Since it launched its first hotel in the UK nearly 40 years ago, Travelodge has grown to become the UK’s largest independent budget hotel group.
This impressive growth has touched thousands of lives as people from all walks of life have joined the company to work in roles from housekeeping to front of house to management.
While the company recognises that parts of its workforce can be transient – they recruit around 8,000 people a year – there is much pride in the steps taken to retain and promote its colleagues. The accessible, regularly updated, ongoing training and tailored hours enable
colleagues to fulfil their potential and quickly move through the roles of the organisation, whatever their outside commitments.
Of particular note is the ‘Aspire’ development programme which is open to all colleagues and provides qualifications and practical experience. It can, in part, account for the fact that circa 75 per cent of supervisors and hotel management positions are internally promoted.
Travelodge supports diversity and inclusion across the company and provides flexibility in order to attract both students and working parents to roles. Young people are given the national living wage and not penalised for their age. Also commendable is the company’s aim to have a 50/50 gender split at senior level and 10 per cent ethnic minority representation by the end of 2025.
Meanwhile, colleague wellbeing is highly important to Travelodge, and the company provides numerous programmes to support good mental and physical health. Its partnership with the British Heart Foundation has resulted in a fantastic open access CPR training course, which could go on to save lives inside or outside the hotels.
Despite recognising the importance of social mobility, Travelodge is well aware that there are several areas in which it can continue to grow and strengthen. As with many organisations, one of its biggest challenges is around its workforce and how it attracts and retains talent in a difficult employment environment.
This independent impact report highlights areas of strength, as well as areas where more could be done to strengthen Travelodge’s social impact. The report maps some of Travelodge’s activities against the Purpose Goals - a common framework with which organisations can measure their progress.
The three which Travelodge consider most relevant to them are Goal 5: Open recruitment, Goal 6: Fair career progression and Goal 8: Good health and wellbeing.
Within each are extensive examples of the company’s successes in achieving movement towards providing a fair, accessible, happy and healthy working environment.
At Travelodge, our purpose is to ‘deliver affordable travel for everyone’, offering our customers the right balance of location, price and quality. Our strategy is to make a Better Travelodge for our key stakeholders which includes customers and colleagues.
Our colleagues are at the heart of our business and we are committed to providing an inclusive workplace, providing decent work, with opportunities to learn more and earn more, and where everyone can be their true self and belong. We simplify this as “Learn more, Earn more, Belong”.
We’re incredibly proud of our Aspire development programme which we’ve expanded in the last 12 months. Aspire supports our hotel and maintenance teams to progress from entry level roles right through to District Manager level. Additionally for our head office colleagues, we introduced “Limitless” this year, a development programme aimed at middle managers with a strong focus on good health & wellbeing being fundamental to driving team performance.
With nearly 600 hotels across the UK, Spain and Ireland, Travelodge is well placed to support the levelling up agenda across all regions of the UK. The roles we offer are available to all, irrespective of background or educational attainment, and we live and breathe the commitment that everyone can be their true self and belong. So you really can “get in and get on”.
And we know there’s more we can do. So it’s exciting to embark on this journey with the Purpose Coalition to understand and celebrate all the great things we’re currently doing, but more importantly, to start understanding where we can do more to support the country’s levelling up agenda and improve our social impact across the UK.
The recommended actions in this report give us the opportunity to continue to improve what we do to make a Better Travelodge for our customers and colleagues, in turn, positively impacting the communities within which we operate.
“With nearly 600 hotels across the UK, Spain and Ireland, Travelodge is well placed to support the levelling up agenda across all regions of the UK.”
In 2015, as Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening MP led the UK delegation to the United Nations (UN).
Along with 184 international partners, she helped to establish the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2017, the SDGs were made more ‘actionable’ by a UN resolution adopted by the General Assembly which identified specific targets for each goal, along with indicators used to measure progress towards each target. These 17 interlinked, global goals were designed to be ‘a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all’. They marked a shift from the previously established Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000. In contrast to the MDGS, the SDGs were nationally-owned, country-led and targeted wealthy, developed nations as well as developing countries.
The SDGs emphasised the interdependent environment, social and economic aspects of development by centralising the role of sustainability. As Secretary of State, Justine recognised how useful a common set of accessible but ambitious objectives could be in galvanising action to effect change. Since then the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated many of the problems relating to social inequality in the UK. The recovery is a chance for the United Kingdom to address these issues and level up, but that requires updated and specific goals in order to outline, inspire and measure progress. The most committed signatories of the Social Mobility Pledge, the Purpose Coalition, aim to improve social mobility in the UK and have responded to this challenge with the launch of the Purpose Goals in February 2021.
These new Goals build on the foundations laid by the UN’s SDGs by outlining 14 clear goals, and draw on expertise provided by academia and businesses which
has been applied to the unique challenges facing the UK in levelling up. They focus on key life stages and highlight the main issues that need to be resolved in order to create a level playing field for all in this country. The Purpose Goals are intended to guide how the urgent ambition to level up the UK can actually be achieved. The impact of the work carried out to do this can, and should, be measurable.
Sub-goals with quantifiable targets and measurements against which progress can be charted within the 14 goals are being developed by the Purpose Coalition. This will create a more transparent and measurable framework with which to monitor and subsequently address problems of social mobility and inequality. The Purpose Goals are designed to look at the outcomes of corporate social responsibility strategies and measures that organisations operate. Many organisations are doing outstanding work and making important contributions to society but are still measuring this via inputs – a measure that focuses on pounds and pence rather than real impact on human lives.
Crucially, these Goals are a shared framework. Justine and the wider Purpose Coalition, of which Travelodge is a key member, believe that with a common understanding and objectives, there can be action that drives change on the ground. Distinct entities, including universities, businesses, policy-makers, and public sector bodies can work together, with the shared Goals being a uniting and motivating foundation for progress. As the problems which cause social inequality in the UK are interlinked, it seems that the response to these problems must also be collaborative.
The Purpose Coalition has encouraged businesses and universities to share their own best practice with other organisations so they are not only demonstrating their own commitment, but creating a shift towards purpose-led organisations. The Goals can encourage an extension of this co-operative exchange of information which can be used to help level up Britain.
“As the problems which cause social inequality in the UK are interlinked, it seems that the response to these problems must also be collaborative.”
Travelodge launched in 1985, opening its first hotel at Barton-under-Needwood in England and becoming Britain’s first budget hotel brand, catering to both leisure and business guests.
Since then, the private equity owned business has gone from strength to strength and is now the UK’s largest independent hotel brand.
Travelodge focuses on four strategic pillars to deliver its vision of a Better Travelodge – customers, colleagues, future and investors.
With around 600 hotels and 44,500 guest bedrooms across the UK, Ireland and Spain, Travelodge can be found in major city centres, towns, seaside locations and roadside stops.
It continues to expand, with new hotels planned and further locations identified for the coming years.
Travelodge seeks to be a responsible business in all they do, placing a strong emphasis on safety and security, the environment and social responsibilities, and earlier this year launched their sustainability plan, Better Future. Better Future is made up of 3 pillars - Inclusive, Caring & Conscious, and sets out clear KPIs & goals to achieve by the end of 2025.
There are on average 11,000 Travelodge colleagues in full and part time roles, mostly permanent, with some seasonal roles, including front-line guest services, maintenance, and head office roles. Around 73 per cent of colleagues are female.
Travelodge has been impacted by a national labour shortage, particularly in London, by Brexit and by less interest from an increasingly well-educated younger generation.
That said, the company is taking steps to retain its colleagues and enable them to earn more for doing more, and to attract new people and encourage them to build their skills and careers in the way they want to.
It is aware that to do this it needs to provide decent work, hours to suit different lifestyles, and different life stages giving certainty of hours, more choice and fair pay. The varied mix of roles caters for those who want a career in hospitality, or want to fit work around other commitments, such as parenting or study, as well as people looking for a second career later in life.
Its people commitment states, Travelodge is ‘committed to creating an inclusive workplace, providing decent work with opportunities to learn more and earn more, where everyone can be their true self and belong.’ Put simply, ‘learn more, earn more and belong’.
New colleagues undergo an induction programme to support them in their role and further training is available for all to progress and advance their careers.
As well as in person training, Travelodge is keen to continue to include digital training and learning, ensuring it is always easily accessible
The hotel group has a number of colleagues working towards apprenticeship and management qualifications, or developing through professional qualifications and on the job training.
The business has a strong record of developing a diverse team of people, raising their average incomes and improving their career prospects. Around 75 per cent of supervisors and hotel management positions are filled by internal promotions.
Travelodge’s management development programme, ‘Aspire’ is central to its approach, helping candidates to secure externally recognised qualifications and practical management skills.
Travelodge recognises the benefits of having a diverse workforce with different backgrounds and experiences, solely employed on ability.
It supports this belief with clear policies on equality and diversity and a track record of strong representation at all levels from people of all backgrounds.
The company monitors the diversity of job applicants and the composition of the existing workforce to support a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion.
And it remains committed to evolving its approach to ensure it is embedded as a way of life across the organisation. To ensure everyone can be their true self and belong, the business recognises that it needs to fit around its people.
The physical, emotional, financial and work wellbeing of its colleagues is important to Travelodge, and in 2021 they launched their wellbeing platform “Better Me”.
A number of pay for productivity initiatives exist, some of which were launched in 2022. The schemes give hourly paid colleagues the opportunity to earn more for doing more, therefore increasing their overall earning potential.
“Travelodge recognises the benefits of having a diverse workforce.”
While Travelodge has a wide range of activities that could be mapped against the Purpose Goals, this report focuses on its work against goals 5 (open recruitment), 6 (fair career progression) and 8 (good health and well-being).
Equal opportunities and open recruitment are essential to allow the UK’s talent to make the most of its potential. Ensuring that all careers are open to the widest possible range of people, no matter what their background, really matters. Barriers to recruitment should be removed to ensure that people are able to achieve their full potential.
Equal opportunities
Travelodge job adverts and the careers website are tailored to ensure people understand that jobs are open to all, regardless of circumstances.
It will soon become mandatory to fill in diversity and inclusion information on application forms but with a ‘prefer not to say’ option, so that information can be captured and reported on.
The company’s recruitment process is very structured, along with available tools for head office and hotel operations to use, such as recruitment scripts. This ensures a fair and consistent recruitment approach for all.
Following work with social purpose organisation
Employment 4 All, the company has made changes to its interview process and now focuses on highlighting the benefits of the roles.
When working with recruitment agencies, Travelodge stresses the importance of an even gender mix and 20 per cent ethnic minority in the shortlists for senior roles.
Its ultimate aim is to have a 50/50 gender split at senior level and 10 per cent ethnic minority representation by the end of 2025.
Where Travelodge operates in deprived areas, it creates opportunities for employment, training and career growth to those that may not otherwise have had the chance. For example, the company worked closely with the Job Centre in Scarborough in 2021 –an area which has high levels of unemployment –to recruit more local people.
The Travelodge workforce is geographically split – its head office is based in Oxfordshire, with field based maintenance, sales and operations teams, as well as many colleagues based in its hotels across the UK.
As part of its talent agenda, all roles at Travelodge are advertised internally on its careers website for seven days and are available to all. Access is universal and job alerts can be set for those looking for opportunities.
If jobs go on to be advertised externally, the careers website automatically shares them on Indeed, and the team may also share them on LinkedIn, Job Today or other specialist job boards.
All salaries are benchmarked, and Travelodge pays national living wage to all ages, ensuring younger colleagues are not on lower rates of pay for doing the same roles.
Hotel managers take responsibility for their own recruitment up to supervisor level, with a team of recruiters based at the head office who focus on the recruitment of operational managers, head office and maintenance roles.
The recruitment team also take part in job fairs in high footfall towns, uses social media, works with local government and partners, and advertises jobs within the community.
Contracts
There are no zero hour contracts at Travelodge, rather contracts that work around people’s lives, giving them the certainty they need around work and pay.
It is important to Travelodge that colleague contracts reflect the hours they are working, and there are temporary increases available if more work is requested, for example during peak periods.
Each hotel operates to its own unique Blueprint which enables a manager to recruit the optimum number of colleagues on greater contractual hours. Data analysis showed that colleagues recruited on 8 hour contracts are much more likely to leave within 12 months compared to those colleagues recruited on a 24+ hours contract.
Many roles at Travelodge fit well with working parents, such as Housekeeping Team Member roles which are part time and take place around school hours, often running from 9.30am to 2.30pm.
The company also allows parents to pick up extra shifts at different times if they choose to do so, and swap shifts with other colleagues if something unexpected arises at short notice outside of work.
For students, there are options to transfer between different sites during term time and holidays, and hours are dependent on colleagues’ other commitments.
The recruitment team is working on an outreach project with local universities to develop relationships and build a network of potential new colleagues.
Travelodge is a member of the Hotel Employers’ Group – a selection of the big hotel brands whose key focus is on the image of industry.
It aims to encourage people to see the hospitality industry as somewhere where they can grow their careers rather than just a transient job opportunity.
Since September 2021, Travelodge has adopted 60/40 hybrid working at their head office – three days in the office and up to two days at home.
This has enabled more people to feel confident in applying for these roles, for example those who live further afield or have other local responsibilities.
The opportunity to continue to develop and progress in a career is vital. Organisations that provide opportunities for career progression and future opportunities, allowing individuals to flourish, will benefit greatly in the long run.
Colleagues at Travelodge are given the opportunity to grow their career and earning potential in a supported environment.
Much emphasis is put on encouraging colleagues to apply for roles within the company, and the job roles are kept simple and accessible. For example, many colleagues started in part-time housekeeping roles and progressed to managing a hotel. Between 70 and 80 per cent of hotel management roles are filled internally, as well as around 35 per cent of head office roles being secured by internal applicants.
Much of the training that takes place is induction training. For new starters in entry level roles, the length of the training can vary from 20 to 24 hours and all training is paid.
Training is continuously updated, and includes fire safety, hotel specific lone working processes and safeguarding as well as training on performing the role well and customer interaction. Thanks to its focus on digital, all training is mobile friendly and therefore easily accessible to all colleagues, whenever needed.
Travelodge can track and measure how well trained the workforce is by assessing the number of training modules that have been completed, time taken to complete them and it can monitor any areas of the training where delegates have struggled thereby providing insight in where to focus follow-up training.
Training not only looks at developing skills inside work but also building skills that can be used outside work such as confidence, resilience and empathy.
Over the past few years, Travelodge has been in the process of developing an apprenticeship programme across all departments at its Head Office and for hotel managers.
There are currently 60 people on apprenticeships, ranging from law, to people skills, to hospitality management, and this number is expected to grow over the forthcoming years.
Travelodge’s management development programme, ‘Aspire’, helps candidates to secure externally recognised qualifications and practical management skills.
It is a structured, off the job programme led by an in-house training team where colleagues will learn technical and behavioural skills for management roles.
Aspire was launched six years ago and already 1,500 people have been through the programme. The scheme is being expanded this year, with an aim of having around 600 people on the programme each calendar year.
Everyone within the company is welcome to apply and the organisation encourages all of its colleagues to do so at the appropriate point in their career journey.
Just recently, Travelodge launched Aspire levels three and four which are aimed at hotel managers who wish to progress into bigger hotels or district manager roles.
There have already been more than 100 applications for the new programmes, with applicants from all over the UK.
In 2021, Travelodge added social mobility questions into its Aspire application forms to track movement in those areas. This is an important step in monitoring the background of all colleagues and identifying where there might be barriers to progression.
Jessica, Hotel Manager
Jessica joined the business as a Hotel Team Member in 2008. Through the company’s management development programme she secured her first hotel management role 2 years later.
Fast forward to today, and with three new openings under her belt, Jessica has made a huge impact at Travelodge.
She said: “The management development programme really helped me get the skills I needed to progress onto a management role. Since then, I’m really proud of the fact I have helped others to achieve their goals of progressing from Team Members to Hotel Managers”.
Scott started as a Hotel Team Member and very quickly developed into an excellent Manager with a real drive for customer service.
Not content to stop there, Scott has worked his way up to his current role of Property Services Director, where he has accountability for a team of close to 300 people.
He said: “The advice I’d give a new team member might seem clichéd but it is - work hard and be committed and Travelodge will commit to you. I’m living proof of that, I’m a story of hard work and it’s served me very well from a career point of view at Travelodge.”
Emily has been part of the Travelodge team since 2013, and her adventure within the business has led her to the big city as well as meeting her partner along the way. She started off as a part-time housekeeping team member, then quickly discovered the endless opportunities available.
She has managed and supported several hotels across the country from Manchester to London and Blackpool where she currently works.
She said: “I want to continue developing as a manager and increasing my skill set, as well as continuing to work with a diverse team. What makes me smile everyday is knowing we’ve delivered exceptional service to our customers.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a stark light on the health inequalities our country has and how they impact on wider life. An important part of health and wellbeing is the support that employees receive at work and the understanding that this plays a role in the wider health of everyone.
Emotional health including stress management is a key focus during peak periods, with the company providing resources and virtual sessions to support colleagues through busy times.
Better Me Moments was launched in 2022. It encourages colleagues, as individuals or in teams, to complete an activity focused on one of the Better Me wellbeing pillars.
Some examples include the people services team walking the distance from its head office in Thame to its hotel in Barcelona, the recruitment team step challenge, mindful eating sessions, breathwork sessions, team quizzes and 15 minutes of quiet time a day.
Travelodge hosts development days for its 33 district managers every quarter. The focus of these days is on themselves and their wellbeing.
The days begin with helping them be at their best at work – focusing on their mental and physical wellbeing – and conclude with training on how to enable their team of hotel managers to be their very best.
In 2021, the hotel group launched its internal wellbeing programme called Better Me, which focuses on four pillars of colleague wellbeing – financial, physical, emotional and work.
Financial – Understanding benefits, including pensions and the recent introduction of the salary finance scheme.
Emotional – Resources to support colleagues’ mental health including the Employee Assistance programme.
Physical – Resources to support physical health including discounted gym membership.
Work – How to progress your career at Travelodge including CV and interview tips and how to join the Aspire programme.
Through Better Me, the company has introduced some productivity initiatives such as robot vacuums and offering stretching bands to improve the health and wellbeing of its colleagues.
The voluntary wellbeing programme Limitless is for middle management colleagues at the Travelodge head office and focuses on three factors – health, motivation and performance. An external company facilitates workshops, and cover aspects such as nutrition, movement and mindfulness.
In May, Travelodge held its Learning at Work Week at head office. It included tai chi sessions, chair yoga, mood and food workshops, storytelling webinars, colour energy sessions and more. With many sessions held virtually to ensure they were accessible for all.
Travelodge partners with MetLife for its employee assistance programme which is open to all colleagues and their immediate family members.
As part of the programme, they can get support with financial, emotional or physical difficulties.
Colleagues and their immediate family members are entitled to six free counselling sessions when needed, with additional sessions considered on a case by case basis if required.
Salary Finance
Travelodge partners with the global financial wellness platform Salary Finance.
With Salary Finance, colleagues can pay down their existing debts by replacing them with a single, low-interest employee loan repaid directly from their paycheque. The repayment is deducted automatically through payroll and is easy to implement and administer to those who need it most.
Colleagues also have access to a simple savings account where they can save straight from their salary, as well as free financial education such as budgeting tips, tools, videos and webinars.
The Cycle to Work Scheme is a government backed initiative that enables colleagues to obtain a bike and cycling accessories for riding to work, while making tax and National Insurance savings from their gross pay.
Travelodge partnered with Cycle Solutions, one of the UK’s leading Cycle to Work Scheme providers and one of the founding members of the Cycle to Work Alliance.
Cycle Solutions offer hourly paid employees the option of private purchase with a 12 per cent discount, or with zero per cent finance.
Mental health awareness
May was Mental Health Awareness month and Travelodge ran a campaign to coincide with it via its internal communications platform.
It included tips for positive mental health, colleague stories, and toolkits on how to start conversations on mental health and how to spot signs of poor mental health.
The campaign highlighted the story of employee relations advisor Jon who spoke in detail of his struggles with his mental health and how he coped.
As the problems which cause social inequality in the UK are interlinked, it seems that the response to these problems must also be collaborative.
Private healthcare
Salaried colleagues at the level of hotel manager and above are offered Bupa private healthcare cover. They are entitled to single or family cover depending on their level.
British Heart Foundation
Travelodge partners with the British Heart Foundation charity, supporting fundraising and running awareness days throughout the year.
It also supports the charity in its RevivR online training course, which teaches people how to do CPR at home using a pillow.
The company is encouraging all colleagues to complete the training and have set a target for 1,000 people. It also has QR codes in all hotel rooms so that customers can complete the CPR training.
It recognised World Menopause Day in October, introduced a workplace menopause policy, created a set of FAQs for those that need them and a Hot Flushes group on the internal app.
The company’s new non-executive director co-founded “My Menopause Centre” and has supported the company by delivering a virtual menopause awareness session, open to all Travelodge colleagues.
Health MOT
The Travelodge Health MOT is an interactive toolkit designed to help colleagues across the business.
Topics include stress management, healthy eating, exercise and good hygiene. The site links to apps, recipe resources and top tips.
The hotel group recognises Healthy Eating Week by providing resources, tips, videos, guides, budget planners and hydration trackers.
Each day there is a different theme – focus on fibre, get at least five a day, stay hydrated, vary your protein, and reduce food waste.
Around 73 per cent of the Travelodge workforce are female, and around 2,000 are at the age when they are in the menopause or may start soon.
Travelodge has been working hard on creating more menopause awareness and having open conversations on how to support its colleagues.
To support its commitment to ensuring all colleagues can be their true self and belong, Travelodge has a calendar of inclusion events. Internal campaigns for inclusion topics such as International Women’s Day, Black History Month and Interfaith Week, are hosted on their internal communications app.
Access to all Travelodge inclusion campaigns are available to colleagues under the work section of Better Me.
Colleagues can also find tips on preparing a CV, interview techniques, and how to apply for the 4 different levels of Aspire.
With around 11,000 colleagues working across its head office in Oxfordshire, remotely and at its nearly 600 hotels, Travelodge is a significant employer in the communities it operates in across the UK.
This means that it can, and does, have a meaningful social impact across a number of areas.
The most obvious is by providing employment opportunities to a wide range of people from different backgrounds.
As an employer, Travelodge offers flexibility to allow people with different life situations - such as parents, students or carers - the opportunity to work. Getting a foot in the door is only the first step though. Many see hospitality as a form of short-term employment but Travelodge is trying to ensure the correct training and development is in place, to enable fair career progression and the chance for colleagues to build long lasting careers within the hospitality sector.
There are brilliant examples within this report of individuals starting in part-time roles and progressing on to managerial positions. The Aspire programme will help increase this, alongside the development of its apprenticeship scheme.
Travelodge also recognises the importance of the health and wellbeing of its staff. This has been highlighted during the pandemic and is a focus for the organisation moving forward.
Since the launch of its internal wellbeing programme, Better Me, Travelodge has continued to commit to the health and wellbeing of its staff. Different initiatives are available for physical health and mental health, and the organisation listens to its staff on areas that need more focus.
The organisation is committed to opening up opportunities for a wide cross-section of society and removing unnecessary barriers to employment.
While 73 per cent of colleagues at Travelodge are female this does not always translate into greater diversity at senior level. The organisation has committed to having a 50/50 gender split at senior level, as well as 10 per cent ethnic minority representation, by the end of 2025.
Travelodge is aware of the social impact that it has as an organisation. With some incredible initiatives already in place to increase opportunities, it also recognises the importance of going even further.
This commitment to action, ensures Travelodge continues to be a leading light in the progression of the purpose agenda within the hospitality sector.
Travelodge can have a more significant impact on levelling up by targeting its community efforts.
Travelodge should assess the level of its social impact and how its vast presence across the UK could provide an opportunity to focus on deprived areas around its key sites, particularly in social mobility cold spots.
It can use the Office for National Statistics’ Index for Multiple Deprivation to enable this. This includes widely-used datasets within the UK to classify the relative deprivation (essentially a measure of poverty)
of small areas. This considers how all areas across the country (32, 844 areas in total) rank in terms of deprivation by income, employment, education, health, crime, living environment, and barriers to housing and services.
For sites in England & Wales, Travelodge may wish to use the UK Government’s Social Mobility Index, which ranks the 533 constituencies in terms of social mobility outcomes for various life stages - including early years, school, youth and adulthood.
This will both enhance and drive forward the impact of Travelodge on the levelling up agenda in a way that also delivers operationally for the business.
A more comprehensive tracking and measuring of the socio-economic background of Travelodge’s colleagues will enable a further understanding of the workforce.
This could lead to a deeper understanding of the barriers to career progression and where financial support, especially prevalent now re the cost of living crisis, could be more deliberately offered.
Background tracking could be done through 4 specific questions developed by the Equality of Opportunity Coalition:
What was the occupation of your main household earner when you were aged 14?
- Which type of school did you attend for the most time between the ages of 11 and 16?
- If you finished school after 1980, were you eligible for free school meals at any point during your school years?
- Did either of your parents attend university and gain a degree (e.g. BA/BSc or equivalent) by the time you were 18?
Travelodge’s leadership in the hospitality sector can help shape the wider levelling up agenda from the perspective of a purpose-led business operating on the ground.
Travelodge should use its know-how and positioning in the sector to be a firm and clear advocate for purposeled business focused levelling up. Taking advantage of its relationships with key stakeholders, supply chain and the wealth of ties in the communities it operates in, Travelodge can leverage its own efforts on social impact to create a unified and greater impact for local people and communities.
