By Randall Gordon-Duff, head of corporate travel, Collinson
An effective travel policy is essential for employers looking to fulfil their duty of care towards employees travelling abroad for work. Some organisations ask travellers to input into the policy so they "buy in" and understand what services or elements of the policy they truly value.
But the easiest way to engage employees with the policy is to ensure that implemented processes are easy to adopt, automated where possible and deliver tangible benefits. These should keep travellers safe, healthy, happy and productive throughout business trips.
For example, rewarding travellers booking in-policy with access to airport lounge networks makes them feel valued and incentivises them to be airside (which in high-risk locations can reduce exposure to risk). This also provides a haven in which to work, rest and recuperate and eases business travel friction.
Accommodation is often overlooked. Hotels within the policy needn't be five star but those accounting for 'traveller wellness' by offering gym or pool facilities, comfortable beds, decent food and are not in noisy or far flung locations all reduce the stress of a business trip. Employers should consider accommodation as an important adjunct to their duty of care.
Good connectivity for mobile devices is essential. Business travellers want to contact family, keep up to date with work or even post photos from their trip on socials feeds. Some travel apps that companies use to manage policy enable free WiFi through hotspots and beacons, which give staff confidence that they won't be charged a fortune for data roaming and alleviates the worry from enabling location services.
This indirectly helps with tracking workers if a major incident occurs. Continuous tracking may intrude on privacy but, when needing to account for and offer staff assistance proactively, employees having their phone on them with locations services enabled can make all the difference in coordinating effective support.
Companies must not underestimate the effect of business travel friction, the wear and tear of constant travelling, on employees. Staff can become less compliant with travel policies (and risk assessment requirements), less willing to travel, more interested in job offers from firms with favourable travel policies and less satisfied with the outcomes of their trips if they don't feel looked after.
The impact on mental health for road warriors who spend large amounts of the year away from their home and family can be significant if they are not looked after appropriately. This is detrimental to morale, productivity, staff retention and ultimately the bottom line. Duty of care is not just about insurance and assistance coverage for medical or security episodes. Travel policies must address risk, response AND traveller welfare.