Report Claims Construction Pros Are Travelling More

According to Engine’s Powering Travel Trends Report, people who work in travel-heavy industries like construction, transportation, engineering, field service, and disaster relief are traveling for work more than ever before. And it’s mainly due to high labor demand. 

• 93% said they’ve traveled more over the past year
• 77% said it’s due to high demanding their line of work
• 56% said they spend more than three months a year on the road
• 10% said they spend more than six months a year on the road
• 90% of employers cite company travel spend has increased over the past year

As the first of a series studying the economic drivers and social impacts of business travel, the report can be found at Powering Travel Trends Report. The research was conducted among 2,000 workers. The report uncovers insight and trends that shape the business travel landscape and provides actionable insights to help companies navigate changing needs and make informed decisions. The survey was conducted by Phronesis Partners to a sample of 800 employees who travel for work and 1,200 employees who manage travel at U.S. companies in construction, disaster relief, insurance, engineering and field services, and transportation.

Engine’s Powering Travel Trends Report edition examines the lives of Road Warriors—people who work in travel-heavy industries and spend much of their time on the road.EngineAccording to the release:

Respondents expressed generally positive views of business travel. Thirty-five percent of Road Warriors say travel has helped them grow their careers faster, and 45% said it has expanded their worldview. Further, when asked about how their travel affects their mental and physical health, respondents were more likely to claim their travels had positively impacted as opposed to negatively impacted them.

The report also reveals a top pain point for frequent business travelers: not knowing exactly when they’ll be away from home. Thirty-nine percent reported quitting a job because the schedule changed too often at the last minute. That was significantly more than the percentage who said they had quit because their travel schedule was too rigorous (29%) or because travel took them away from family (26%). In addition to being able to plan ahead, having control over their travel was important: the ability to choose days away from home was the number one travel-related reason respondents said they’d switch jobs.

“Workers are traveling more than ever, and it’s important to hear what they have to say about life on the road,” said Florent Silve, EVP of Supply and Strategy at Engine. “It’s clear from our research that road warriors view travel as a net benefit. Their concerns are mainly about uncertainty. That’s why we’re so focused on making it easy for businesses to find lodgings for each employee’s specific needs. Sometimes that means finding a hotel within walking distance of a job site. Sometimes it means finding one with parking for a semi truck. The goal is to give employees assurance and peace of mind so they can have the best possible experience while they’re away from home.”