Fewer organizations than at any time during the past five years are paying for their business travelers' long-distance calling, travel accident insurance, dry cleaning and minibar snacks, according to a Society For Human Resource Management survey released this week.
The report found that business travel benefits across the board are down since 2006, and that business travel and housing/relocation were the two benefit areas that experienced the "biggest downward trend since 2009." Conducted in February, the survey asked 534 human resources professionals who were members of SHRM about a variety of benefits categories.
In 2010, 54 percent of organizations were reimbursing travelers for long-distance calling versus 70 percent in 2006, the poll found. Accident insurance reimbursement is offered by 37 percent of firms in 2010 versus 45 percent five years ago, dry cleaning is at 12 percent compared with 20 percent and minibar snack reimbursement is available to employees of 9 percent of surveyed organizations versus 18 percent in 2006.
None of the 13 business travel "benefits" that SHRM also asked about five years ago showed an increase. The most commonly offered on-the-road benefits in the 2010 results were meal per-diems (65 percent), employee retention of loyalty program points (64 percent), laptops (62 percent) and Internet access (55 percent).
Among other results, 14 percent of those surveyed said their organizations offered reimbursement for first or business class airfares but were planning to reduce or eliminate the benefit during the ensuing 12 months. Twelve percent offer the benefit with no plans to change, while not a single respondent said their company was planning to add that benefit.
More than one-third of respondents said their companies offered "car or limo service" to and from airports, but 9 percent said their firms would reduce or eliminate that in the coming year. None planned to add it.
Fifteen percent of companies said they planned to cut reimbursements for airline club memberships, while 5 percent said they offer that with no changes planned, and none intended to add it.
Big companies were more likely than small firms to offer many of the benefits, particularly per-diems, laptops, long distance, accident insurance, airport cars or limos, premium class fares and dry cleaning, according to the report.
"Overall, privately and publicly owned for-profit organizations were more likely to offer these benefits," according to the report. "The only exception was a per-diem for meals: government organizations were more likely to offer this benefit."
Business Travel Benefits (by Organization Sector) | | Overall | Privately Owned
For-Profit
Organization | Nonprofit
Organization | Publicly Owned
For-Profit
Organization | Government
Sector | | Per diem for meals | 65% | 62% | 65% | 66% | 92% | | Employee keeps frequent flyer miles | 64% | 67% | 56% | 68% | 44% | | Employee keeps hotel points | 64% | 67% | 56% | 72% | 44% | | Business laptop for personal use while on business travel | 62% | 63% | 55% | 66% | 58% | | Paid Internet access while on business travel | 55% | 57% | 47% | 60% | 44% | | Paid long-distance calls home while on business travel | 54% | 47% | 40% | 78% | 22% | | Travel accident insurance | 37% | 35% | 33% | 55% | 28% | | Car or limo service to/from airport | 35% | 39% | 27% | 35% | 25% | | Rental car upgrades | 13% | 17% | 4% | 15% | 6% | | First or business class airfare | 12% | 14% | 7% | 15% | 8% | | Paid dry cleaning while on business travel | 12% | 12% | 11% | 19% | 3% | | Paid minibar snacks at hotel | 9% | 10% | 6% | 14% | 0% |
Source: SHRM 2010 Employee Benefits research |