Bleisure or not bleisure ?

Nearly 20% of business travellers (40% for the youngest) are bleisure enthusiasts. That’s good… but what does leisure consist of? What are the advantages and disadvantages? If you are not familiar with this term then read these few lines… Choose and Work tells you everything!

Bleisure … at your disposal !

This somewhat strange name “bleisure” is the contraction of 2 English words (to the greatest dismay of lovers of the French language) Business and leisure.

In other words, bleisure is about combining business with pleasure by taking advantage of a professional trip to enjoy private tourism.

This is not something new in itself, but this trend has been growing for some years now. If previously this concerned mainly business leaders and a few well-positioned executives, today the phenomenon is becoming more democratic.

Great, you might say, I’ll finally be able to visit Buckingham Palace next time I go to the service meeting in London!

Let’s not get carried away, like any new trend, bleisure has its advantages but also its disadvantages.

The Bleisure … it’s good 🙂

Gone are the days when only the company’s manager could afford to take advantage of a seminar in Lisbon to extend his stay and enjoy tourism.

With the development of new technologies, the increase in the pace of life (especially professional) more and more people are trying to reconcile what was previously not reconcilable: work and… relaxation (or leisure at choice). Bye bye to elitist behaviour.

A direct consequence of this “transformation” of the business traveller is the economic impact. From the collaborative platform that offers packaged offers to the development of tourism in the cities that host them, to low-cost flights, the business travel market has become a new Eldoorado.

Another positive point is the change in internal attitudes within the company. And yes, in business too (especially) you have to live with your time and your generation. We are therefore adapting to Generation Y, which swears by collaboration and technology and which made its first steps in a society that advocated low cost and cost reductions.

Finally, as it is also a trend, well-being is also a factor. There is nothing like a relaxed employee after taking advantage of his weekend in Rome following his business trip to improve his productivity! In addition, his adventures and other visits will be shared around the coffee machine during the lunch break, which will also improve relations with his colleagues (unless they are jealous).

You will have to understand that most of those who are “lucky” enough to be business travellers see in this practice only the positive, and yet.

The Bleisure … it’s no good 🙁

And yes, as is often the case, there is one side to the coin and not the least: legislation (and jurisprudence)!

When an employee is sent by his company on business travel, he remains under the protection of his employer (Article L. 411 -1 of the Social Security Code) for the duration of his assignment.

Imagine then if the employee goes on a trip in bleisure mode and, during his extended stay, he is the victim of an accident (or other). What happens then?

It’s very simple (or not)!

If you (or one of your employees) injure yourself during the “leisure” part of your stay, the employer is considered responsible for you. It is then up to the employer to prove that the accident occurred while you interrupted your mission for personal reasons. In other words, many complications for a business trip (which is supposed to bring something positive back to the company).

See in this respect the judgment of the 2nd Civil Division of the Court of Cassation of 12/10/2017

Another point to consider is the financial aspect. If your company pays the costs of your business trip for you, what about what it actually pays?

In the case of an extended package, it is difficult to see the boundary between the part due by the company and the part paid by the employee.

Conversely, it is easier to do the accounts when the employee has booked the elements of his trip separately. But again, what if the Sunday evening return ticket is more expensive for the company than the Friday evening return ticket?