Duty of care is now more complex and important than ever. Ninety‐six percent of global travel managers report that their company was not fully prepared to manage travel disruptions during the COVID‐19 outbreak, according to a recent
SAP Concur study
. Many scrambled to track down and ensure the safe, prompt return of employees traveling outside the country as travel restrictions were first imposed.
These events shed a brighter light on white spaces in company travel policies. The scope and scale of the COVID‐19 situation is unprecedented, but business travelers have always faced risks - natural disasters, global conflicts, crime, etc. - that companies have been expected to prepare for and support.
A bespoke approach is required to address the varying needs of each business and the new dynamics of domestic and global travel, including increased requirements for information essential to travelers and their employers. One size, or solution, does not fit all.
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Employees are more aware of this than ever as they anticipate the return of business travel to some degree of normalcy. The same study found that while 36% of global business travelers will hold themselves most accountable to protect their health and safety when travel resumes, 65% intend to take some form of action if their employer does not implement new safety measures - such as looking for a new job that does not require travel.
Travel preferences are now even more personal in this context. Organizations must revisit company travel policies and safety standards to ensure they address the current climate and prepare for a new era of travel. Travel managers will find themselves playing a new role, shifting from a traditional “travel gatekeeper” to more of a “travel enabler.”
Travel managers must shape policies and standards that encourage employees’ safety and comfort while traveling. In the process, they should recognize and advocate for the transformative effect that business travel can have on people, politics, economies and relationships.
Here are three things that organizations, and their travel enablers, must consider and prioritize when updating their policies and standards.
Risk assessment
Travel has always been the most personal expenditure of all corporate spending, and COVID‐19 has made it even more personal. Travelers are weighing their career goals against their own health and safety and the needs of their families. Similarly, companies will be required to balance business needs with employee comfort levels moving forward.
Start by assessing the risk involved with employee travel. Are they traveling to an area that is experiencing local events (outbreaks, political unrest, heightened crime rates, etc.) that could impact personal health and safety? Will they use a mode of transportation deemed high risk?
If the trip is determined to be business‐critical and low risk, provide training that covers the latest health and safety guidelines. Fifty‐four percent of business travelers believe they’d benefit from this type of training. Also, develop detailed and personalized plans to support employees in the event of an emergency, outlining nearby medical facilities, company insurance policies, communication options and guidance for an exit strategy, should travelers need it.
Safety
Most travel policies currently address safety through location tracking and communication support. However, our survey revealed a new criterion for safety measures. Nearly all global business travelers want companies to require mandatory personal health screenings for traveling employees and easier access to personal protective equipment like gloves or face masks. Travelers agree to adopt these behaviors, with 97% expecting to wear face masks during travel and carry hand sanitizers as standard accessories in shared spaces.
Additionally, there is another safety issue that hasn’t been widely addressed: discrimination. Women and those who identify as LGBTQ+
face varying degrees of bias and threats while traveling
, and COVID‐ 19 has led global business travelers to expect increased discrimination toward people of Asian descent (32%). This is unacceptable, and companies can play an essential role in fighting discrimination by providing bias and safety training, resources and technology to encourage safe, comfortable travel for all employees.
Flexibility
The best way to meet varying levels of comfort with travel is to provide options. Be patient with employees who are not yet comfortable traveling and offer alternatives, such as teleconferencing. If employees must travel, guide them toward the shortest travel options, including direct flights, that avoid airports located in major cities. If possible, give employees the option to drive their own vehicle for short distance trips.
As COVID‐19 has proven, change can happen quickly, so be prepared to adjust plans, if needed. Offer reimbursements for ground transportation and work with suppliers to provide flexible booking options.
Travel managers, as travel enablers, must provide the structure necessary to help employees feel safe and facilitate the preparation required to put them at ease. In taking these steps, companies can safely support travel while instilling a greater sense of confidence among their employees - a must for doing business today.