How do companies benefit
from preparing an employee
for business travel?
Companies have the responsibility to
provide travelers with the information they
need to stay safe and a point of contact if
something goes wrong. The numbers show
that in-person meetings are more lucrative
than virtual ones, so it’s worth the effort to
have a workforce who’s willing to get out
on the road on your company’s behalf. A
properly prepared employee ends up happy
with their journey and comes back to the
office talking it up. Then their co-worker
wants to go out to represent the company.
What are some frequent trip hiccups
and how do you solve them?
On overseas trips, huge errors are commonly
made regarding prescription drugs. Legal
medications in the U.S. can be banned
in destinations such as Dubai or Japan.
Generally, prescription painkillers are
forbidden in many countries. As the employer,
you can’t legally ask what prescription meds
your employees are taking, but you can
educate your travelers that their meds can
lead to an unfortunate situation.
You also need to be ready for when
employees experience traffic accidents or
muggings outside of the U.S. It’s a simple
process when an accident happens in
30
Cleveland. But when it happens in Doha,
your company will have to be a liaison
for health insurance, hospital services and
potentially an evacuation.
Other common issues include stolen
passports and compromised credit cards.
Often, a traveler’s card gets skimmed or
stolen, which compromises their corporate
credit card. How will they pay for their hotel
room or their next meal? If they’re on a five-
city trip, this can have a disastrous impact
on their itinerary, not to mention their
productivity. We teach travelers to take two
credit cards on every trip, but don’t store
them together.
What steps can companies
take to ensure the safety of
their female travelers?
According to a recent survey by Global
Business Travel Association (GBTA), 83% of
female travelers felt unsafe while traveling
for work. That’s a very significant number
that companies need to consider when
crafting a Duty of Care plan. Whether
it’s dealing with a creepy guy or a serious
attack, companies must provide someone for
their travelers to call for advice when they’re
uncomfortable. The survey also found that
86% of women altered their plans based on
safety and security concerns. For example, it
may be risky for a traveler, male or female,
to arrive after 9 p.m. in a city that they do
not know. It may be wiser to have them arrive
earlier in the day, which may cost more. In
the end, it’s better for a company to make
itinerary decisions with safety as the primary
consideration, not economics.
What rules should travel managers
add to their travel policies
to mitigate their company’s
risk for workers traveling?
To begin with, companies need to have Duty
of Care and a travel risk management plan
in place. Travel Leaders offers the CARE
product that helps companies keep their
business travelers secure around the globe.
CARE is built around artificial intelligence
and instantly updates travel managers with
24/7 alerts about emergencies.
As for policy changes, you have to
find out where your exposure is. Your
organization may have massive exposure to
its female travelers. What are you doing to
educate women about hotel safety? If you
don’t have a policy about Airbnb, it’s time
to make a decision. For many travelers, the
lack of security and fire safety measures
make a shared accommodation situation
an uncomfortable choice.
Even taxis can be quite dangerous
outside of the U.S. and western Europe. You
might need to make provisions for a secure
car service in countries where it makes sense
to have a professional driver who knows the
area. As you build policies, it’s essential to
explore your risks simultaneously.