Is bleisure mentioned in your corporate travel policy?
- Bleisure travel, or extending travel for personal reasons, isn’t mentioned at all
- Bleisure travel is not allowed
- Bleisure travel is part of the company policy within specific guidelines (rare)
Why it’s okay to ask your boss about extending your business trip
- Business travel is exhausting and often bleeds into weekend "off-hours" with Friday returns or Sunday take offs. If taking an extra couple relaxation days will recharge you and make you a stronger asset upon return, your boss will understand.
- Bleisure travel is growing and will only continue to grow. Most companies want to be known as a great place to work and want to keep their employees happy.
- By extending your trip and covering your own costs on the additional days, you might even save your company money on airfare
“With the increasing globalization of business and technology, the once-discrete line between business and leisure travel will blur further. There is no longer a reason for the business traveler to have to sacrifice leisure in order to be successful in their profession.”
Marvin Lee, Asiana Airlines
How to pitch a bleisure trip to your boss
Have a reason
- You have a long flight overseas (say 10, 15 or even 24 hours), but the time you’ll spend doing business on the ground is only a day or two. You’d like to extend your trip to make the travel experience less exhausting and make the most of it.
- You’re going to a city that you want to explore, and you have some vacation time that you would like to use.
- Your wedding anniversary falls during the business trip, and you’d like to bring your spouse with you and enjoy an extra couple of days in the city or surrounding areas.
- If you stay three extra days, the airfare cost for the company will be $400 less, so you might as well stay and enjoy a long weekend.
Work out the specifics
- Transportation - Ask your boss to cover the departure and arrival flights only if the cost is very close to (or preferrably lower) than it would be if you didn’t extend the trip. Make it clear you’ll cover ground transportation during your off time.
- Lodging - Book lodging separately for the additional days. While this means you’ll have to switch hotels, it will reduce friction and confusion about cost-splitting. Long term, you might be able to work out other arrangements, but to bring bleisure to your company for the first time, keep all invoices separate.
- Food - Use your daily allowance or per diem during your business days, and cover your own costs during your vacation days. For reimbursement purposes, your boss will appreciate if you separate the work and leisure days rather than work half days.
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