Flexible working hours are a major aspect of the travel industry, and are particularly important for travel agents to create a work/life balance, according to Travel Counsellors Managing Director, Fred van Eijk.

He believes flexible working can really give agents with a passion for travel more enthusiasm and zest for what they do, as well as shaving the related stresses that come with commuting.

Because really, the trend is not just impacting the industry, but the workforce as a whole, he claimed. And given how darn hard travel agents work, this could be really good for the industry.

A recent report stated that the number of people working from home has dramatically risen from 20 per cent of the entire labour force to 30 per cent in 15 years. Now, nearly 17 per cent of the 3.5 million Australian who often work from home in their primary employment say they do so for the “Flexible work arrangements” and “childcare/ family considerations”.

According to van Eijk, this model of home working applies itself particularly well to the travel sector as many agents make themselves available for customers beyond the traditional hours of a retail shop or even that of a call centre with extended hours.

“For us, working from home has been the foundation for many of our franchisees’ customer relationships and enabled them to provide a better level of customer service and care,” van Eijk said.

“However, it isn’t for everyone, and we are seeing an increasing trend for people for a variety of reasons setting up a shared office with other Travel Counsellors, away from their home environment. But fundamentally, they work the hours to suit the needs of their business, family and customers.

Travel Counsellors MD

“So, the bigger opportunity for us as employers and those that care about building relationships with customers and enabling people to have a better quality of life is to encourage flexible working.”

van Eijk also emphasised that “equality of opportunity” should be a given, regardless of gender, and that an “increasing focus on mental health and wellbeing” could also help create a supportive environment that encourages flexible working down to an individual level.

If we deliver personalised, tailored travel planning and advice to customers and the quality of that information is driven by people (and technology) then we should enable personalised working arrangements that meet the needs of the people delivering the service, so they are fulfilled.

“All businesses and people are imperfect, and we are no different, and we have some work still to do in our support offices to be even better in this regard, but it must be done as this is fundamental to the ability for businesses to drive growth.

“Disruptive, technology-based companies such as ours understand that our future is entirely dependent on our ability to search, find, attract, retain and develop talent. So, we are in a competition to attract and retain the very best talent globally.”

Travel agents are already coming up against tech giants like Google, which is increasingly entering the travel space, but thankfully industry leaders still vouch for agents, citing the human touch and personalised experiences as essential to creating great travel moments.

“The old mentality of offices being a place to check whether someone is in work and working is overtaken by those disruptive businesses that see offices as a space to encourage collaboration and sharing.

“Similarly, disruptive companies use technology to empower customers and people to connect be that face to face, over the phone or via digital channels and enable people to work flexibly, remotely and stay connected.

van Eijk feels that the competition for talent – and that includes attracting and keeping the very travel advisers – is not about whether you work from an office or home, or whether you are salaried or self-employed.

“It is and will be about to what degree you have a culture that enables and encourages you to be trusted and that includes the ability to flex your hours on a personal level and basis so you can have a career, respect your responsibilities to your colleagues and customers and be a decent parent and partner,” he said.

“Fundamental is having access to the technology to enable you to work, connect and deliver regardless of the hour in the day and where you are in the world what makes this possible.

“So, an unerring commitment to do the right thing by the customer, genuine individual flexible working and continuous investment in technology will go hand in hand in those disruptive travel businesses that value the benefit of the independent personal travel adviser and those that support them.”