Employees are Planning Summer Travel Even if Their Budgets are Tight

Summer doesn’t stop just because costs are up. The summer is one of the best times for employees, their friends, and families to enjoy one another’s company. While economic pressures are real, creative solutions can make summer experiences possible and maybe even the most memorable yet.

Employers can support employee well-being with benefits that help their teams save. With savings on everyday essentials, employees have more wiggle room in their budgets for special expenses. Plus, discounts on big-ticket items like once-in-a-lifetime trips put them back in the budget.

In fact, employers who offer their teams access to discounts deliver major value to their employees. A recent survey finds that there’s high demand for local offers, everyday savings, and better travel discounts. Employers offering discounts have a competitive advantage, increasing the value of employment, earning employment loyalty, and retaining top talent.

Time With Young Kids is Limited

They say the days are long, but the years are short when it comes to kids. That wistful saying is true for the everyday, but even more so for the summer months. Families value their time together, especially as young children experience the world around them.

You’ll only have the baby’s first trip to the beach once, and there’s no reason to miss it. When you offer a corporate discount program, you give your employees a valuable vehicle for saving on life’s precious moments. Your family’s first trip to the beach is more exciting when savings are built in.

Employees, of course, will still need to budget, as they do for other expenses, but your discount program lightens the load. When discounts are connected with employment, your company earns a right-sized boost through their morale and even commitment.

Traditions Matter and Deserve Space on the Calendar

Weekend trips to the lake, family reunions, and best friend getaways – these are the things summer is made for. Something special to look forward to and look back on as time goes by is truly priceless. Help your team members keep these special traditions going with everyday savings opportunities.

Snacks for the car and dinner out now come at a 10% or even better discount. Car insurance, a necessary and important expense, now costs less every month, all things to your workplace savings.

When employee discounts make life cost less, there’s more opportunity to say “yes” to fun experiences that make summer fun. As a bonus, decreasing the cost of entry for experiences and entertainment means your employees are more likely to use their paid time off.

While they’re enjoying their summer fun, a breakthrough idea may arrive while they float in the pool. A once-in-a-lifetime connection at happy hour may result in them meeting their soulmate. These professional revelations and personal milestones are all the more possible when employees have access to work-life balance benefits.

Rest and Relaxation Are Essential for Well-being and Productivity

Americans, on average, leave excessive amounts of time off unused each year, meaning they’re missing out on valuable earned benefits. While you might think that this means they’re more productive than others, think again.

Employees who forgo time off end up physically and mentally exhausted, potentially inviting more illnesses and long-term challenges. This could result in lower productivity, higher healthcare costs, and serious health issues that put further strain on your organization.

Employees who go without time off increase risks for themselves and your company. Without time to reset, employees can become complacent, make avoidable errors, and even introduce safety risks. These situations can threaten your organizational health, critical projects, and even harm others.

Beyond health risks, a workforce where time off isn’t used invites compliance and project risks. Employees who are tired and overwhelmed are more prone to mistakes. Taking time to reset and refresh can give them new perspectives on their work and a renewed sense of purpose.

While it’s tough to consider, leaders must also be realistic and look at situations that invite risk. For example, individuals in financial control positions who never take time off may not just be committed to their jobs. They may be in a position to conceal fraud, compliance errors, or unsafe operations.

Make taking time off more feasible by elevating the presence of and conversation surrounding your work-life balance benefits. Establish a campaign that boasts the benefits of time away from work and how your benefits can support them.

Help Your Team Make the Most of Sweet Summer

Make summer feel like the reset it used to be when you were young, while still hitting your targets. Assess your employee culture for opportunities to make summer a time of enjoyment without sacrificing your bottom line.

Your current policies may already make room for summer-friendly activities, like flexible work hours or alternate work locations. If policies can be amended, fast-track them for approval and implementation, and pair them with corporate discount program promotions. Train managers on these policies and show support to encourage adoption and long-term use for the betterment of your teams and company health.