Guide to corporate travel safety and risk management

Travel risk management vs duty of care

What would you do?  

When a sudden accident cut off the Blast! Films crew in a remote part of Siberia, the Corporate Traveler Stage, Screen and Sports team organized transport home and quickly found a way to book an alternative filming location. 

That's an example of an extreme situation where people were cut off from basic supplies. So how would you handle that kind of unexpected risk situation?  

Risk management is essentially the overall strategy that minimizes risk to the company and travelers. It’s an umbrella term or a broader strategy to limit expected and unexpected risks. An expected risk might be something like delays at customs if travelers don't have the right travel documents.   

A risk management program should have guidelines on selecting travel services to reduce risk in a specific country. Another part of the program might describe the plan to deal with potential risks and who to contact for emergency travel support.  

Duty of care, though, is more specific. Meaning the company's legal responsibility to ensure employee safety and security while traveling for business. Business trips shouldn’t be an environment where employees face hardship or are distracted. 

How to build business travel safety and risk management into your company policy

How do you start building business travel safety and security into a travel policy? A good travel policy should let employees know what to expect when traveling, how to stay safe, and what to do in an emergency.

Most policies give some guidance and steps for basic things like booking, different forms of travel, accommodation, and safety and security. It all comes back to being able to focus on the purpose of your business travel. Our travel managers help navigate the complexities of travel, whether that be helping with information or finding the best travel options, so your team can focus on doing their best work.  

How can travel be inclusive and accessible?

For any workforce, it's important to consider how diversity and individual needs apply to risk management. Travel policies can be an opportunity for inclusion and to reinforce overall work culture values.   

It’s all about your perspective. Travel policies need to consider corporate values but also the individual needs and preferences of travelers. Listen to what employees have to say about your travel program, especially team members who take frequent business trips. Work with HR to find out about existing DEI employee feedback and relate that to your travel management company.    

Safety. It’s critical for business travel. You can use a risk assessment exercise to create a travel policy that supports your diverse group of business travelers. Your travel policy should emphasise services and accommodations that are inclusive, to avoid the concerns below.   

• LGBTQIA+ Travelers: Educate travelers about local laws so they can make safe choices about travel. There are about 70 countries with laws against same-sex relationships.  
• Women Travelers: Harassment is a common issue for women traveling alone. Provide information about which local emergency services and transportation options or services (taxi, public transportation) are recommended as safer methods.   
• Disabled Travelers: Pre-authorisation for reasonable changes to travel policy can help disabled travelers handle travel and work responsibilities without worry. Another good idea is to assess medical risks and medical support unique to the traveler and country.
• Racial Profiling of Travelers: People of colour and religious minorities may experience negative interactions and stereotypes while traveling. Use your travel policy to communicate to employees that the company understands these risks and provides support with resources.   

How to conduct a risk assessment  

There are six areas to review for risk assessment. How would you rate your knowledge and preparation in these areas? If this sound new to you, chat with your travel manager and they can help you plot out your risk management strategy. 
 

1. Preparation and flexibility 

Help employees start off on the right foot. Employee onboarding is a perfect time to look at the travel policy. An updated policy that’s clear and easily understood by all stakeholders is essential. So, do employees know what type of travel is allowed and how to book a business trip or get approvals? Are there clear guidelines on what to do in an emergency?  

If you frequently travel to certain countries, a pre-travel guide for travelers with information on corporate travel safety tips, public transportation, business customs and dress codes, is a must.   

Traveling can be tiring and long connection times or different time zones can lead to poor sleep and jet lag. Keep employee health and wellness top of mind by offering information on how to stay healthy while traveling.  
 

2. Business travel insurance that’s the right fit  

With so many travel risks to consider, comprehensive coverage not only protects your travelers, but it also protects your business from unforeseen costs. From natural disasters to health issues, corporate travel can get complicated.

Insurance companies provide financial and logistical support when things go wrong, and you need it the most. Make sure you know what's covered and what isn't by reaching out to your insurance provider or dedicated travel manager.  
 

3. Technology in your toolkit

There’s an app for that! Travel management technology can provide a handful of advantages, like customization, 24-hour assistance and real-time updates. The Melon app is our tool for integrated travel support, and it's a great way to ensure the safety of your road warriors. 

The app offers weather updates, flight time changes and instant access to a real human travel expert. With Melon mobile travelers can search, book, and change their travel plans on the go.

And if they're in a jam, they can chat with a travel expert in one click, receive real-time notifications of any business trip disruptions, and stay up-to-date with the latest traveler safety requirements.  
 

4. Expert advice  

Travel managers are professionals who understand the nuances of corporate travel safety and risk management. Enlisting their help can keep you aware of corporate travel security risks.

We offer 24/7 emergency support from expert travel managers who know your business and policies. No matter when you call or chat, you'll be in touch with a real person who knows how to help.  
 

5. Simplify and verify

One and done. Travel management can get complicated quick, especially if you’re using different systems or service providers.

Consolidating travel under one channel can be a huge advantage. You can save time, save costs and gain more visibility with the proper processes in place. When adding new providers, it's also a good idea to have ways to vet and evaluate them so you can minimize future travel risks.  
 

6. Seek feedback  

You don’t know until you ask. Employees travel for a lot of reasons, and experience and expectations will differ. Don't assume they can learn on the go, and check that business travelers know how to stay safe in the locations and situations they’ll be in.

What about ongoing feedback? Gathering employee input on the hotel experience, length of travel time, and other factors can help identify travel pain points. We offer special rates and perks that make business travel more comfortable. Just ask!  

How to implement a risk management program

At the heart of your travel policy is your people, a core risk management principle. Listening to, communicating with, and training sessions are all part of the process. Building a solid risk management policy is the best way to be proactive and keep everyone safe.

1. Understand traveler needs for their business trip 

Traveler needs can have a variety of meanings, depending on the situation. It can be individual preferences, part of a DEI policy, or working to provide information on food and water safety, or necessities during a crisis.

With our years of experience in serving travelers, we're proud of the service and support that we offer our clients.

ZVRS is a client that provides video communication services to people with hearing disabilities. Staying in communication with traveling employees was a big challenge for the company, but by using Melon, they were able to implement some simple and effective travel solutions.    

2. Communicate resources

Describe, explain, and summarize again. Have a crystal-clear communication plan to share with all employees and decision-makers. Use the same channels to explain any new updates to your travel policy, too. This messaging should go over how approvals work, expectations of employee behaviour, FAQs, and opportunities for employee feedback.

Communication is the first step in gaining employee's trust and build compliance with new policies. Once it has been discussed, the next essential step is training.   

3. Train traveling employees

Technology and tools can be intuitive if you use them regularly, but that might not be the case for all of your travelers. We’ve worked with thousands of business travelers, and our platform is easy to use and simple to explain to new employees.

It’s also a good idea to include a one-page how-to training guide for people who are new to your travel programme.  

4. Tools to help with business travel duty of care

So, what are some ways that you can provide a strong duty of care for travelers? Well, we've got options! Working with us gives you access to dashboards, intuitive tools and templates to help you along the way.   

Try it now: Benchmark your travel policy!

When reviewing your travel policy from the lens of risk management, where should you start? See how your travel policy stacks up with our benchmarking tool. In less than 3 minutes, you can check your current policy against a quick guide to best practices.

Looking at areas like compliance, approvals, reporting and spending policies can help identify areas needing an update or review. One quick tip is to look at travel and health and safety policies together to make sure they’re working towards the same goals.

The bottom line for managing safety & risk

Planning and prep are key to implementing a travel risk management program. Our resources and experience to guide you through the tricky areas of travel safety.

Want to create a comprehensive plan to manage business traveler safety, risk, and protect your best business assets? Let's chat about a better corporate travel safety plan for you today!