Thursday Buzz: A Day to Celebrate Business Travelers

Listen up, road warriors. This one is for you.

An online travel service called Upside  (opens in a new tab) is designating April 24 the first-ever National Business Traveler Day.

“National Business Traveler Day marks a new day for business travelers,” said Jay Walker, chairman of Upside and founder of Priceline, in a statement  (opens in a new tab). “We’re thrilled to be joined by 23 leading companies across the country, including many of the largest travel companies, to celebrate April 24th as a day to honor our nation’s business travelers.”

On Wednesday, Dress for Success, a women’s empowerment nonprofit, announced that it is an official partner  (opens in a new tab) of National Business Traveler Day.

Nearly 2 million business trips are taken every day, and business travel makes up 3 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product. According to a TNS Global study, women account for about 47 percent of business travel.

“More and more women are increasingly serving as the ‘face’ of companies in critical business dealings around the country,” said Dress for Success CEO Joi Gordon. “Dress for Success’ participation in National Business Traveler Day will reinforce recognition of the equal and significant role women play in moving our economy forward, especially through business travel.”

Stay Connected

“With so many meeting staffers traveling extensively and working remotely, constant communication is key.” @MeetingsNet shares, 4 Tips for Keeping Remote Employees Connected – https://t.co/LPvpJ3tTjo  (opens in a new tab)#EventTech  (opens in a new tab) #EventProfs  (opens in a new tab) #MeetingPRofs  (opens in a new tab) pic.twitter.com/JYWpfkPH66  (opens in a new tab)

— Event Tech Brief (@EventTechBrief) April 5, 2018  (opens in a new tab)

As remote employment continues to grow, how can you make sure your remote staffers feel like they’re part of the team?

“When working remotely, employees should have the ability to experience a traditional office environment,” writes Dave Wuethrich in a new MeetingsNet post  (opens in a new tab). “This includes having easy access to resources such as technical support for a computer hardware or software problem.”

Wuethrich says that remote employees and in-office employees should feel like they’re working under the same roof. You can achieve that by using effective communication tools, hiring great employees, and encouraging them to visit headquarters for events and celebrations.

Other Links of Note

Looking for a midsized city for your next event? RewardExpert reveals its top 30 cities for business meetings  (opens in a new tab).

Interviews are an important part of the hiring process. Fast Company shares tips for making them more effective  (opens in a new tab).

Landing a celebrity spokesperson can be a boon for your organization. But what happens when that relationship goes bust? Nonprofit Quarterly explores the issue  (opens in a new tab).

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