Four ways this trend can reduce employee stress, according to research.

Spring break is in full swing. You may be planning a getaway now or you may already be thinking about summer vacation. Unfortunately, some Americans are about holidays due to consumer trust and a severe economic plunge. But there’s good news on the horizon. A new trend called Blended Travel is a flexible perk for remote work as businesses continue to accept return office (RTO) orders. Some innovative companies encourage employees to mix vacation with business and business, as blending leave trends are retention perks, job stress-reducing agents and production motivation.

Mixed travel is increasing steam between businesses

In today’s always on world, the pressure to stay connected makes it really hard to unplug. Enter “Quiet Vacation” and “Hush Cations.” Employees use it to find much needed rest from jobs that are unknown to their employers. Both strategies allow workers to receive time (PTO) paid in the downrow from their employer.

But now more companies are beginning to support blend travel, also known as Blaishure. It’s different from a cation of quiet holidays or tranquility. Employers encourage blended trips where holidays and businesses intersect, and it’s completely on the board.

Squaremouth voted for 2,500 customers, with 43% saying they’ve had mixed trips in the past, and 24% saying they’re planning a blended vacation within the next 12 months. With the American workforce leaving holiday days on the table, Squaremouth considers blend vacations to be a creative solution for work-life balance.

I spoke to Ginger Taggart, VP Brand Management-Premium Brands and IHG Hotels & Resorts via email. She told me that blend travel has evolved from simply expanding travel and evolving into a seamless integration of work and life. And she explains the difference between other “under the radar” silent vacation and blend travel.

“Unlike quiet holidays that involve maintaining the illusion of working on holidays, blend travel fully embraces the power of hybrid work,” she explains.

Crowne Plaza commissions a global YouGov survey of 12,000 respondents from nine countries.

34% of US workers say mixed travel reduces stress and promotes healthier routines. Currently, 34% of US workers prioritize the ability to combine work and leisure travel through four-day workers and trendy office perks. Currently, 66% of US and UK travelers combine business and leisure, up from 53% in 2022. Of these, 56% say the ability to travel while working is a key advantage of remote work. US workers consider the flexibility of working hours (55%) that is as important as the high salary when choosing an employer.

Four ways to blend travel reduce stress

Taggath says wellness is not a must, and it’s no secret that he’s not a good person. “As the modern workforce evolves, people are trying to integrate mental and physical health into every aspect of their lives, including their professional lives,” she points out. Taggart cites a YouGov survey, with 34% of respondents report that mixed travel helps establish healthier routines and reduce stress. She summarises the worker’s aides in four ways to reduce stress for the blend’s travel workers.

1. Promote social connection. Taggart suggests that blend travel creates opportunities for employees to build relationships, engage in meaningful interactions, and strengthen their professional and personal networks. All of these contribute to improving your sense of happiness. “Crowne Plaza Properties offers an environment where guests can connect and relax together, offering weekly social events in a relaxed, informal setting,” she says.

She says these social events will range from local beer tastings in Florida, local kiba liquor tastings in Narita, or s’mores on the fireplace in Hawkesbury Valley, Australia. “To add to this, we see that travelers place a great value on face-to-face connections. Many cite quality time with family and friends as a reason to combine business and leisure travel,” she said.

2. Encourage healthier routine time. “Today travelers are actively seeking wellness experiences while traveling through eco-friendly accommodation, outdoor activities and wellness-centric itineraries,” explains Taggart, adding that her company has developed a series of daily rituals designed to promote mental and physical health during guest stays. They range from offering an energetic smoothie full of ingredients to start the mornings during breakfast to hosting weekly guided runs to help guests release stress and wine down.

3. Supports work-life balance. Taggard acknowledges the importance of supporting work-life balance in order to reduce stress and maintain mental health. “Time away from vacation and work is widely recognized for its positive impact on happiness,” she notes. “Our Crowne Plaza survey shows that while almost half of us and UK travelers support their health during business trips, 42% are focused on adequate sleep.”

The company responds to the findings by providing guests with free access to online training and promoting well-being through exercise and recovery. She also describes future plans to provide travel workers with access to professionally-led master classes. It covers topics such as finding happiness and improving.

4. Utilize the power of nature. “Traveling is a powerful tool for spiritual rejuvenation, especially when connecting us to nature,” Taggath argues. “Long time indoors can have a negative impact on both our mental and physical health, which is why many travelers are increasingly looking for a health experience for people, especially those focusing on outdoor, nature-centric retreats, to escape daily stress.”

To support blend travel, she emphasizes the need for accommodation with physiological designs. This is the concept of connecting travel workers with different design features through different design features, helping guests feel refreshed and connected to their surroundings. For example, some of her facilities are located on 38 acres for peaceful and distracting environments, while others are designed to create oasis in busy airport environments, including tropical outdoor pools.

The final word on blend travel

“Blend Travel promotes creativity by providing new perspectives, inspires inspiration and promotes meaningful connections,” Taggart argues. “Crowne Plaza helps us support this more dynamic and fulfilling way of travel by reimagining hotel designs and deploying new, inventive guest experiences that allow our guests to thrive personally and professionally.”