When times are tough cuts need to be made somewhere – and it appears that many businesses have gone down the route of slashing travel costs. But has it helped?

Swapping from First Class travel to Standard Class travel may certainly limit the hit on the budget but it could also be reducing employees’ productivity which can also damage a company’s bottom line. CrossCountry Trains has estimated that this loss in productivity could add up to £15,624 per employee per year. According to its survey close to half of business travellers now opt for a Standard fare over a First Class fare, yet 86 per cent of passengers who travel for business declare that they are more productive when traveling First Class. Fifty nine per cent of respondents said they were not inclined to work while traveling in Standard Class, while over 70 per cent said they felt unable to work unless in a First Class carriage. It appears that the benefit of larger seats, enhanced space, power sockets, complimentary refreshments and a desk all help to enable business travellers to work whilst on the move.