PTO specifically for traveling the world and learning about things? What a concept!
Do you know how many paid-time-off (PTO) days go untouched every year? A lot, I’ll tell you that much (albeit 2020 was difficult for everyone but billionaires). In 2018, one study determined the answer was 768 million vacation days, which equals $65.5 billion in benefits that were just….wasted. For when we are able to wade back into those travel waters, consider the below companies, who encourage (and, in some cases, even financially compensate) their workers for traveling far and wide.
If you’re job shopping or seeking wanderlust inspiration, grab your notepad. And honestly, if you’re a company, take notes, as well.
Full disclosure: I’m aware that being able to travel for a living is certainly a privilege (which many at Fodor’s enjoy), though, in the last year, that benefit has essentially been discarded so hopefully this write-up doesn’t come across as me simply yelling at the clouds with my fist(s) in the air. Ideally, at least one CEO will read this and be motivated to make similar moves at their company!
Clyde Group
When an employee survey conducted after this Washington, D.C.-based PR firm’s first year of business told the CEO that its workers were overworked and miserable, he decided to make some changes: there would be a cap on 40 hours of work per week, a (mandatory) five-week, “make us jealous” sabbatical program with a $5,000 stipend, and a $150 stipend for recreational activities.
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Disney
You may have guessed as much, but employees of the Walt Disney Company get perks that would fill many tourists with envy. We’re talking free admission to the brand’s parks (full-time and part-time employees), as well as deals at other properties owned by the brand, including hotels, resorts, and cruise lines.
G Adventures
It would make sense that a tour company would want its employees to know the world. As such, tour company G Adventures allows its workers to book one trip every 10 months and even covers up to $3,000 in costs for said trip. And employees will get an additional $750 to cover the costs of flights. Suddenly, a work trip doesn’t sound so bad!
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Expedia
Much like G Adventures, Expedia gives its employees $750 to put toward a sunny getaway. And much like G Adventures, this makes sense considering Expedia is a company dedicated to helping people get to where they want to go in the world.
Moz
Software company Moz covers the cost of up to $3,000 for each employee who wants to take a vacation, annually. Imagine the weight off of your shoulders knowing that your sunny beach getaway comes at no extra cost to you!
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Delta Air Lines
While it might not explicitly cover the cost of specific vacations compared to the other companies on this list, Delta is an airline that’s historically not shy about giving discounted (or altogether free) rates on tickets to employees and—wait for it—their friends and families. Couple that with the fact that the major carrier has nine domestic hubs and services more than 240 destinations, and that means there is no shortage of destinations to choose from when the time comes to use that PTO.
REI
REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.) is a retailer with a conscience when it comes to caring for employees’ time to themselves. The seller of travel equipment allots its workers “Yay Days,” which, per the shop’s site, are intended to “help REI employees reconnect with the outdoors and prepare them to deliver great knowledge and service to customers.” Employees also receive half off on the brand’s gear/apparel and, if employees book a trip with REI Adventures! (REI’s travel company), they can get up to 30% off.
TourRadar
This Austrian-based travel company covers up to $1,800 in travel costs for its employees’ trips. In addition to that perk, TourRadar also offers an Office Exchange program that allows its employees to work in any one of the company’s three offices, all of which are located in bustling neighborhoods in Vienna, Toronto, and Brisbane, if they so desire.