The answer is a resounding YES! There are many scientific studies that show there are actual health benefits associated with traveling, but it doesn’t stop there. Many professional development consultants, recruiters, and career coaches firmly believe that traveling also makes you a better employee and job candidate.

It’s easy to think of traveling as an escape from work, but if we reconsider our perspective, we’ll realize that travel enriches us in ways that can positively impact our office performance.

Expand Your Comfort Zone

Seeing the world through the eyes of others is an excellent way to drive curiosity and creativity. A new experience may provide new inspiration, awareness, and ideas you likely wouldn’t have considered within the confines of your office. You’ll come back to work refreshed, and even better, may think of new ways to approach old or nagging problems.

Communicate More Clearly

Traveling to foreign lands inevitably creates communication challenges between locals and visitors. Communication barriers help you to listen more carefully, become a more active listener, and be more creative in how you communicate with others. Not to mention it makes you more aware of what your words mean to those around you, requiring you to give more thought before speaking. All of the above result in sharper communication for yourself and those around you.

Increase Your Cultural Competency

There is no better way to prepare yourself for our rapidly diversifying workforce than by traveling. As businesses become more global, they become more diverse. Increase in workplace diversity leads to better business results from the different perspectives and creative thinking. By traveling abroad, you experience new cultures and ways of life, and you equip yourself to better manage and lead in a diverse workplace.

Add Interest To Your Resumé

Sharing your travel experiences with others are a great opportunity to show your depth and build connections in professional settings. From traveling, you expand your knowledge of the world, politics, and culture in general. You can use those experiences to connect with others in business. Just about everyone loves to talk travel, so you can make easy conversation by swapping travel stories.

At the end of the day, it’s clear that the value of travel extends far beyond a fun and memorable experience- you’ll return the office a better, more energized and motivated coworker and employee!

Click here to learn how to use travel to motivate your employees.