Beyond the office walls: Payhawk's unique travel benefit

We all know that happy employees do great work. But what makes employees happy? A fantastic product, a focus on collaboration, and the chance to grow their careers for a start.

At Payhawk, we firmly believe that creating a stimulating and inclusive atmosphere boosts productivity and performance — and keeps top talent onboard despite a competitive job market. That's why we go beyond the office walls and offer our team a uniquely cool benefit: a corporate travel opportunity that can inspire creativity and enhance work-life balance.

The impact of business travel on job satisfaction

Business travel can make a big difference when it comes to keeping employees happy. According to a study by the Global Business Travel Association, a whopping 81% to 96% of business travellers say their travel experience affects how satisfied they are with their job. Offering travel perks can help companies show their employees their appreciation for a job well done and keep them around for longer.

Everyone wants to work in a place where they feel valued. More than ever, people are concerned about finding a workplace that cares about their happiness and mental well-being.

An employee benefit for adventure lovers

Starting out as a small team with big ideas and a great product roadmap, our culture is one of team collaboration and cooperation in which every employee can grow and make a significant impact. One of our top goals is to create an environment that fosters creativity and innovation while maintaining the professional camaraderie required for business success.

But we don't stop there. We also offer our team members a unique corporate travel benefit beyond the standard business travel offering. In a nutshell, they get:

• The chance to spend one week working from another Payhawk office of your choice, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, London, Sofia, and Paris
• Flights and transportation to and from the hotel and office, and accommodation for the above
• And a *150 euro allowance for the duration of your stay (*the maximum budget per person per trip is 1,800 euro)

Hawk talk: Shared experiences on corporate travel & company culture

We chatted with three key members of our team, Velizar Natovski, Software Engineer; Petya Dimitrova, Finance Manager; and Yordan Mihaylov, Senior Billing and Collection Specialist, about their participation in the TravelHawk benefits programme.

As team members with over a year under their belts at Payhawk, they were each eligible to use the benefit and visit and work from another one of our offices. Here they got to experience a new place and culture and participate in truly international collaboration.

Overall experience
Our three colleagues agreed they'd had a fantastic time with the TravelHawk programme. Each team member found it a great experience that allowed them to gain insights into different Payhawk offices and appreciate the work happening there. It was also an excellent chance for them to meet and collaborate with colleagues from various European teams, exchanging ideas and receiving valuable feedback.

Impact on work-life enrichment
In terms of work-life enrichment, Velizar shared that his visit to the Amsterdam office was eye-opening. He noticed a similar atmosphere of teamwork and collaboration as in his home office in Sofia. And he mentioned how much he enjoyed the open environment, which encouraged learning from one another. For Velizar, the trip offered the opportunity to meet new people and immerse himself in a new setting, ultimately refreshing his focus and boosting his overall productivity.

Experience with new cultures**
**Experiencing new cultures through corporate travel has a big impact. It opens up fresh perspectives and sparks creativity. Yordan, Petya, and their colleagues from Spain had an unforgettable time in Barcelona. They explored the city, tried out different restaurants, and had a great time immersed in a new experience. Meeting colleagues face-to-face, discovering a new city, and enjoying some off-duty time with coworkers was truly exciting and rewarding.

Effect on quality work and output
Velizar emphasised the effect of business travel on the quality of work, too. He found that immersing himself in a different work environment alongside like-minded individuals made his day-to-day tasks more enjoyable and fulfilling. He also felt a renewed happiness with working at Payhawk, especially as he considered his experience so out-of-the-ordinary — and fulfilling.

Company goals aligned with personal values
During our conversations with employees, we noticed a common theme — the alignment between their values and our company's goals. Our growing TravelHawk programme creates opportunities for employees to flourish, grow, and achieve fruitful outcomes through their business travels. One of our top priorities is to foster growth and development within our team, and it's excellent to see that the programme has such a positive outcome, both professionally and personally.

Speaking of productive outcomes, Yordan shared a particularly memorable experience from his time in Barcelona. Yordan explained that, along with his colleagues from Spain, they had a great time and managed to enhance an internal process related to customer experience with our services. They strongly believe in the value of in-person meetings, where collaboration flows more smoothly than online meetings. This anecdote highlights our travel programme's positive impact on personal and professional growth.

TravelHawk: A birds eye view

As a rapidly growing scaleup, we're grateful to offer our team some incredible employee benefits, including 30+ days of annual leave and our exciting travel benefit. We believe in creating a positive company culture by encouraging our employees to travel and explore new horizons.

We take pride in our diverse team, composed of individuals from different nationalities, backgrounds, and interests. This diversity of ideas and perspectives is one of our greatest strengths. It enables us to develop solutions that cater to various cultures and markets worldwide.

If you're ready to join a team where you can innovate, collaborate, meet people from around the world, and make things happen, then look no further. Check out our awesome job openings right here, and get ready to embark on an exciting journey with us.