TRAVELLER AND ASSIGNEE NEEDS MEAN FOR CORPORATES AND OPERATORS
GSAIR 2024 38
WHAT CHANGING
TRAVELLER AND ASSIGNEE NEEDS MEAN FOR CORPORATES AND OPERATORS
By Mark Harris Contributing Editor
Remote working , blended stays , and long stays ; data-driven personalisation ; localisation , security , and other sourcing trends .
Gen-Z employees ( people born between 1997 and 2012 ) now make up over 20 % of the UK workforce . 9 So they also represent a significant chunk of the travelling and mobile workforce – and growing .
This put the onus on travel and mobility managers , and their suppliers , to understand this new customer segment ’ s needs , lifestyles , and attitudes . Gen-Z spends an average of 10.6 hours per day online , making them the most digitally connected generation . 10
Gen-Z expects convenience and efficiency in their interactions . In an accommodation context , which means offering mobile check-in and checkout options , providing high-speed Wi-Fi , and integrating mobile payment methods .
The heirs to our planet have also inherited responsibility for climate change . In fact , climate concern is the biggest concern for a third of Gen Z . 11 90 % are trying to reduce their own impact on the environment .
So how do the needs of the new generation differ from those of previous ones ?
More space , more comfort , more animals
“ One thing we saw throughout Covid was lots of people got pets ,” says Andrew Meadowcroft , Vice President of Customer Experience at relocation company , Aires . “ That ’ s changed what our customers need from temporary housing . Before the pandemic , maybe one in every ten relocating families has a pet . Now , a significant amount of our relocating families travel with pets , which has put a lot of pressure on the temporary housing industry to meet to those needs .” relocating or looking for more space ; the ability to be able to work comfortably from home . We ’ ve seen an uptrend in people , who have traditionally been entitled to a one-bed apartment or flat , wanting an area for a home office as well .”
Fewer trips but longer
Karen Hutchings of Cobb & Hutch Consulting says business people are traveling longer but making fewer trips .
“ Sustainability is partly responsible , and behaviours are changing too . Instead of travelling backwards and forwards every week , they are staying longer and then working from home for the next two . Individuals also don ' t necessarily want to stay in large hotels so much and prefer the less crowded serviced apartment concept since the pandemic .”
Credit : Hybrid Resi
“ The dynamic has changed . Lots of companies have moved to a hybrid workforce , so employees who are
9 https :// www . thehrdirector . com / features / demographics / changing-face-uk-workforce /#:~: text = With % 20Gen % 2DZ % 20employees % 20 now , in % 20the % 20fight % 20for % 20talent .
10 https :// bobbledigital . com / its-time-to-focus-on-gen-z #:~: text = Generation % 20Z % 20are % 20spending % 2010.6 , content % 20consumption % 20 is % 206.9 % 20hours
11 https :// www . deloitte . com / global / en / issues / work / content / genz-millennialsurvey . html