Business Travel on the Decline

Between record-high gas prices and airline industry woes, many small businesses are cutting business travel plans. But what happens when you can't cancel your trip--and you can't afford it either? According to this video on BusinessWeek.com, an increasing number of businesses are turning to virtual conferencing technology to simulate face to face meetings without stepping foot outside the office.

"There's all sorts of online collaboration tools; there's all sorts of ways to have online virtual meetings...and you can literally simulate the feeling of being in the same room," says Business Week's Michelle Conlin, who wrote this article about declining business travel.

While meeting with clients from the comfort of your own cubicle can save the company's bottom line, it also creates a healthy work-life balance to keep employees happy and reduces a business' carbon footprint. Who knows? Maybe you'll never send your employees on a business trip again.