There are always areas in your organization’s budget where you can pare down on spending, and travel is a big one. If you know you have an upcoming conference out of state, for example, why wait until the last minute, when flights are most expensive, to book your reservation?

In fact, research from Hipmunk, a travel planning platform, shows that small-business travelers tend to book flights later and at a higher price than those booking trips for leisure—and that just by booking six weeks before travel, they can save up to $200 per domestic flight.

“Smaller companies’ travel budgets often fail to account for the full cost of travel—which can make a huge impact on a business’s bottom line,” said Christal Bemont, who manages the small, midsized, and nationals business unit at travel management company SAP Concur, in a statement. “But by utilizing a few tips … small businesses can optimize their travel spend and keep their financial goals on target.”

The Grinch Didn’t Steal Your Office Holiday Party

If companies seem a little less jolly this holiday season, it may not be your imagination. Has the Grinch stolen holiday parties? Find out below! https://t.co/pUz2HQ7Vaq#TheGrinch

— SmartMeetings (@SmartMeetings) December 13, 2018

Every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot … but many HR departments around the country are barring holiday festivities this year. In fact, only 65 percent of organizations are planning to throw a holiday party, the lowest number since 2009, according to the 2018 Holiday Party Survey Report. So, who is the Scrooge?

The answer: No one, really. It could be that in the wake of social movements such as #MeToo, many HR departments are eliminating the risk of employee relations getting out of hand.

“The impact of #MeToo has been overwhelmingly positive, and it’s clear the movement is spurring companies to enact important policies to protect workers—a huge boon to the business community,” said Andrew Challenger, vice president of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, the organization behind the the report, in comments reported by Smart Meetings. “Other reasons for fewer holiday parties could include that a company’s workforce is primarily remote and it’s too difficult to gather for a holiday party, or perhaps companies are having parties at other times of the year.”

Other Links of Note

To attract and retain top talent, invest in employees’ charitable passions, says Entrepreneur.

The next frontier in team collaboration: the digital workplace hub, according to CMSWire.

Social media can be your biggest tool during a meeting crisis. MeetingsNet explains.

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