations, demand shifts, even weather. Re-shopping tech keeps an eye on those fluctuations, automatically cancelling and rebooking when the rate dips. It’s not about the occasional jackpot – it’s about steady, repeatable wins. If your company books 2,000 room nights..

How to manage corporate travel safety in turbulent times Because peace of mind should be part of the itinerary Source: Pexels If you’ve glanced at the news lately, you’ll know the world feels anything but steady. Europe continues to grapple with political unrest that can flare into travel disruptions overnight. Wildfires in southern Europe, record-breaking heat in Spain, Italy and Greece and mass displacement from storms and flooding in parts of the continent are making climate risk part of every itinerary. Add in cyber disruptions – such as the August 2024 breach at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport that knocked out display systems and internet access – and the map looks less like a travel brochure and more like a risk register. And yet, business still moves. Deals are signed face-to-face, projects need site visits and conferences remain the lifeblood of entire industries. The question isn’t whether your people will travel; it’s how you’ll keep them safe while they do. This is where corporate travel safety comes in. Not as a checkbox on a compliance form, but as a living part of how companies operate in volatile times. For employees, knowing the business has their back – that someone is tracking developments, offering guidance and ready to respond if things go wrong – is the difference between travelling with confidence and travelling with anxiety. For employers, it’s about protecting more than people: budgets, reputations and even legal standing hinge on how well travel safety is managed. That’s why “duty of care” has become the anchor phrase in travel programmes. It’s not just about insurance policies or emergency hotlines (though those matter). It’s about embedding safety thinking into every step: which hotels are approved, how transport is booked, what alerts are sent out when the unexpected happens. Done right, a travel safety strategy doesn’t slow business down. It clears the path so employees can focus on the meeting, the deal or the work at hand. Below, we’ll unpack what duty of care really means, the risks businesses need to plan for in 2025, and the practical steps that make travel safer without turning every trip into an ordeal. Consider this guide as a toolkit for navigating choppy waters during travel; one that helps your company keep moving forward without leaving your people exposed. Duty of care: what it really means 2 Corporate travel risks in 2025 4 Corporate travel safety tips 6 How a corporate travel management company makes it easier 9 Why corporate travel safety is strategy 11 Duty of care: what it really means “Duty of care” sounds like legal jargon, but at its core it’s simple: companies have a responsibility to look after their people when they’re travelling for work. Not just because regulators or lawyers say so, but because employees are the ones keeping the business moving. If they don’t feel safe, the whole system wobbles. Duty of care has three overlapping layers: Legal – many countries have explicit requirements that employers protect staff health and safety, including when they’re abroad. If an incident occurs and a company can’t show it took reasonable precautions, the consequences can range from lawsuits to regulatory fines. Ethical – businesses ask employees to step onto planes, trains and into cities they may not know. There’s a moral obligation to make sure that isn’t an unnecessary gamble. Cultural – in practice, how you treat travelling staff sends a message. Do you see them as assets to be protected, or costs to be managed? Employees notice. Regulators are sharpening their stance too. In the UK, the Health and Safety at Work Act has been interpreted to apply to staff abroad, while in the U.S., OSHA guidance highlights employer responsibility for travel-related risks. But compliance is only half the picture. Today’s workforce, especially younger employees, expect proactive safety measures as part of company culture, not just a checkbox exercise. When duty of care is visible in daily practice, it builds trust. When it isn’t, it erodes confidence fast. What good duty of care looks like At a minimum, it means covering four bases: Risk assessment – before a trip even begins, companies should identify potential threats. Is there political unrest in the destination? Are there known health risks, extreme weather patterns or security concerns? This isn’t scaremongering – it’s preparation. Communication – employees should know who to call, and managers should know where their people are. Real-time alerts, itinerary sharing and emergency contacts matter more than glossy policy PDFs. Emergency support – whether it’s a missed connection or a major disruption, support has to be fast and reliable. That might mean a 24/7 travel desk, local ground partners or pre-arranged evacuation plans. Insurance – comprehensive cover that goes beyond lost luggage. Medical emergencies, cancellations and crisis assistance should be built in, not added as an afterthought. When duty of care breaks down Unfortunately, it often takes a crisis to highlight what’s missing. Consider companies that send staff abroad without visibility on their location. When protests erupt or a natural disaster strikes, managers are left guessing: Who’s there? Are they safe? How do we reach them? That delay in response can turn a manageable situation into a reputational disaster. Beyond reputation, there’s legal exposure: ISO 31030 sets out clear standards for travel risk management, and regulators are increasingly willing to penalise employers who fall short ISO 31030:2021. Or think of employees who find themselves stranded after a cancelled flight, with no support line to call and only a reimbursement form waiting weeks down the line. Technically the company may pay them back eventually, but in the moment, it feels like abandonment. Source: Pexels Looking for comfortable accommodation and simple expense management tailored specifically for the mobile workforce? Discover how Roomex can streamline your travel needs, offering hassle-free booking and expense solutions designed to keep your team focused on the job. Try Roomex today and experience the difference in efficiency and convenience for your mobile workforce. Request a Demo Why culture matters as much as compliance A..

How to create an employee expense report that keeps finance happy Lost receipts, late claims and “accidental” upgrades – solved. Source: Pexels{Alt text: An overhead shot of an employee going through messy paperwork and receipts.} Expense reports are the form nobody loves. For employees, they’re a chore – digging through old emails for digital receipts or tipping a shoebox of crumpled paper onto the desk at month-end. For finance teams, they’re a test of patience: late submissions, vague explanations (“miscellaneous”) or the occasional attempt to slip in a lobster dinner under “client meeting”. And yet, expense reports are so important. They’re how companies keep travel spend under control, stay compliant with tax rules and make sure employees aren’t left out of pocket for weeks after a work trip. Without them, the books don’t balance, audits get messy and budgets become educated guesses. On the flip side, when expenses aren’t logged properly – your employees miss out too. In fact, a study of 2,000 employed adults published last year found 22% have not claimed some costs back from their employer since August 2023. And nothing breeds quiet resentment faster than staff feeling they’ve had to cover company costs out of their own pocket. Below, we’re breaking down how expense reports should work, why they so often frustrate and how to build a process that respects both employee time and company budgets. Table of Content What is an employee expense report? 2 Why expense reports matter more than you think 3 The pain points employees face 3 What should an employee expense report include? 4 Common pitfalls with an employee expense report 6 How to create a foolproof employee expense report 7 Tools & tech that make expense reporting easier 8 Best practices for the everyone involved 9 Employee expense report template 10 Final thoughts 11 What is an employee expense report? At its core, an employee expense report is just a record of money spent on behalf of the business. Consider it as the bridge between the employee who’s paid out of pocket and the finance team responsible for balancing the books.   It usually includes the essentials: who made the claim, when and where it was spent, what it was for, how much it cost and proof in the form of receipts. In plain terms: I spent £X on Y for Z reason – please reimburse me. Expense reports exist for three main reasons: Accountability: to make sure company money is used responsibly. Compliance: to keep everything audit-ready and tax-compliant. Fairness: to ensure employees aren’t left footing the bill for legitimate business costs. Without them, expense claims turn into an informal, unpredictable process – and that’s where frustration starts to creep in. Why expense reports matter more than you think On the surface, an expense report looks like paperwork. But behind the scenes, it’s a key lever for financial control. Reports give companies visibility on how money is being spent day to day – from travel to client entertainment – and that visibility translates into better forecasting, fewer surprises and smoother audits. They also protect against small leaks that scale quickly. Take a simple taxi ride: if one £100 trip goes unreported, it’s frustrating but manageable. If 1,000 employees do the same over the course of a year, that’s £100,000 quietly disappearing from the balance sheet. And it’s not just small leaks, though. Expense fraud is a real risk, particularly across the pond. An American study by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) found that organisations lose around 5% of revenue to expense fraud every year, with a median loss of $145,000 per incident. The longer it goes unnoticed, the more damaging it becomes. In other words: expense reports aren’t just about paying people back. They’re about keeping cash flow predictable, guaranteeing compliance with tax authorities and helping leaders understand where budgets are actually going. The pain points employees face Source: Pexels{Alt text: A woman looking at an employee expense report with a confused expression.} Of course, none of that changes the fact that employees often dread the process. Submitting an expense report can feel like a part-time job: Receipts get lost in taxis or left in hotel bins. Clunky software means hours of manual data entry.  Reimbursements can take weeks, leaving employees out of pocket long after the trip is over. Imagine paying £500 upfront for a hotel on your personal card, only to wait six weeks for the reimbursement to land. It is not an edge case either – a 2025 survey of 2,000 UK employees found that 43% had experienced genuine financial difficulty while waiting to be reimbursed. For the employee, that’s more than an inconvenience; it’s a serious strain. For finance, it’s a reputational issue: a company that can’t pay people back quickly undermines trust. That’s why designing an expense reporting process that is clear, fair and fast is crucial. It’s not just a case of compliance or cash flow. It’s about respect for the people who are doing their jobs – often while travelling, juggling clients or working long hours away from home. What should an employee expense report include?</h1 Done right, an expense report is a complete story of who spent what, why, and how it fits into company rules. Here’s what a solid report should cover. Looking for comfortable accommodation and simple expense management tailored specifically for the mobile workforce? Discover how Roomex can streamline your travel needs, offering hassle-free booking and expense solutions designed to keep your team focused on the job. Try Roomex today and experience the difference in efficiency and convenience for your mobile workforce. Request a Demo Employee details Start with the basics: name, department, role, and the manager who will sign off. It sounds obvious, but without it finance has to play detective when reconciling. ✗ “Submitted by: J. Smith.” (Which J. Smith? The company has three.) ✔ “Submitted by: Jane Smith, Marketing Department, approved by Alex Turner (Head of Marketing).” Clarity here saves time later..

The corporate travel policy template for people who hate rules Yes, you can set boundaries without sounding like a schoolteacher Source: Pexels {Alt text: Scrabble squares positioned on a windowsill that read ‘RULES’.} Travelling for work should feel straightforward: book the train, grab a hotel, keep the receipts. In reality, it can be a lot more chaotic. One person sneaks in a first-class upgrade, another books a hotel miles from the meeting and someone else comes back with a crumpled wad of receipts for “miscellaneous expenses” (whatever that means). Cue eye-rolls from finance and sighs from managers. That’s why corporate travel policies exist. Not to police who’s drinking a £3 coffee at the station, but to set clear boundaries that save money, keep people safe and make travel less of a headache for everyone. And with travel volumes climbing again – Deloitte predicts US companies’ spend will exceed pre-pandemic levels by 2024 – there’s more pressure than ever to keep that spend visible and under control. A live, well-designed policy goes beyond being tedious admin; it’s how businesses avoid sliding back into the old chaos of unmanaged travel. Coming up: What a travel policy is, what it should include, the mistakes to avoid and a free corporate travel policy template to use as a starting point. Table of contents What is a corporate travel policy? 3 What your corporate travel policy should include 4 Common mistakes in corporate travel policies 7 How to write your own corporate travel policy 8 Customisable corporate travel policy template 10 Simple policies = smoother travel 12 What is a corporate travel policy? Say “policy” and most people picture pages of small print; something HR emails out once a year that nobody reads. But a corporate travel policy, when it’s done properly, is less about rules and more about trust. It’s a framework that leads to fewer frantic calls from the airport, fewer rejected claims later and a lot less back-and-forth between travellers and finance. Why companies with strong policies outperform Businesses that treat travel policies as a tick-box exercise miss the point. A good policy allows finance teams to forecast with accuracy instead of guessing, HR teams to demonstrate they’re serious about duty of care and employees to get on with the job without dithering over whether that hotel is “too nice” or if the taxi counts as a business expense. It also signals culture. If your policy quietly suggests that employees should take the last train home after a 14-hour day to save on a hotel, people notice. If it instead builds in rest and safety, people notice that too – and the latter builds loyalty faster than any offsite retreat. The hidden costs of going without Picture three employees headed to the same client meeting. One books the Premier Inn next to the office. Another grabs the only boutique hotel with rooms left the night before. The third stays with a friend on the other side of town and submits a taxi bill bigger than both hotel stays combined. Back at HQ, finance is staring at three different expense reports and wondering how to explain the variance in this month’s board pack. That kind of inconsistency is expensive, not just in pounds and euros, but in time and trust. Without clear guidelines, employees make their best guess. And “best” often means “fastest,” which is rarely the cheapest or safest option. What your corporate travel policy should include Source: Pexels {Alt text: Businessmen Enjoying Beachfront View at Sunset.} No two businesses travel in exactly the same way, but the best policies tend to share the same DNA. They cover the essentials without being heavy-handed, they answer the obvious questions before they’re asked, and they strike a balance between control and common sense. Below, we’ve broken down the core building blocks of a corporate travel policy, with some practical notes on why each matters. Looking for comfortable accommodation and simple expense management tailored specifically for the mobile workforce? Discover how Roomex can streamline your travel needs, offering hassle-free booking and expense solutions designed to keep your team focused on the job. Try Roomex today and experience the difference in efficiency and convenience for your mobile workforce. Request a Demo The basics every policy needs Scope & purpose This is your opening statement: who the policy applies to and why it exists. Keep it short, plain-spoken, and aligned to company values. Is this for all employees, contractors or just those travelling more than a certain distance? Are you setting expectations purely for cost control, or also for safety and wellbeing? Framing it clearly prevents the awkward “does this apply to me?” conversations later. Booking process Mystery bookings are the bane of finance teams. Your policy should set out how employees make reservations, which platforms are approved and who has final sign-off. The more you consolidate into one place, the less admin you create for everyone else. There’s a hard cost angle too: analysis by Airlines Reporting Corporation found international flights booked 60 days ahead saved around 10%. A policy that nudges travellers to book earlier is one of the simplest ways to avoid runaway costs. Expense guidelines Here’s where you set the red lines. Spell out what’s in-policy (flights, hotels, taxis, daily meals) and what’s not (room service splurges, minibar raids, or Friday night cocktails with old friends). Don’t drown employees in detail; a handful of clear examples goes further than a spreadsheet of exclusions. The goal is to remove grey areas so no one is left wondering whether that almond croissant counts as breakfast or a “personal snack”. Key travel categories to cover Accommodation Hotels can be a minefield: one employee chooses a roadside motel, another picks the five-star spa. Set standards around safety, distance from the workplace or meeting, and cost caps by city or country. Rather than naming specific hotels, frame your policy around principles: mid-range, business-class properties within X miles of the site, booked through Y platform. That gives clarity..

The complete guide to company retreats in employee wellness programs Tired perks don’t cut it – employee recognition trips do. Source: Pexels{Alt text: Scenic Lake with Wooden Sauna and Forest Reflection.} Perks are everywhere – free coffee, pizza Friday’s, discount gym memberships. But honestly? Tired perks don’t move the needle anymore. Employees want more than surface-level gestures. They want to feel valued, recognised, and genuinely cared for. That’s where employee wellness comes in. Both HR leaders and finance managers are realising that wellness isn’t just a box to tick – it’s central to retention, engagement, and productivity. The smartest companies are looking beyond fruit baskets and lunchtime yoga, investing instead in employee wellness ideas that make a lasting impact. One idea that’s quickly gaining ground? Company retreats. When designed with purpose, retreats combine wellness, recognition, and culture-building in one powerful move. They’re not just a break from the office, they’re a chance to recharge, connect, and celebrate. Even better, when retreats are positioned as employee recognition trips, they deliver double the value: rewarding effort while improving wellbeing. Done right, they transform a wellness plan from “nice to have” into a core business strategy that boosts morale, loyalty, and culture. In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to make company retreats a cornerstone of your employee wellness ideas strategy – and how to design trips that keep both your people and your finance team happy. Table of contents The complete guide to company retreats in employee wellness programs 1 Tired perks don’t cut it – employee recognition trips do. 1 Why wellness matters more than ever 2 What role do company retreats play in wellness? 3 Employee recognition trips as a wellness tool 4 Comparing recognition tools 5 From perk to strategy – building retreats into your wellness plan 6 10 practical employee wellness ideas to boost retreats 8 The case for finance and HR leaders 9 Common challenges with company retreats – and how to solve them 10 Making retreats part of your wellness strategy 12 Why wellness matters more than ever Wellness has shifted from a “nice extra” to a genuine business priority. HR leaders are under pressure to keep staff engaged and reduce churn, while finance managers are focused on the hidden costs of absence, turnover and low morale. Employees, meanwhile, are looking for something far more meaningful than token perks – they want proof that their company takes them and their wellbeing seriously. The impact is measurable. The CIPD’s 2024 Health and Wellbeing at Work report shows stress remains the top cause of long-term absence in UK workplaces. Gallup’s global data links engaged employees with 23% higher profitability. So it’s clear that when people feel supported, the results show up in the bottom line. The issue? Many wellness initiatives still miss the mark. Discounted gym memberships or an occasional mindfulness app are easy to roll out, but they rarely change how people feel about their work. Employees see through “tick-box” perks. That’s why forward-thinking organisations are leaning into employee wellness ideas that feel shared, inclusive and connected to the culture – not just something employees do in isolation. Company retreats are one of the strongest examples. They don’t just offer a change of scenery – they create space for teams to reset, bond and think differently. The best retreats tie personal wellbeing to collective culture, leaving people re-energised and companies with more engaged, motivated teams. For leaders, that’s the win: a wellness initiative that’s easy to justify, simple to measure, and genuinely valued by employees. What role do company retreats play in wellness? Not every wellness initiative sticks. A free fruit basket might last a week, but the memory of a shared retreat can last for years. Retreats offer something different – they combine rest, recognition and connection in a way few other initiatives can. At their best, company retreats deliver three things: 1. A reset for mental health Stepping out of the everyday routine gives employees the chance to breathe, reset and think differently. No matter if it’s a quiet countryside setting or a well-chosen city break, the change of environment matters. Employees come back sharper, less stressed and more motivated. 2. A stronger team dynamic   Retreats go beyond individual wellness – they reinforce collective wellbeing. Shared experiences, whether structured workshops or informal downtime, help employees see colleagues as people, not just job titles. That sense of connection improves collaboration long after the trip is over. Looking for comfortable accommodation and simple expense management tailored specifically for the mobile workforce? Discover how Roomex can streamline your travel needs, offering hassle-free booking and expense solutions designed to keep your team focused on the job. Try Roomex today and experience the difference in efficiency and convenience for your mobile workforce. Request a Demo 3. A culture signal Perhaps most importantly, retreats show employees that wellness is not lip service. By investing in time away, companies send a message:  “We value you, we want you to feel recognised, and we’re prepared to back that up with action.”  In the current talent market, that kind of signal has real weight. This is why retreats sit so naturally within a modern wellness plan. They’re not a distraction from work – they strengthen the very foundations of it. And when retreats are positioned as employee recognition trips, they double as both a wellness tool and a celebration of effort, loyalty and performance. Employee recognition trips as a wellness tool Recognition has always been central to motivation. But the way it’s delivered is changing. A quick “thank you” email or a branded mug doesn’t work for people who want more from their employer. Employees want recognition they can feel – something memorable that proves their effort is valued.  That’s where employee recognition trips can do all the work.  Unlike one-off rewards, recognition trips combine wellness and appreciation in a single gesture. They don’t just say “well done” – they give employees the time and space to recharge, bond with colleagues,..

Webinar: Could workforce travel be costing you budget AND talent? Date: September 18, 2025 Time: 10am Duration: 30-45 mins At Roomex, we work with businesses that rely on mobile teams every day, and that’s why we know workforce travel isn’t always as smooth as it should be. Our Reinventing the Journey report revealed just how big the challenges really are: last-minute bookings, high out-of-pocket costs, poor visibility over spend, and the impact these have on both employee wellbeing and retention. We surveyed more than 1,500 people across industries like construction, engineering, manufacturing, infrastructure, and hospitality including both mobile workers and the teams who manage their travel. The results were clear – poorly managed workforce travel costs businesses time, money, and people. In partnership with the Institute of Travel Management (ITM), we’re hosting a free, insight-led webinar to share the key findings from our research and, more importantly, to explore practical solutions that work in the real world. This webinar will bring those findings to life. We’ll combine our own insights with real-world examples of how organisations have overcome these challenges, plus case studies that prove change is possible. Looking for comfortable accommodation and simple expense management tailored specifically for the mobile workforce? Discover how Roomex can streamline your travel needs, offering hassle-free booking and expense solutions designed to keep your team focused on the job. Try Roomex today and experience the difference in efficiency and convenience for your mobile workforce. Request a Demo What you’ll learn: The 4 key findings from our report – including the human cost of fatigue, isolation, and poor work-life balance, as well as the operational impact on budgets, compliance, and retention. The day-to-day reality for mobile teams – how reactive booking, policy gaps, and limited accommodation choice affect projects, productivity, and morale. Interactive Q&A – have the opportunity to engage with our panel and ask questions as we navigate through the session. If your business depends on field-based teams and workers on the move, this webinar will give you practical steps to: Streamline travel processes Reduce out-of-pocket expenses Improve compliance and visibility over spend Boost employee morale and retention We believe workforce travel can be better, both for businesses and for the people on the road. This session will show you how to make that happen. We believe workforce travel can be better, both for businesses and for the people on the road. This session will show you how to make that happen. Register Now

What are employee recognition trips and how should you manage them? A smart approach to rewarding staff through travel – and staying compliant while you do it Source: Pexels{Alt text: Person shaking hands across the table in employee recognition.} ​​For many organisations, rewards usually come in the form of salary reviews or internal shout-outs. But when teams go above and beyond, such as completing complex site work, hitting major project milestones, or staying mobile for weeks at a time – it takes more than words to show appreciation. That’s where employee recognition trips are one of the most rewarding company perks.  These aren’t lavish getaways for executive teams. Today, they’re used more widely, especially in industries with mobile workforces, as a meaningful, practical way to reward performance, improve retention, and reinforce company culture. No matter if it’s a team-building weekend, a project completion incentive, or time off in a location that matters, recognition trips can create real value for both employees and the business. But with travel costs under scrutiny and compliance requirements growing tighter, managing these trips without added admin pressure can be tricky – especially when rewards sit outside of standard booking workflows. In this guide, we’ll break down how to plan and manage employee recognition trips in a way that aligns with your policies, supports your teams, and delivers long-term ROI – not just short-term feel-good moments. Table of contents What are employee recognition trips and how should you manage them? 1 A smart approach to rewarding staff through travel – and staying compliant while you do it 1 Why employee recognition trips work – and when they make sense 2 How to plan employee recognition trips that deliver results 3 How to manage employee recognition trips – without the admin headaches 5 Planning employee recognition trips – aligning intention with execution 8 Choosing the right form of recognition – How travel compares 10 How Roomex helps make it feasible 11 Why employee recognition trips work – and when they make sense When implemented thoughtfully, employee recognition trips can be a powerful tool for motivation and retention – especially for mobile and project-based teams. For businesses in industries like construction, engineering, or field services, where workers are often away from home for extended periods, traditional rewards like gift cards or office perks don’t always land the way you’d hope.  In contrast, travel-based rewards provide something more tangible: rest, recognition, and real value. What the data tells us 90% of employees who were polled in the United States say they’d rather receive experiences over physical gifts when it comes to workplace recognition. Companies with strong recognition programmes see 45% lower voluntary turnover. 66% of employees say they would leave their job if they didn’t feel appreciated. Recent AI-powered HR analytics and recognition citations confirm this shift: machine learning studies show that employees who receive AI-personalized recognition experiences demonstrate up to 2x higher retention compared to generic perks. Strategic value, not just sentiment Recognition trips aren’t just about rewarding people, instead they’re about reinforcing the behaviours and culture your business wants to build. For project-heavy organisations, they can also serve as built-in team-building moments, particularly after high-intensity deadlines or extended rotations away from home. With the right structure and tools, recognition trips can: Drive motivation without inflating payroll costs. Support retention in high-turnover roles. Encourage compliance by tying perks to performance or safety benchmarks. Offer tax-efficient alternatives to traditional bonuses (depending on jurisdiction). And most importantly, they show your workforce that their time away from home isn’t going unnoticed. How to plan employee recognition trips that deliver results Planning employee recognition trips requires a lot more effort than arranging a hotel stay. Especially for HR and operations teams managing mobile workforces – think engineering, construction, logistics, or field services – it’s about designing travel experiences that balance value and operational efficiency. Here’s how to create a recognition travel programme that’s meaningful and measurable for your company. Looking for comfortable accommodation and simple expense management tailored specifically for the mobile workforce? Discover how Roomex can streamline your travel needs, offering hassle-free booking and expense solutions designed to keep your team focused on the job. Try Roomex today and experience the difference in efficiency and convenience for your mobile workforce. Request a Demo 1. Clarify purpose and link to organisational values Before planning starts, define exactly what this trip is meant to achieve: Is it a reward for exceeding safety targets, project delivery, or tenure? Are you aiming to reinforce culture, build team cohesion, or recognise individual excellence? Research shows that recognition tied to meaningful outcomes is far more engaging than generic rewards. For example, recent data reveals that well-recognised employees are 7 times more likely to be fully engaged. And when recognition aligns with company values and performance, retention improves by 31%. Action for HR: Draft eligibility criteria that tie performance outcomes to recognition opportunity. Communicate these clearly when announcing the programme. 2. Design the right format for your workforce Recognition travel doesn’t have to mean overseas retreats – especially for mobile workers. Consider options such as: Trip Format Ideal for Why it works for workforce teams Overnight stay Rotational teams or long  shifts Offers a break without lengthy travel – ideal  for quick decompressions Off-site team day Local site teams Enhances morale with minimal disruption Central meetup Remote or hybrid teams Creates connection and shared purpose More industry data shows that 41% of employees prefer a paid trip with peers as their form of recognition, making group travel popular for organisation-wide morale. Action for HR: Choose a trip format that resonates with your team’s structure and logistical realities – then design benefits around it. 3. Centralise and streamline booking Logistics can derail recognition programmes – especially if bookings are spread across platforms or individuals. Roomex offers a suite of tools designed for precisely this purpose: RoomexStay provides access to over 2 million workforce‑suitable properties—ranging from budget hotels to self-catering options. RoomexPay, a virtual allowance card, ensures employees are..