The risks facing business travellers are higher than they have ever been and the inevitable focus on Covid has led to short-sightedness about other dangers, according to new research.
The International SOS Risk Outlook 2021 reveals that workplace risk has reached a five-year high with 79 per cent of risk managers saying business travellers face increased risks, largely due to Covid. This is up from the previous high of 72 per cent recorded in 2016 when “terror attacks in locations previously considered safe may have been front of mind”.
Half of risk managers surveyed also believe that the health and security risks facing their employees will increase in 2021, despite the promise of a number of vaccines targeting Covid-19.
The inevitable focus on Covid has led to short-sightedness on other risks, the company says, with the perception of geopolitical threats, civil unrest and security threats sharply down on last year.
Mick Sharp, group director security services at International SOS, said, “The findings have uncovered a disconnect and a potentially business-threatening level of Covid-19 myopia. Security issues have been exacerbated by the pandemic, particularly in relation to civil unrest and political protest. This has been driven by both Covid-related opportunism and existing divisions.
“Similarly, crime levels have increased in some locations, noting we are only at the beginning of the socio-economic and psychological fallout of the Covid-19 crisis. It is understandable that, to varying degrees, the general population and business are more focussed on the demands and application of Covid-related precautions.
“However, perennial security and safety issues have not abated, graphically illustrated by the recent terror attacks in Vienna among others. Similarly, responding to high impact threats such as natural disasters has gained another layer of complexity due to Covid-19 medical considerations and fluid travel restrictions.”
Dr Neil Nerwich, group medical director at International SOS, said, “The Covid-19 pandemic has created a tripartite of crises, with public health, geopolitical and economic crises all impacting the workforce and business on a global scale. This has been exacerbated by an infodemic in an increasingly complex world environment. While the news of a potential vaccine is very positive…organisations will need to go through an evolution in their duty of care provisions.
“Just as 9/11 changed the way that employers saw their duty of care with respect to security issues, so the pandemic is destined to have a lasting change to employer approach to employee health threats.”
The majority of risk professionals surveyed felt that infectious disease, including Covid-19, but also malaria, dengue, Ebola and Zika, will cause a decrease in employee productivity in the next year.
One in three respondents also anticipates mental health issues will contribute to reduced productivity while members of the Workforce Resilience Council of health and security experts who contribute to the report predict that mental health issues will overtake Covid-19 in 2021.
The findings were based on a poll of more than 1,400 risk professionals in 99 countries in September and October, including 918 with responsibility for business travellers.