Melbourne travel agent Rhys Johnston likes Universal Traveller’s flexible workplace environment including access to unlimited leave so much he’s making a habit out of working just nine months each year on full pay.
With flexible work hours being near the top of the list for young Australians in choosing their employer, Universal Traveller is leading the way in providing a flexible working environment to entice and retain talented staff.
Johnston, 23, started with Flight Centre’s Universal Traveller brand – formerly Student Flights – aged 19, first at their Chadstone store and then at Fountain Gate.
“After I started, I still felt like I wasn’t done yet with travelling,” he said. “I called my area leader and said, ‘I love my job, but I want to do some more travel’.
“He said, ‘No problem, you will still have a job to come back to’, so I took six months Paid Unlimited Leave and travelled through South America and Asia.
“I happily came back and started becoming successful in the business and was able to continue taking trips, many of them work related.”
At that time, Rhys was ranked the number four agent nationally in the company.
Aside from travelling for pleasure, Rhys has taken many educational trips with the company’s youth-oriented suppliers such as Topdeck, Busabout and Intrepid. It’s something he encourages his team to strive for, too. If they want to try a different work schedule, Rhys encourages them to go for it.
“As long as they are performing, we encourage them to fit work in around their other commitments, whether that’s study or something else.”
Unlimited Annual Leave Provision
Universal Traveller’s industry leading unlimited annual leave program is also enabling Rhys and his colleagues to be amongst the most knowledgeable.
Staff are able to qualify for access to unlimited annual leave days per year, over and above their standard leave entitlements.
It’s a formula that provides job flexibility and allows consultants like Rhys to build up their destination knowledge.
“Our knowledge has to be the best,” he said. “Our customers are already well researched before they come and talk to us, but I can tell them things the internet can’t.
“I want to help every step of the way with their travels and provide an entire experience – not just provide a booking platform for tickets.”
Rhys has now been promoted to team leader at the Southland store and is one of the youngest Universal Traveller team leaders in the country.
Workforce of Travel Influencers
Universal Traveller general manager Sean Martin said that the flexibility and encouragement of staff to travel not only helps with their knowledge but also with juggling life’s demands.
“If there’s something you need to do in your life you can go and do it,” Sean said.
“Our workforce consists of travel influencers, who can work flexibly and share their travel expertise from anywhere in the world using social media, our models and our Unlimited Annual Leave program.
“We are a one stop shop for young travellers, with our staff using social media to inspire and showcase their knowledge to their customers.”
Rhys Johnston said that he actively uses social media as a tool of inspiration, either to show a destination or the type of tour you can do.
“I use it all the time as a tool during consultations. Anybody who is travelling can take great photos – they’re not reserved just for the professionals.”
Universal Traveller, Flight Centre Travel Group’s youth-focused travel brand, has 50 stores around Australia, providing specialised youth travel advice, authentic-experience travel product, exclusively discounted flights, tours and hotels.
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