corporate travel security policy

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Corporate travel safety 2024

A short guide to corporate travel safety and security, the role of duty of care in the business travel, how travelperk helps you put employee safety first, travel risk management vs duty of care, what are some safety risks to consider while traveling for work, political instability, sanitation and health.

• The availability of healthcare—make sure your travelers know where they can get medical support *before* they need it.
• Food and water safety—whilst working abroad is a great way to gain new experiences and perhaps taste new food and drink, it’s worth remembering that some parts of the world might not have the same hygiene standards as at home. Traveler’s can reduce their risk of stomach upsets by sticking to safe eating and drinking habits. Although tempting, travelers should steer clear of street food. Similarly, opt for bottled water instead of tap water.
• Health threats and diseases—traveler’s will need to complete any necessary vaccination courses for the country prior to traveling.

Accommodation security

• Research where you are staying—know what the security measures are, such as whether the front desk is staffed 24 hours a day. Use Google Street View to survey the surrounding area.
• Do not book a room on the ground floor—these rooms are more susceptible to break-ins.
• When you’re out and about, place the ‘do not disturb’ sign on your door. This way, it looks like you’re still in the room. By doing this, you’re decreasing the likelihood of an opportunistic theft.
• Know your emergency exit plan—this might be one of the most important tips. As soon as you arrive at your room, spend a few minutes getting to grips with the emergency exit map and determine where they are located.

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Female traveler safety, processes to promote traveler safety you can start now, travel risk assessment, employee itinerary tracking, employee training, it's not usually life and death.

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A short guide to corporate travel safety and security 

When your employees venture beyond the borders of their familiar workspace, their health and safety take center stage. Even though business trips often go without a hitch, the unexpected can still creep up. 

How can your organization account for this? With robust corporate travel safety and security measures that extend beyond standard Duty of Care (DOC) efforts expected from most travel risk management teams. 

In this guide, we’ve got you covered with essential business travel safety tips to keep your travelers safe – and happy – while on the road. 

First things first: 

What are the risks associated with corporate travel? 

Generally, risks associated with business travel can be classified into two primary groups: individual risks and environmental risks . 

Individual risks 

These are factors directly related to travelers themselves, such as behavior, health, and identity. 

• Female traveler safety – Women traveling for work are more likely to face certain risks than their male counterparts , such as assault and harassment, or theft of personal belongings.
• LGBTQ+ traveler safety – Travelers belonging to the LGBTQ+ community may also encounter unique challenges in different areas across the globe. In at least 60 countries worldwide (primarily in Asia and the Middle East), same-sex relationships are criminalized. 
• Cultural misunderstandings –If you aren’t familiar with local customs, you might risk accidentally making a faux pas. Simple gestures like a thumbs-up, considered friendly in the US, may have negative connotations elsewhere, like in Italy or Greece. 
• Food & water safety – Trying out local cuisine is a highlight of any journey, but travelers should exercise caution in regions with different hygiene standards. Street food and salads, which may not undergo proper treatment, washing, or preparation, should be avoided. 

Environmental risks 

These are external threats like natural disasters, diseases, and terrorism. Environmental risks are beyond the travelers' control but can have major consequences.  

• Political and civil unrest – Political instability can affect travel plans and put travelers in jeopardy. When sending employees to areas that are politically unstable, careful and considerate planning based on up-to-date advice and information is essential. 
• Natural disasters and adverse weather – Natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes are more common in certain parts of the world than you might think. But even a minor storm is enough to unexpectedly cancel a flight – leaving travelers stranded and alone in an unfamiliar area. 
• Crime & law – Some destinations may have a higher prevalence of certain crimes, such as pickpocketing. Check out the most common crimes in the area and you can bring in corporate travel security measures to protect against them, whether your travelers need a guard or just a secure place to put their valuables. 

Stomach upsets, altitude sickness and heat exposure are some of the most common medical problems when traveling abroad, but travelers should still know where they can get medical support before they need it. International SOS provides medical, clinical and security assistance worldwide and can advise on the best course of action for any health problems, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

Now that we know the risks, we are one step closer towards efficient corporate travel security. 

What is corporate travel security? 

Corporate security typically refers to the steps and precaution a company takes to protect its physical, financial, and intellectual assets from various. 

But corporate travel security isn't just about safeguarding assets. It's about prioritizing the safety of your most valuable resource: your people. 

It encompasses a spectrum of measures designed to protect employees, both physically and otherwise, during business travel. This can range from making sure they’re up-to-date on certain vaccinations or simply giving them a rundown on local cultures and customs. 

At its core, effective corporate travel security hinges on a robust travel risk management policy that identifies potential risks, outlines preventive measures, and establishes protocols to respond to unforeseen situations, ensuring that employees feel secure and supported throughout their journeys. 

What does corporate travel security include? 

Travel risk assessment .

Before sending your team off on business travel, you should perform a travel risk assessment to make your team aware of any potential threats travellers may encounter on their trip. Start out by doing this for your biggest travel markets. 

By nature, travel risks are ever-changing. In any one country, they vary by the time of year, the current political climate, and more. 

What does this mean for business travel security? You’ll need to carry out some extra research every and any time you send your employees on a business trip. You don’t want to roll the die and miss any risks that weren’t there the last time you checked. 

Employee itinerary tracking 

Without a doubt, tech and innovative softwares have broken the glass ceiling on the corporate travel industry. One such breakthrough? Travel itinerary tracking. 

Identifying the whereabouts of travelers at any moment can be challenging but crucial. If an incident takes place, not knowing exactly where your people are can lead to increased risk, stress, and work. That’s where GPS tracking comes in. 

While most location tracking apps focus on personal sharing, like with friends and family, some of them were designed specifically to allow employers to track their workforce. 

Employee training 

Once you’ve evaluated the risks, it’s time to pass some of that knowledge on to your employees. While it’s not yet possible to predict incidents before they happen, you can train your staff to spot what is and isn't an unacceptable risk to take while on a business trip. 

Discuss the major risks and common threats your staff may encounter. Emphasize preventive measures as it’s often easier to avoid a dangerous situation than to handle it. However, educating your team on how to respond is equally important to ensure their safety. 

Remember, in critical moments, there might not be enough time to think, so make sure your travelers take on board your advice—even if it’s something as simple as looking out for pickpockets. 

Speaking of which, we’ve compiled a list of corporate travel safety tips for employees to help you get the ball rolling: 

How do YOU stay safe when traveling for work? 

• Understanding business travel safety policies : Before embarking on any trip, familiarize yourself with your company's duty of care policies. These encompass pre-travel training, travel insurance, emergency contact information, and rules for various aspects of travel. 
• Know who to call : Keep a list of emergency contacts handy, including local authorities and company representatives. Understand the procedures to report incidents and seek assistance. 
•   Hotel security : Conduct a safety check in your hotel, know emergency procedures, and avoid sharing room numbers openly. Verify identities of anyone claiming to be hotel staff before allowing access to your room. 
• Food safety :Be cautious about local food and water standards. Stick to safe eating and drinking habits, avoiding street food and opting for bottled water over tap water. 

After all that, you may be asking yourself… 

Are Business Trips Safe? 

Absolutely! Most incidents that occur on business trips are not a matter of life-or-death…but they’re still pretty inconvenient. From having a phone stolen, to getting food poisoning from a hot dog cart, these small incidents add up to lost workdays, wasted business trips, and unhappy employees. 

But despite these risks existing, a well-thought-out approach can effectively manage them.

Traveler Safety on your mind? We’re here for you anytime, anywhere. 

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Benefits of Having a Corporate Travel Policy

Key elements of a corporate travel policy, creating a corporate travel policy, best practices for implementing a corporate travel policy, ensuring compliance with a corporate travel policy, sample corporate travel policy, what is a corporate travel policy, and why is it important, what should be included in a corporate travel policy, how can organizations create an effective corporate travel policy, the bottom line.

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How to Set a Corporate Travel Policy: Key Elements, Best Practices, and Compliance

A corporate travel policy is a set of guidelines and best practices that govern employee travel. Organizations that have corporate travel policies use them to ensure that all employees follow the proper protocols when booking business-related travel and logging expenses.

While travel policies are often standard for large corporations, smaller businesses can also benefit from instituting them.

Key Takeaways

• A corporate travel policy is essential for organizations to manage travel expenses, ensure compliance, and streamline processes.
• Key elements of a corporate travel policy include travel booking procedures, expense reimbursement guidelines, travel safety measures, and approval processes.
• Best practices for implementing a corporate travel policy include effective communication, employee training, and regular policy review and updates.

Having a corporate travel policy can yield a range of benefits, both for business owners and their employees.

From the perspective of business owners, a corporate travel policy can allow you to:

• Monitor employee travel expenses to ensure accuracy and detect possible instances of fraud
• Establish guidelines for which hotels, airlines, and other travel organizations that employees may book through
• Ensure that employees understand which travel expenses may be submitted for reimbursement
• Organize expense data accurately and quickly
• Remain compliant with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax rules and regulations regarding business travel
• Minimize waste and streamline your accounting systems

On the employee side, having a standard corporate travel policy in place can help employees avoid a scenario where they may be waiting weeks or months to be reimbursed for expenses they’ve paid out of pocket because the company can’t verify what they spent.

Employers should take care to understand which business travel expenses are deductible and which ones are not under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) .

There’s no one-size-fits-all corporate travel policy template or blueprint that businesses can follow. That’s an advantage, however, as it allows you to create a travel policy that fits your business’s needs.

Generally speaking, a corporate travel policy should cover rules and guidelines for the following:

• Airline, hotel, and rental car reservations
• Other transportation expenses , such as rail travel or ride-sharing
• Employee spending, as it pertains to meals, entertainment, phone calls, and other necessary expenses
• Parking fees and toll passes
• Acceptance of gifts when meeting with clients, or expensing of gifts presented to clients
• Medical care and travel insurance
• Currency exchange fees and international banking
• Employee submissions of receipts for reimbursement
• Review, approval, and payment of submitted expenses
• Personal safety of employees
• Security of business equipment or documents

When in doubt, it’s better for a corporate travel policy to cover more ground rather than less. Making your organization’s travel policy as comprehensive as possible can help to avoid confusion with regard to which expenses are acceptable and when employees can expect to be reimbursed.

Creating a corporate travel policy is a multistep process. Breaking each step down can make it easier to manage and create a policy that’s tailored to your business’s needs.

Identify Your Objectives

First, consider what you need a corporate travel policy to do for you. Are you primarily interested in minimizing costs or preventing abuse? Do you want to ensure that employees are booking with approved organizations and taking steps to remain safe while they’re traveling? Considering your top three objectives can offer a good starting point for developing your corporate travel policy.

You can use those insights to draft a purpose statement outlining the policy’s intentions. This doesn’t need to be lengthy, but it should convey what the policy is designed to do.

Get Your Team Involved

A corporate travel policy is only as good as its ability to meet the needs of those who are expected to adhere to it. Asking some questions about your team and your business’s travel activities can help you pin down what your policy should cover.

For example, ask yourself the following:

• Do any employees require special accommodations for travel related to a health condition or disability?
• Are there any destinations that the business travels to regularly?
• Are there any preferred hotels, airlines, or rental car companies that the business likes to use?
• Is there a preferred process for booking trips or answering questions?
• Who will be responsible for approving bookings, answering employee questions, approving expenses, and submitting them for payment?
• How will employees pay for expenses they book?
• If employees are using corporate credit cards , what rules are they expected to follow?
• How will they submit those expenses for reimbursement, and what information will they need to provide?

Polling your employees can further inform your decision making. For example, an employee who travels frequently may know which hotels are better than others or which airlines offer the best rates. Your employees may appreciate being given a chance to share their insights and opinions on what the company’s travel policy should look like.

If you’re considering corporate credit cards for employees, look for one that allows you to set individual spending controls for each card.

Draft the Policy, and Review It Carefully

Once you’ve collected all the feedback you think you’ll need, you can get to work on fleshing out your corporate travel policy. Again, you want to be thorough in detailing the policies and procedures that you expect employees to follow.

After you’ve written out the first draft, go through your policy a second time. Is there anything that could be explained more clearly? Any areas that may cause confusion for employees? Anything you’ve left out entirely?

You may need to review your travel policy several times to make sure you’re covering all of the most important bases. Once you have the language down, you can review it one final time to check for spelling and grammar errors.

Share the Policy with Your Staff

The final step after creating a corporate travel policy is conveying it to everyone in the company who’s affected by it. If employees don’t know what’s in the policy, it’ll be very difficult for them to adhere to it.

Remember that you’ll need to repeat this step anytime you make changes to the policy. If you add something new or take something away, it’s your duty to convey that to your employees so they’re aware of the changes.

Once you’ve created a corporate travel policy, you’ll need to implement it. These tips can help with introducing your company’s travel policy and enforcing it.

• Ensure that employees know who they can direct questions to regarding business travel bookings, expense reporting, and reimbursement.
• Set a specific time frame for submitting expenses for reimbursement and processing payments to employees.
• Consider scheduling an employee meeting or workshop to walk through the details of the travel policy and answer any questions that might arise.
• Ensure that all new hires get a copy of the travel policy.
• Regularly review and update your travel policy if necessary.
• Conduct monthly reviews or audits of travel expenditures to check for errors and potentially detect fraud or abuse.

It’s also important to specify what consequences, if any, employees may face if they’re found to be noncompliant with the policy. That may include having travel privileges restricted or, in a worst-case scenario, dismissal if evidence of fraud is found.

Ensuring compliance with your company’s corporate travel policy is important from a cost perspective, as you don’t want to blow your travel budget. There are different tactics you can use to maintain compliance across all stakeholders .

• Update your policy regularly to reflect the company’s latest practices and guidelines.
• Simplify the policy if necessary to avoid confusion.
• Clearly communicate compliance expectations, as well as the consequences of noncompliance, to all employees.
• Ensure that the policy is detailed thoroughly during the onboarding process for new hires.
• Conduct regular reviews and audits of travel expenses to look for any signs of noncompliance.
• Consider using a business travel management tool or software to keep track of bookings and expense reporting.

You may also place safeguards on travel bookings to prevent employees from straying outside the boundaries of the policy. For example, if you use a corporate travel agency, you might direct the agency to automatically reject any attempted bookings that don’t involve a preferred travel partner.

Corporate travel policies are common across a variety of industries, from finance to retail to the government. Examples of organizations that maintain corporate travel policies include:

• JPMorgan Chase & Co.
• Columbia University
• U.S. Department of the Interior

All of these sample policies have similar characteristics, in that they outline the purpose of the policy, specify the rules that apply to booking accommodations, and offer detailed instructions to employees on how to submit expense reports for reimbursement. It may take some time to work out your travel policy, but reviewing examples like these can give you an idea of what to add.

If writing a detailed corporate travel policy yourself seems daunting, you may consider outsourcing this task to a consultant who’s experienced in compliance.

A corporate travel policy establishes the guidelines for booking travel expenses and submitting them for reimbursement. Travel policies can also extend to things like personal safety and security of business equipment or documents. Having a corporate travel policy is important for minimizing fraud and abuse, while ensuring more accurate record-keeping.

At a minimum, a corporate travel policy should outline approved practices for booking airfare, hotels, rental cars, and other necessary travel expenses. It should also detail the process for submitting expenses for reimbursement, including how expenses are approved and when employees can expect to be paid.

The first step in creating an effective corporate travel policy is understanding what your business needs. Forecasting your budget for business travel and setting proper limits on which expenses are acceptable are the next steps. Organizations must also ensure that all employees are aware of the corporate travel policy and understand how to adhere to it.

A corporate travel policy may be a necessity if your employees take regular business trips to meet with clients or prospective clients, attend professional conferences or seminars, or participate in career training. If you don’t yet have a policy in place, you may want to set that as a priority for your business. Having a clear policy to follow leaves little room for misunderstandings and mismanagement of travel privileges.

Internal Revenue Service. “ Understanding Business Travel Deductions .”

JPMorgan Chase & Co. “ JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. Supplier Travel and Expense Policy .”

Best Buy Partner Portal. “ Vendor Travel and Expense Reimbursement Policy .”

Columbia University, University Policies. “ Travel Expense Policy .”

U.S. Department of the Interior. “ Travel .”

Starbucks. “ Non-Partner Travel and Business Expense Standard—U.S. and Canada .”

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Building a better corporate travel safety & security program

When your employees venture beyond the borders of their familiar workspace, their health and safety take center stage. While business trips often proceed smoothly, unforeseen challenges can arise, underscoring the need for robust corporate travel safety and security measures that extend beyond standard Duty of Care (DOC) efforts expected from most travel risk management teams.  

In this guide, we will provide you with essential corporate travel safety tips and insights to keep your business travelers safe and well-prepared while on the road. 

What are safety risks to consider while traveling for work? 

Generally, risks associated with business travel can be classified into two primary groups: individual risks and environmental risks.  

Together, they form the essential building blocks to a comprehensive corporate travel safety policy template. 

Individual risks to consider 

Individual risks are those directly related to your travelers themselves. This includes their behaviour, health, or identity (i.e., gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc.). For the most part, individual risks are within the traveler’s control, and proactive measures like education, training, and proper planning can help mitigate them. Read on for more corporate travel security policy examples. 

Female traveler safety 

Women traveling for work are more likely to face certain risks than their male counterparts, such as sexual assault and harassment, and theft of personal belongings. In fact, according to a 2018 report by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), 83% of women reported concerns about their safety while on a business trip . Yet according to that same study, only 18% of travel policies specifically address female safety.  

Additionally, gender roles are legally enforced in certain parts of the world, primarily the Middle East. Certain behaviours or customs that are considered normal for women in most Western cultures are not tolerated and may even be considered illegal in other societies. 

LGBTQ+ traveler safety 

Travelers belonging to the LGBTQ+ community may also encounter unique challenges in different areas across the globe. In at least 60 countries worldwide (primarily in Asia and the Middle East), same-sex relationships are criminalized. A corporate travel security policy should address these risks, providing solutions, contact information, and other resources for confronting sensitive issues.  

Cultural misunderstandings 

Travel managers: Make sure both you and your travelers are familiar with local customs to avoid making a faux pas. Simple gestures like a thumbs-up, considered friendly in the US, may have negative connotations in others, like Italy or Greece. It’s recommended that travelers read up on cultural and business etiquette, and learn common spoken phrases, so that their trip goes as smoothly as possible.

Food & water safety 

Sampling local cuisine is a highlight of any journey, but travelers should exercise caution in regions with different hygiene standards. Street food and salads, which may not undergo proper treatment, washing, or preparation, should be avoided. Additionally, travelers should opt for bottled water instead of tap water.

Environmental risks to consider 

Environmental risks, on the other hand, are any external threats that can impact your travelers, including natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and even terrorism. These types of risks are often beyond the individual traveler’s control, but can have significant consequences on their safety and well-being. Business travel safety tips for preparing for environmental risks, your TRM team needs to stay informed on travel advisories, have contingency plans in place, and adopt holistic TRM software. 

Political and civil unrest 

Political instability can affect travel plans and put travelers in jeopardy. Since 2017, over 132 countries have experienced significant protests , and in 2023 alone, notable protests have occurred in Pakistan, South Korea, Armenia, Bulgaria, Hungary, France, Greece, Poland, and parts of the US. When sending employees to areas that are politically unstable, careful and considerate planning based on up-to-date advice and information is essential.  

Natural disasters and adverse weather 

Natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes are more common in certain parts of the world than you might think. But even a minor storm is enough to unexpectedly cancel a flight – leaving your travelers stranded and alone in an unfamiliar area.  

Crime & law 

Some destinations may have a higher prevalence of certain crimes, such as pickpocketing. Check out the most common crimes in the area and you can bring in corporate travel security measures to protect against them, whether your travelers need a guard or just a secure place to put their valuables. 

Medical accessibility 

Make sure your travelers know where they can get medical support before they need it. International SOS provides medical, clinical and security assistance worldwide and can advise on the best course of action for any health problems, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  

Illness and disease 

Stomach upsets, altitude sickness and heat exposure are some of the most common medical problems when traveling abroad. It’s important to make sure you take the right over-the-counter remedies, so make sure you do your research beforehand.  

Transportation 

Ground transportation , including taxis, rideshares, car hires, and private drivers, is often the preferred choice for business travelers moving within cities or regions. However, it also comes with its set of safety concerns, including vehicle safety, driver verification, navigation apps, traffic and road conditions, and emergency services. 

Public transportation is a cost-effective and eco-friendly option for business travelers, especially in urban areas. However, it presents unique safety considerations such as schedule and timeliness, crowds and pickpocketing, safety at stations, ticketing and fares, cultural sensitivity, and language barriers. 

One platform for all 

International travelers need the kind of safety net only a global TMC (and trusted network) can provide. A mix of technology and human support that drives compliance – and in turn, visibility – and works for everyone around the world reduces business travel risks. 

With FCM, you can rest assured that your corporate travel security program is in capable hands, ensuring your travelers stay safe and well-prepared wherever their business takes them. 

Swifter, smarter, smoother travel. Let's talk. 

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How to write a corporate travel policy

In today's fast-paced world, travel has become an essential part of doing business for organizations from startups to enterprises. Without proper guidelines in place, however, travel expenses can quickly become tough to manage. That's where a corporate travel policy comes in. In this post, we’ll give you an overview of what you need to know.

This article explores travel policy topics, including:

What is a corporate travel policy?

Why does your company need a travel policy, how to write your corporate travel policy.

• Key topics to cover in your policy
• 7 Common roadblocks when creating a comprehensive policy

A travel policy is a set of guidelines that covers the rules and regulations regarding employee travel. It may cover topics such as travel and accommodations booking, reimbursement procedures, and travel expenses. A travel policy ensures that travel expenses get managed effectively and that all expenses are within the company's budget.

Having a travel policy offers many benefits for employees and for your company. It helps ensure compliance, improve safety, and enhance the overall travel experience for your employees. For example, a clear travel policy can make employees aware of the company’s guidelines and what the recommendations are for avoiding risks related to security issues and other incidents. A well-crafted policy can also help improve employee morale and satisfaction, as they'll know what to expect when they're on the road.

An in-depth exploration of business traveler and travel manager priorities, in partnership with GBTA.

Writing a travel policy may seem like a daunting task, but when you have guidelines for where to focus your attention, it becomes much easier. Consider these tips the starting line to put travel policies together.

Identify your company’s travel needs

Determine the purpose of the travel policy. What are your primary goals? Example goals might include needing to stay within company budget, complying with safety and security regulations, or streamlining travel processes. Consider the types of travel your team members will participate in, including domestic or international travel, and the frequency of travel. This information will help you develop a clear and concise policy that addresses the specific needs of your company.

Set your guidelines

The next step is to make note of the dos and don’ts for employees booking travel. This includes identifying and approving vendors that employees should use. Specify the reimbursement rates for each type of expense. Make sure that the guidelines are easy to understand and that they align with the goals you set for yourself in the first step.

Establish approval and reporting procedures

After you define the guidelines for booking travel, it’s important to establish the process for obtaining approval for travel and reporting expenses. Define who has the authority to approve travel requests and what criteria to consider before approving them. There should also be a process for reporting expenses and submitting reimbursement requests.

In addition, outline what documentation employees need, like receipts or invoices, to support each expense. Your process should specify how long employees have to submit their expenses for reimbursement and what the timeline is for receiving their funds.

Consider flexible options for your employees

Flexibility is key to creating an effective corporate travel policy. By providing a range of options and accommodating individual preferences, you can encourage adherence and increase employee satisfaction, all while maintaining control over your travel budget.

Here are a few ideas about where to add flexibility to your policy:

Encourage local experiences: Support employees in exploring local businesses, like restaurants and independent retail locations that cater to their preferences.

Include alternative lodging options: Employees who prefer a more home-like environment or require longer stays may appreciate choices like serviced apartments or co-living spaces.

Provide a travel allowance: This approach empowers employees to make their own decisions about some of their travel-related expenses while staying within a predefined budget.

Think through formatting

Employees should be able to quickly understand your travel guidelines. It may be helpful to create a travel policy template with headings, bullet points, and other formatting elements to make it easier to comprehend and navigate. Additionally, it’s important to ensure that the policy is accessible to all employees. You can do this by making the travel guidelines available in print and digital versions.

Key topics to cover in your business travel policy

There’s no one-size-fits-all method for creating a corporate travel policy, but there are best practices. Consider the 3 concepts below as key pillars as you build out your document.

Travel arrangements

It's essential to clearly outline which modes of transportation and accommodations are acceptable, in order to avoid any confusion. For instance, you may want to make sure employees stay in hotels that you’ve preselected or have them fly with preferred airlines. To make the booking process easier, consider using company-approved travel agents or online booking tools that meet your standards.

Expenses and reimbursement

Another critical topic to cover is travel expenses and reimbursement. According to Runzheimer’s Business Travel Expense Trends: Conference Travel Costs report from 2020, the average business trip cost is divided among lodging (34%), airfare (27%), meals (20%), and car rentals (19%). Many companies set per diems for these expenses to simplify the tracking and reporting process. Consider this as you develop your plans and define the expenses that are reimbursable.

Additionally, you may decide to invest in resources that assist employees with expense reporting, like a mobile app or online platform. For example, with Uber for Business , employee ride and meal receipts can flow directly into your expense provider dashboard. This helps employees save time by not needing to track down receipts.

Safety and security

Another topic that you’ll want to cover is travel safety and security. In this section of your policy, establish guidelines including recommendations on what to do if a problem arises and which locations are currently unsafe.

Consider providing employees with resources, such as specific training and emergency contact information. By prioritizing travel safety and security in your policy, you can help employees stay out of harm’s way while traveling and help ensure that the company isn’t taking on unnecessary risks.

7 common roadblocks when creating a comprehensive policy

Landing on the right standards for business travel comes with a specific set of challenges. Let’s take a closer look at the 7 common obstacles businesses face when developing their corporate travel policy and how to overcome them.

Balancing company needs with employee preferences . It can be a challenge to develop a travel policy that meets the needs of the company while also considering the preferences and needs of employees. To make a policy effective, strike a balance between cost efficiency and employee satisfaction.

Keeping up with travel regulations . Travel regulations can change, which makes it difficult to always have the right information. Many countries, for example, frequently assess and revise entry policies. You must stay up to date with changing requirements and adjust your documentation accordingly.

Ensuring consistency . Making sure travel policies are followed consistently across all departments and employees is not easy. Create a system that can monitor and enforce policy compliance.

Addressing unique travel needs . Employees may have travel needs—such as disabilities or medical conditions—that require special attention. Consider these unique needs so that you can provide the necessary accommodations and resources.

Communicating the policy effectively . It’s essential to share the details about this initiative with all employees and make sure they know where to find relevant information. Establish a process for introducing the guidelines, and be sure to have a plan to address questions and concerns.

Auditing expenses . Regular monitoring and reporting can help ensure that you’re on track with the budget. Make time to review travel expenses so that everything lines up as expected.

Keeping the travel policy current . As technologies and employee needs evolve, it’s important to routinely review and update your policy so that it remains relevant and effective. You’ll also want to ask employees regularly for feedback.

Streamlining the overall business travel experience doesn’t have to be complicated. By addressing critical elements like travel arrangements, expenses and reimbursement, and safety, you can create a functional travel policy that caters to the needs of both your company and your employees.

Are you looking for a way to manage corporate travel with ease? Uber for Business offers a range of features to help companies enforce their travel policies. With Uber for Business, companies can set spending limits for employees, track expenses, and receive detailed reports on employee travel.

Frequently asked questions

The purpose of a company travel policy is to provide employees with guidelines for booking travel, managing expenses, and staying safe while traveling. A travel policy helps to ensure that all employees are following the same standards and procedures for travel, and it can help manage expenses and reduce risk for the company. By providing clear guidelines and resources for travel, a company travel policy can improve efficiency and reduce stress for employees who travel frequently.

A comprehensive travel policy should cover topics such as travel booking and arrangements, travel expenses and reimbursement, travel safety and security, and approval and reporting procedures. This includes guidelines for which modes of transportation are acceptable, which accommodations are approved, and the maximum amounts that can be reimbursed for meals, lodging, and transportation. It should also specify the process for obtaining approval for travel and for reporting expenses and submitting reimbursement requests.

Corporate travel policy best practices include investing the time needed to create a clear and comprehensive policy, prioritizing safety, leveraging technology, and continually reviewing and updating the policy. Together, these elements will help ensure that your travel policy remains relevant and effective.

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How to write an effective corporate travel policy

Everything you need to do business travel right.

Writing an effective corporate travel policy

There’s a lot to consider when arranging business travel, so it makes sense to have a robust corporate travel policy in place. Setting out all the relevant procedures will help keep your employees safe while working to reduce your business’s travel spend. Some of the key steps to creating your ideal company travel policy include:

• Defining your objectives. These could include keeping costs down, ensuring employees are safe and comfortable and helping them make decisions on their travel.
• Ensuring your travel policy reflects travelers’ needs. Consider the most common destinations for your business travelers and the best way to get to them, are there specific needs or considerations related to your company’s activities?
• Giving your employees options. Everyone likes to have a choice, so try to give your employees a selection of hotels or airlines. You can keep costs down by capping the hotel star rating or class of airline ticket.
• Setting clear guidelines for all aspects of travel and more. Your travel policy needs to be all-encompassing so it leaves no room for doubt – that includes everything from airline booking rules to the policy on areas such as additional expenses and the acceptance of gifts.
• Making sure everyone knows what the travel policy is. All relevant documents need to be readily available to everyone within your company whether via the intranet or a travel platform. The policy needs to be clearly communicated to all, including line managers so they can enforce it.

Corporate travel policy best practices

When writing a corporate travel policy document, one size doesn’t fit all. You should start by thinking about the nature of your organization – is it pretty strict or relaxed? Make sure your travel policy follows the same tone.

Highlight how important it is that your employees read the document, not least for their own safety, and clarify what they need to do in an emergency situation, as well as who they’d need to contact.

Other information you should include is how business travelers should get to and from airports, and to what extent they’re permitted to combine their business travel with their own leisure.

Empower your employees by giving them a choice of hotels while capping the star rating or cost per room. Impress upon them the fact that complying with your travel policy will ensure the smooth and easy reimbursement of additional expenses. Finally, keep reviewing your corporate travel policy. Flexibility is key, and your travel policy and procedures should be open to the changing requirements of your employees and your business.

Remind your senior leaders that this is for them as well as business travelers –if everyone follows the policy it will help your company offer more effective support to its strategic partners, as well as allow better management of its expenses budget.

What to include in your corporate travel policy

There are many aspects of business travel to consider before writing your corporate travel policy. While your policy should reflect the unique needs of your business and employees, you’ll need to establish policies for these fundamental areas:

• Airline, rail, hotel and rental car reservations.
• The use of other transportation, such as taxi cabs.
• Rules for on-site spending, including meals, entertainment and phone calls.
• Security relating to travel – both in terms of personal safety and work materials.
• The rules around gifts and favors that may be bought or received during business travel.
• The approval process that employees and managers need to follow.
• The system for the payment of any expenses incurred during travel.

Laying out your travel expense policy

Establishing a clear and fair expenses policy is vital to the health of your business – poor management of travel expenses costs your business money. Here’s how we’d recommend your policy approaches a range of key expenses:

Additional travel State that travel costs will cover the purposes of business travel only – whether to events, meetings or training – and that non-business or leisure travel comes out of the employee’s pocket. You should also encourage business travelers to use the most cost-effective mode of transport, taking expected journey time into account. Accommodation Empower your business travelers by giving them control over their own spending – capping their budgets by hotel star rating or amount per room. You could provide average room rates in each location, and ask them to stay within that range. Specify that standard rooms should be the required room type, and clearly outline whether your business will cover minibar charges, Wi-Fi costs, etc. Meals Depending on your company culture, you can be as explicit as you like with your meal policy. Many companies find it easier to offer a daily allowance that covers breakfast, lunch and dinner, but your policy should include a statement about alcoholic beverages – usually to clarify that they will be at the employee’s cost, unless they’re with a client. Tips Many corporate travel policies cover tips to 20 percent, but only when it’s already been included in the bill as a service charge. If a business traveler decides to add a tip for anything else it should be out of their own pocket, or at a manager’s discretion. Entertainment Entertainment can cover eating, drinking or any other hospitality. The most effective way to manage entertainment expenses is by setting a limit or range, and advising that managerial approval will be required for any reimbursement above and beyond this amount.

How to forecast your budget

Using data on traveler behavior and previous expenses is key to setting intelligent forecasts for your annual expenses budget. Different employees will travel in different ways, to different locations, and at different frequencies. However, having data on the average flight cost per mile, as well as the nightly hotel, average meal and ground transportation costs, will mean you can accurately predict and anticipate your expenses budget for the year ahead.

Setting expense limits

For the most part, business travelers want to do what’s right for their company – and many companies find that giving employees control over their own spend can actually reduce overspending. Find a happy middle ground by giving employees control while setting key limits.

For example, meal expenses can be set as an overall allowance per day, giving the employee the choice of how much to spend individually on breakfast, lunch and dinner.

When it comes to booking accommodation, give employees the choice of a standard room in any hotel of a certain star rating or a maximum price per night.

For ground transportation, a corporate travel policy should clearly advise employees to choose the most cost-effective method considering the journey time. Most business travelers will accept being restricted to flying economy on short-haul trips.

Handling expense claims

It’s important that business travelers have a clearly defined method of claiming back their expenses. Ask them to fill out an expense report for the date, amount, category, location and business purpose of their claim – and decide whether you’d like them to file receipts for all their expenses, or just ones that exceed a certain amount.

Give your employees a time frame for submitting expenses – this will help your business maintain a stable and accurate cash flow. Similarly, let them know when they can expect money to be credited back into their accounts. Depending on the amount spent, it might be a good idea to clarify who will approve their expenses in each case.

Setting up your guidelines and procedures

There is no one, uniform corporate travel policy. If your policy doesn’t fit with the nature of your organization, it’s unlikely to ever meet the expectations of your stakeholders. Fundamentally, your travel policy and procedures must be adapted to your business’s culture, and be flexible around the needs of your employees, industry and economy. They also need to be widely circulated and understood.

Your guidelines and procedures will help your business travelers make decisions within the framework of your corporate travel policy. They should include procedures for all bookings – after all, it’s important that employees are clear on what is expected of them at every point of their business trip.

It might also be necessary to include a section about the consequences of not following the set guidelines and procedures.

Considering safety and security procedures

The safety, security and well-being of employees must be at the heart of every corporate travel policy. While they’re engaged in business travel, your employees are your responsibility, so it’s crucial your policy has procedures in place that can ably respond to personal risk, severe weather or political unrest in a foreign country.

Highlight how important it is that your employees read your corporate travel policy document for their own safety, and clarify what they need to do in an emergency situation and who to contact. If your employees are regularly flying out to high-risk countries, organize additional travel safety and security training. We work closely with International SOS to offer enhanced medical and security assistance, and keep your employees safe on the road.

Take a look at how else we’ll support your employees at every stage of their journey.

Delivering the travel policy to employees

Once you’ve written your corporate travel policy, you need to make sure your employees read and understand it. Whether you choose to deliver the policy in a printed document, via intranet or in an email, there are some general ways to make sure it’s communicated as effectively as possible.

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Tracking a key component of corporate travel security policy

The coronavirus pandemic may have disrupted business travel for more than a year, but as governments roll out mass vaccination programs and countries slowly lift restrictions, many companies are looking for the safest and most effective ways to get their employees abroad again.

In a study conducted by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), before the coronavirus outbreak ravaged the travel industry, global business travel expenditure was projected to reach $1.6 trillion in 2020. While the serious public health risk brought life as we knew it to a standstill, forcing cities into lockdown and employees into remote work arrangements at home, it also pushed the irreplaceable human aspect of business travel into sharp focus.

Business opportunities in high risk or emerging markets

Globalisation has enabled organisations to expand their reach faster than ever, opening operations in other regions to service new territories, linking cooperation agreements with foreign companies, or even outsourcing parts of their supply chain to developing countries to diversify their resources.

These developing nations are commonly afflicted with issues such as political instability, weak infrastructure development, high poverty rates, and even inter-or-intrastate conflict. As a result of these factors, there are consequential risks posed to the safety and security of employees dispatched to such territories. These risks exist on top of universal ones such as natural disasters and local crime.

Moreover, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have exacerbated the security, political, operational and medical risk environment of many countries. Organisations have to anticipate that their employees and operations will have varying exposure to the risks in these emerging markets. Recent examples this year include the 1st February military coup in Myanmar which saw the fledgling democracy deteriorate into political violence and operational disruption, as well as the insurgent attacks in Mozambique in late March which saw foreign workers caught in the crossfire.

Even in lower risk destinations, incidents can also sometimes develop swiftly, especially in the case of earthquakes, civil unrest, terrorism and violent crime. This also includes the imposition of lockdown measures and other travel restrictions at short notice, amid the pandemic. Both risk managers and employees who are unfamiliar with the local environment may lack access to first-hand information that may aid in mitigating the traveller’s risk exposure to such incidents.

It falls under a company’s duty of care to its employees to ensure the personnel they send abroad are aware of the local risk environment and what contingency measures are available in the event of serious incidents or emergencies. Organisations have to contend with maintaining business interests while navigating risk environments at the same time.

The role of corporate travel security protocols

According to SAP Concur’s Global Business Traveler Report 2020 , the study indicated that business travellers “are excited to get back on the road, but they want support and solutions so they can do so safely.”

Without a robust corporate travel security policy, organisations could fail to win the trust and confidence of their employees to engage in business travel. In the event of critical risk exposure such as injury or death to an employee, companies could incur a serious loss of reputation and disruption of business operations. To properly mitigate risks to employee wellbeing, tracking tools have become a key component of corporate travel policies, ensuring optimal coverage of each business traveller’s safety and security.

A comprehensive and robust solution to empower business travel: Healix Sentinel Tracker

The concept of duty of care is a legal obligation for employers to safeguard the health, safety, and security of employees on their watch. Organisations could be legally prosecuted for a clear breach of duty of care, especially in cases that have resulted in the injury or death of an employee.

Healix Sentinel Tracker empowers companies with the right tools and support infrastructure to facilitate business travel safely and efficiently. It contains a suite of intuitive features that seamlessly integrates information to create a streamlined user experience, which is a win-win for the risk management team and travelling employees.

As an app-based security tracking tool, it provides greater accuracy in terms of location data. This is exceptionally useful when it comes to business travel in this day and age, when health and safety risks have become more complex to navigate. Outbreak clusters and virus mutation hotspots can pop up in the span of hours, and business travellers who are unfamiliar with their environment require up-to-date reports from a trusted source to ensure their risk awareness and mitigate their exposure.

Healix Sentinel Tracker contains advanced tools to ensure employees are supported, with automated alerts of real time intelligence, and employer notification should their assets be at risk. Furthermore, an employee’s request for assistance can also be escalated immediately via app, with geo-fencing and messaging capabilities tailored to their needs. Risk ratings in travel security usually assess possible threats in terms of political violence (terrorism, insurgency, warfare); civil unrest (strikes, protests); and crime (robbery, assault).

Some employees resist tracking tools at the cost of their safety because they view it as an infringement of privacy. Healix Sentinel Tracker can be configured as a non-invasive solution that does not monitor location 24/7, instead it provides a check-in feature tied to a fixed geo-location for employees to manually check-in as a confirmation of their safety.

As business travel resumes in the coming months, organisations will need to carefully examine their existing corporate travel security policy and address any loopholes. Natural disasters, terrorism, and crime have been at the top of risk assessments for a long time, but with the volatile state of the pandemic in play, health and safety risks have become more intricate and difficult to predict. Healix Sentinel Tracker can be fully configured to meet each organisation’s unique set of needs, enabling companies to fulfil their duty of care obligation and mitigate risks for their employees.

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A short guide to corporate travel safety and security 

When your employees venture beyond the borders of their familiar workspace, their health and safety take center stage. Even though business trips often go without a hitch, the unexpected can still creep up. 

How can your organisation account for this? With robust corporate travel safety and security measures that extend beyond standard Duty of Care (DOC) efforts expected from most travel risk management teams. 

In this guide, we’ve got you covered with essential business travel safety tips to keep your travellers safe – and happy – while on the road. 

First things first: 

What are the risks associated with corporate travel? 

Generally, risks associated with business travel can be classified into two primary groups: individual risks and environmental risks. 

Individual risks 

These are factors directly related to travellers themselves, such as behaviour, health, and identity. 

• Female traveller safety – Women travelling for work are more likely to face certain risks than their male counterparts , such as assault and harassment, or theft of personal belongings. 
• LGBTQ+ traveller safety – Travellers belonging to the LGBTQ+ community may also encounter unique challenges in different areas across the globe. In at least 60 countries worldwide (primarily in Asia and the Middle East), same-sex relationships are criminalised. 
• Cultural misunderstandings – If you aren’t familiar with local customs, you might risk accidentally making a faux pas. Simple gestures like a thumbs-up, considered friendly in the USA, may have negative connotations elsewhere, like in Italy or Greece. 
• Food & water safety – Trying out local cuisine is a highlight of any journey, but travellers should exercise caution in regions with different hygiene standards. Street food and salads, which may not undergo proper treatment, washing, or preparation, should be avoided. 

Environmental risks 

These are external threats like natural disasters, diseases, and terrorism. Environmental risks are beyond the travellers' control but can have major consequences. 

• Political and civil unrest – Political instability can affect travel plans and put travellers in jeopardy. When sending employees to areas that are politically unstable, careful and considerate planning based on up-to-date advice and information is essential. 
• Natural disasters and adverse weather – Natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes are more common in certain parts of the world than you might think. But even a minor storm is enough to unexpectedly cancel a flight – leaving travellers stranded and alone in an unfamiliar area. 
• Crime & law – Some destinations may have a higher prevalence of certain crimes, such as pickpocketing. Check out the most common crimes in the area and you can bring in corporate travel security measures to protect against them, whether your travellers need a guard or just a secure place to put their valuables. 
• Illness and medical accessibility – Stomach upsets, altitude sickness and heat exposure are some of the most common medical problems when travelling abroad, but travellers should still know where they can get medical support before they need it. International SOS provides medical, clinical and security assistance worldwide and can advise on the best course of action for any health problems, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

Now that we know the risks, we are one step closer towards efficient corporate travel security. 

What is corporate travel security? 

Corporate security typically refers to the steps and precaution a company takes to protect its physical, financial, and intellectual assets from various. 

But corporate travel security isn't just about safeguarding assets. It's about prioritising the safety of your most valuable resource: your people. 

It encompasses a spectrum of measures designed to protect employees, both physically and otherwise, during business travel. This can range from making sure they’re up-to-date on certain vaccinations or simply giving them a rundown on local cultures and customs. 

At its core, effective corporate travel security hinges on a robust travel risk management policy that identifies potential risks, outlines preventive measures, and establishes protocols to respond to unforeseen situations, ensuring that employees feel secure and supported throughout their journeys. 

What does corporate travel security include? 

Travel risk assessment .

Before sending your team off on business travel, you should perform a travel risk assessment to make your team aware of any potential threats travellers may encounter on their trip. Start out by doing this for your biggest travel markets. 

By nature, travel risks are ever-changing. In any one country, they vary by the time of year, the current political climate, and more. 

What does this mean for business travel security? You’ll need to carry out some extra research every and any time you send your employees on a business trip. You don’t want to roll the die and miss any risks that weren’t there the last time you checked. 

Employee itinerary tracking 

Without a doubt, tech and innovative softwares have broken the glass ceiling on the corporate travel industry. One such breakthrough? Travel itinerary tracking. 

Identifying the whereabouts of travellers at any moment can be challenging but crucial. If an incident takes place, not knowing exactly where your people are can lead to increased risk, stress, and work. That’s where GPS tracking comes in. 

While most location tracking apps focus on personal sharing, like with friends and family, some of them were designed specifically to allow employers to track their workforce. 

Employee training 

Once you’ve evaluated the risks, it’s time to pass some of that knowledge on to your employees. While it’s not yet possible to predict incidents before they happen, you can train your staff to spot what is and isn't an unacceptable risk to take while on a business trip. 

Discuss the major risks and common threats your staff may encounter. Emphasise preventive measures as it’s often easier to avoid a dangerous situation than to handle it. However, educating your team on how to respond is equally important to ensure their safety. 

Remember, in critical moments, there might not be enough time to think, so make sure your travellers take on board your advice—even if it’s something as simple as looking out for pickpockets. 

Speaking of which, we’ve compiled a list of corporate travel safety tips for employees to help you get the ball rolling: 

How do YOU stay safe when travelling for work? 

• Understanding business travel safety policies : Before embarking on any trip, familiarise yourself with your company's duty of care policies. These encompass pre-travel training, travel insurance, emergency contact information, and rules for various aspects of travel. 
• Know who to call : Keep a list of emergency contacts handy, including local authorities and company representatives. Understand the procedures to report incidents and seek assistance. 
•   Hotel security : Conduct a safety check in your hotel, know emergency procedures, and avoid sharing room numbers openly. Verify identities of anyone claiming to be hotel staff before allowing access to your room. 
• Food safety : Be cautious about local food and water standards. Stick to safe eating and drinking habits, avoiding street food and opting for bottled water over tap water. 
• Preventing theft and cybercrime : Take precautions against theft and safeguard against cyber threats by using secure networks and protecting sensitive information. 

After all that, you may be asking yourself… 

Are Business Trips Safe? 

Absolutely! Most incidents that occur on business trips are not a matter of life-or-death…but they’re still pretty inconvenient. From having a phone stolen, to getting food poisoning from a hot dog cart, these small incidents add up to lost workdays, wasted business trips, and unhappy employees. 

But despite these risks existing, a well-thought-out approach can effectively manage them. 

Traveller Safety on your mind? We’re here for you anytime, anywhere. 

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What to Know About Enterprise Travel Security

Travel can involve significant security risks. Employees may be exposed to new safety threats, whether they're moving within the country or abroad—including physical threats and cybersecurity dangers.

Organizations of all kinds have a responsibility to keep their employees safe while they're traveling. These are the threats workers may face and what enterprises can do to protect them.

The security risks business travelers may face

Travel security and risk management have become increasingly important over the past few years due to the rising threat of cyberattacks and major challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. Scams, device theft, interception of itineraries from enterprise travel security platforms, and physical safety threats are all potential risks.

These risks may threaten the health and security of a traveler. They may also provide a hacker with confidential information or access to the enterprise network.

What effective travel policies can look like

Because business travel is often a core operational element—even in a post-COVID world—limiting travel isn't an option for many enterprises. Instead, effective travel policies and cybersecurity measures can help mitigate the security risks travel may pose.

Corporate travel policies are an essential component of a business's duty of care framework . They should account for training and tracking travelers and reporting security incidents.

Cybersecurity best practices for traveling employees

Training programs should brief employees on the potential risks they may face, including cybersecurity threats. They should know how to keep themselves safe or respond in the event of a crisis.  

Cybersecurity threats are growing more severe , and experts agree that training is one of the best ways for businesses to defend their employees, customers, and networks. Devices that are left unattended at airports and other crowded locations—such as bus stops and other transit hubs, hotel lobbies, or cafes—are vulnerable to theft and can be a major security risk.

Various common scams used to steal valuables can help hackers deliver a malware payload or access an employee's device.

Training that allows traveling workers to identify these scams may also help protect their physical security and health. The same social engineering tactics hackers use to target workers are used by other scammers and criminals.

Some common scams can also provide hackers with direct access to a traveling employee's device, even without device theft. For example, hackers may set up fake Wi-Fi networks with legitimate-sounding names to capture data from travelers or infect their devices. Other criminals may use public charging stations to infect devices with malware.

Travelers can minimize the threat these risks pose by avoiding these charging stations and not logging into sensitive accounts while connected to public Wi-Fi. A training program that teaches employees to identify and manage these safety threats will help employees keep their devices safe while traveling.

Cybersecurity tools and software can also help protect devices, even when employees fall victim to an attack. Monitoring the enterprise network for unusual network traffic, utilizing up-to-date antivirus software, and requiring strong, unique passwords can minimize the risk an attack may pose.

Take advantage of your travel business partners

Working with travel companies that prioritize security can also mitigate risk. A cyberattack may expose information about your business's traveling employees.

Make cybersecurity awareness part of your vetting process when partnering with a new travel company. Ask questions about the vendor's cybersecurity policies and the tools they use to keep their network—and traveler information—safe from an attack.

Travel-management software can also help the business better manage and track travelers.

Responding to a travel security crisis

In the event of a security crisis, a timely and effective response will be necessary to protect the traveler's safety or company's data.

Your duty of care framework should include action plans or response guidelines employees can use during security crises, enabling the fastest possible response from a pre-designated team.

Travel companies and other businesses that provide duty of care support may be able to provide resources and guidance at these times.

Employees may face a wide range of risks and threats while they travel. Effective training and security policies can help enterprises protect their workers. Working with travel partners can also help businesses protect their employees. Many of these businesses use software or track information that may help to support duty of care policies.

Taking steps to ensure workers' safety pays off by protecting them and any vital information they carry.

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20 Business Travel Safety Tips and Guidelines for Employees

Traveling for business introduces a host of problems. Following these business travel security tips will lead you in the right direction.

Benefits of a Business Travel Safety Plan

20 business travel safety tips.

• Preparation Is the Key to Safety and Security

Business travel is a large part of many corporate jobs today—but how should businesses go about protecting their employees when emergencies happen away from the home office? Worryingly, the Global Business Travel Association found that 46% of those who travel for work don’t have a corporate travel safety plan in hand.

Safety culture might begin in the office—but it must also include employees who travel domestically and internationally. Would you want to be one of the 22% of business travelers who haven’t been told who to contact if they have an emergency abroad? Accidents, illnesses, pickpocketing, and getting caught in extreme weather events can happen on any business trip. Committing to employee well-being should include travel safety guidelines for employees that help them stay safe while performing their job—wherever in the world it may take them.

In this article, we’ll explore why every company needs a corporate travel safety plan and share 20 essential business travel safety tips that will help keep employees safe while traveling .

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Pandemic business travel trends.

In 2019, U.S. travelers took 464 million domestic business trips. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, this figure dropped to 185 million. By 2024, researchers estimate domestic business travel will be almost back to pre-pandemic levels, at 457 million.

International travel followed a similar pattern. In 2019, there were 5.6 million business visitors to the U.S., and by 2020, this number dropped to 1.2 million . Again, these figures are expected to slowly climb back to pre-pandemic levels.

As business travel slowly returns to pre-pandemic levels, companies have a duty of care to provide their employees with the necessary tools and resources for a safe and successful trip. Whether you’re integrating business travel security into an existing safety policy or creating a separate document, preparing for secure travel comes with many benefits.

Enhancing safety

Business travelers are exposed to a huge variety of risks. These risks can be related to civil unrest, weather events, or terrorist incidents, to name a few possibilities. A corporate travel safety plan can provide your employees with the information they need if they’re affected by one of these alerts.

Increasing employee trust and retention

Many employees enjoy traveling for business, with 85% of those traveling for work saying they look for this benefit when considering new job opportunities. Business travel can help boost professional development, provide job fulfillment, and help employees perform better at their jobs. But only when it’s done right. A negative experience due to a poorly planned or unsafe trip can impact an employee’s opinion of their overall role.

Saving time and money

Business travel can lead to higher profits and revenue , but only if it is done safely and with the proper preparation. Employees who haven’t been properly prepared to travel safely are more likely to encounter complications that cost significant additional resources for the company, monetary and otherwise.

Even the largest multinational corporations can improve how they prepare for the hazards of business travel. International SOS recently provided support to a business traveler who had to undergo hospitalization for additional COVID-19 tests when traveling to Vietnam for business. Complicating matters, the employee was unsure how to go about obtaining discharge paperwork and what he needed to do while waiting for approval to catch his return flight. Not only do situations like this one incur business costs, but they can also take a significant toll on the individuals involved.

Building a culture of safety

Showing your employees that you’re invested in keeping them free from danger from the moment they leave home to the moment they return builds a culture of safety in your business. With safety ingrained in your company culture, employees know they are empowered to practice safety, which means they are more likely to make safer choices when working away from the office.

Additionally, you are empowered to make safe choices for your staff. You can fully consider the safest way to incorporate business travel and know your employees will trust your decision. Additionally, you can ask for their input when developing your business travel safety plan to show you’re committed to your safety culture.

Now that we’ve covered the rationale and benefits of developing a work travel safety and security policy, it’s time to consider exactly what you’ll need to include in your own safety plan. Our business travel safety tips below are designed to help you take action with confidence to protect your employees.

1. Develop a corporate travel safety policy

It’s always better to be proactive rather than reactive—and a business travel safety and security policy is one of the best ways to fulfill your duty of care to employees while they’re traveling. This document should include all training, procedures, and resources required for your business to keep employees safe.

2. Prioritize health and safety

In the global threat landscape, both predicable and unpredictable risks emerge, and travelers are particularly vulnerable. Your corporate travel safety policy should place employees’ health and safety front and center—with business priorities taking a back seat. It is your duty to care for employees no matter where they may be working, and traveling employees adopt a higher level of risk, which calls for an equal expansion of support and protection. Only when your people are safe and secure can they fulfill their own responsibilities to the business.

3. Secure buy-in

Consult key stakeholders, particularly those responsible for travel risk management , about your plans for business travel. They can help support your team members while they’re abroad or bolster your safety planning with their perspective and expertise.

4. Delegate responsibilities

As with any policy creation, assigning specific roles is best to ensure accountability and thoroughness. Travel safety can be a big undertaking depending on the destination and nature of the trip, so having a team to back you up will make complicated operations run more smoothly. Your plan should specify who is responsible for which tasks to ensure everything is taken care of.

5. Conduct a risk assessment

Business travelers face a wide range of threats and impediments, including but not limited to

• Travel disruptions
• Crime and terrorism
• Political or social unrest
• New travel laws
• Disease outbreaks and health emergencies
• Extreme weather
• Natural disasters

Companies need to actively monitor an employee’s travel destination before a business trip to gain a clear understanding of whether there are any active or potential threats in that area. A formal threat assessment calls on stakeholders to analyze potential travel risks and determine whether preventive measures are necessary—or whether to avoid specific high-risk travel plans altogether. Travel safety maps are another useful way to visualize the threats affecting different locations, and utilizing a threat intelligence system with threat history can give you an idea of previous incidents in an area.

6. Ready your team for anything

The all-hazards approach can be a valuable framework to follow when designing standard practices for employee travel. While you don’t need to obsessively catalog every potential detail and create a corresponding solution (although you should do so for likely or high-impact events), you can cultivate the capacity, resources, and security measures to react to anything at any time.

7. Create an essential travel safety checklist

Corporate travel safety policies will likely vary from company to company and trip to trip, but there are a few things to consider every time an employee travels:

• Pre-trip planning
• What to pack (safety-related)
• Travel documents
• COVID safety
• How to find emergency services or healthcare
• Ground transportation safety (e.g., car rental or public transport guidelines)
• Communication protocols

8. Maintain a living document

Once you create your corporate travel security policy, review and update it regularly—at least once per year. Communicate any changes to your employees, and offer training refreshers. Without the most up-to-date plans, your employees may be ill-equipped to make the best safety choices before and during their trips.

9. Provide safety training for traveling employees

Safety training can help employees gain situational intelligence and know how best to react to threats, from natural disasters to political instability or terrorism. If something goes wrong, you won’t be there in person to help support your people. By training your team ahead of time and offering essential safe-travel advice, they will be ready to react to common threats and stay as safe as possible. In particular, situational awareness training can help people stay sharp even in unfamiliar environments and situations.

10. Research and respect local customs

Many travelers remark on “culture shock” when immersed in a new place. Sometimes, visitors can transgress cultural boundaries without even knowing it. Provide education on local customs to help prepare your people and reduce any social friction they might encounter on their trip.

11. Train to avoid violent incidents

Many business trips are perfectly peaceful, but violence is a potential threat that calls for advance planning, employee training, and threat monitoring of all locations your employees may visit. In 2017, 53% of business travelers were impacted by terrorism. While these risks may be difficult to imagine, it’s important to feel entirely confident in your preparedness efforts around potential violent incidents. Practicing drills with crisis simulation exercises can help your employees know how to react and stay aware of the risks if they find themselves in a dangerous situation.

12. Be mindful of individuals’ varying risks

Keep in mind which of your employees might be at greater risk while traveling. For example, 83% of female business travelers have safety concerns. Any business travel safety training should also include specific guidance and resources to address or report issues that may predominately affect marginalized groups, like assault, hate crimes, kidnapping, or sexual harassment. It is especially important to keep a record of travelers’ itineraries in these cases to help them as soon as possible if anything goes wrong.

13. Educate travelers on insurance coverage

If your company has a business travel insurance policy, ensure employees understand what it covers and how to use it in an emergency. For example, many policies cover expenses related to medical emergencies, trip cancellations or interruptions, medical evacuations, and lost valuables. If your traveling team members don’t know about that support, they might not use it and put themselves or their work at risk.

14. Establish a reporting process

Providing employees with a method for reporting issues will lead to a better overall travel experience. Despite your best efforts, the world of travel is chaotic, and your plans may fall through. Stay in communication with agents managing travel plans to learn of canceled flights, double-booked accommodations, and other snags as soon as possible so you and your team can remedy them and keep your traveling workforce on track.

15. Observe repeat travel spots between visits

Even after your employees return from a travel location, it’s a good idea to continue monitoring the area. This will give you a firmer idea of the local threat landscape and the frequency and severity of common risks. This is especially important if your employees travel to this area frequently, such as to visit a partner or client’s office.

16. Invest in quality communication software

The right tools can go a long way to ensuring your employees stay safe, and this is especially true of communication for business travel. Your emergency communication tool should include a combination of the following capabilities and characteristics:

• Intuitive interface: Send and receive alerts with ease
• Two-way messaging: Allow users to reply with status updates
• Multichannel notifications: Use different channels such as text message, phone call, email, or WhatsApp , to communicate
• Wellness checks: Quickly survey employees to see if they’re safe or need assistance
• Reduced delivery time: Use pre-built notification templates for different scenarios when seconds count
• Centralized information: Create event pages to provide one source for all updated information related to a specific event
• Availability: Access via mobile devices as incidents can occur at any time

PRO TIP : Use our Buyer’s Checklist to help you determine what kind of emergency communication system your organization needs.

17. Maintain an up-to-date database of employee contact information

No matter how robust your communication technology and processes are, if you don’t have the right info, all of your thoughtful notifications won’t reach the people who need them. Common solutions include self-service information updating in HRIS systems or company directories. You need a communication system that syncs contact info with those existing records so you don’t have to worry about an employee missing important information because their phone number is out-of-date.

18. Deploy threat intelligence and monitoring tools

Leading up to and during an employee’s business trip, the more you know about potential threats, the better you’ll be able to ensure their safety and security. A threat intelligence system is critical for keeping track of threats where your employees are traveling, as well as at home. Reliable threat monitoring tools can help you protect your employees during their trip by tapping into thousands of data sources to intelligently track and monitor threats in real time. These tools also take into account threat history to help you form a clearer picture of what’s happening where.

19. Engage with intelligence analysts

Keeping track of every emerging threat can be an enormous task, especially for small in-house teams. Luckily, high-quality threat intelligence services include live professional analysts who help you sift through the firehose of information and isolate only the most relevant. Some solutions, such as AlertMedia’s, even allow you to chat directly with an analyst to fine-tune your awareness.

20. Increase visibility with location data

If your employees deviate from the plan, willingly or not, you’ll be aware only if they take the time to notify you. By equipping employees with location-tracking technology or apps like GPS-enabled employee communication software , you eliminate the guesswork. This form of tracking should be voluntary to avoid unnecessary surveillance, but employees in certain situations might feel more comfortable if they know their location is being shared with those who are looking out for them.

Preparation Is the Key to Business Travel Safety and Security

A detailed corporate travel security plan is a must in today’s threat landscape. With business travelers exposed to a wide variety of risks—it’s vital for companies to create a culture of safety that extends to employees’ diverse destinations so they can stay safe and perform at their best.

Your travel safety guidelines for employees should not be a static document. Consistently reassess relevant threats and update the plan to account for changes to your travel program or policies. It’s vital to account for all hazards and make sure your employees have the latest information about how to respond. Use the tips and tools we’ve covered to help keep your business running—and give your employees peace of mind .

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Top Corporate Travel Safety Measures For Smooth Business Trips

Home » Experience » Top Corporate Travel Safety Measures For Smooth Business Trips

Business travel plays a crucial role in the progress of organizations, irrespective of their size. Employees undertake trips as part of their job to fulfill several objectives. These may include business expansion, vendor development, customer service, training, trade-fair participation, and business conferences. Like any other travel, business travel is not immune to risks. Employers have to handle the safety and well-being of employees traveling to distant locations to meet the legal and moral goals of the business. Hence, corporate travel safety is a critical aspect of business travel.

What is duty of care?

Duty of care mandates employers to accept moral and legal obligations toward the safety of employees. Developing and implementing a corporate travel safety policy is crucial. Travel risk management enables the implementation of such policies. Knowing the significance of ensuring employee safety and taking proactive and reactive measures to extend necessary support to employees is the essence of corporate travel safety.

Most employees know how to avoid risks and take care of themselves. However, there is always a possibility of something going wrong because of uncontrollable factors. Theft, natural disasters, illnesses, injuries, and terrorist attacks are a few uncontrollable situations impacting corporate travel security.

Employers must establish processes to ensure the business travel safety and security of their employees in unfamiliar places. They should provide efficient communication facilities and develop systems to send real-time alerts to avoid risking the employee’s safety. Ensuring local support in times of emergency, like evacuation measures, is necessary.

Must Read: What Is The Duty Of Care Meaning And Its Importance

What are the safety risks while traveling for work?

Corporate travel safety is vital to successful business travel as it protects employees and their belongings from possible safety risks. Several situations can influence the safety of employees during outstation assignments. Knowing some of these is vital to create an appropriate corporate travel safety policy.

1. Health and hygiene

Health issues are prevalent during business trips because of exposure to extreme climatic conditions, jet lag, food poisoning, or water contamination. Taking appropriate precautions like vaccination and getting in touch with help in time assist avoid major health issues. Ensuring safe drinking water, eating healthy food, and avoiding excessive drinks may also prevent health risks.

2. Secure accommodation

Staying in cheap hotels exposes business travelers to theft. Corporate travel managers should research and create an inventory of safe accommodation options. They should choose hotels with safety measures like CCTV cameras, security guards, and emergency fire exits.

3. Political instability

Trade union strikes, protests, and other political situations can disturb travel plans and impact corporate travel safety. A corporate travel safety policy must incorporate precautions while planning business trips to politically sensitive destinations. Providing efficient means of two-way communications, periodic safety alerts, and information about emerging situations are a few measures to safeguard employees.

Why is corporate travel safety important?

Though it is the legal obligation of the organization to ensure safety of the employee, they should do it for moral conduct. Here are some of the points why corporate travel safety is important:

• Safeguard the employee well-being against various travel risks such as accidents, health hazards etc.
• To fulfill the legal responsibilities
• Preserve the reputation and brand image of the organization
• Enhance the productivity and employee trust on the company
• A good corporate safety policy will help in reducing medical costs and legal fees

Key components of a corporate travel safety policy

A sound corporate travel safety policy should include costing, employee well-being, company’s image all at once. Here are some of the key components that should be mentioned in the corporate travel policy:

• Travel approval process: Companies should have a travel authorization and approval process that aligns with organization’s policy.
• Pre-travel risk assessment: As business trips are exposed to travel risks, the safety policy should consider all the things that can go wrong.
• Travel insurance:  Corporates should tie-up with authentic and renowned insurance companies to tackle emergency situations
• Safety guidelines and communication protocol:  Organizations should set up clear guidelines to ensure safety on travel. They should also maintain a support line for quick communications.

Safety tips for the business traveler

Performing a thoughtful risk assessment is crucial for every individual business trip because the threat perception may change according to the location and time of the business travel. Business travel risks are constantly evolving, and prediction of events requires an in-depth understanding of current affairs.

1. Create a custom travel safety policy

Employers can ensure meeting their duty of care by creating a tailored corporate travel safety policy. They should include industry-specific and standard safety guidelines besides training processes and tools to improve employees’ safety while traveling.

2. Using a travel management program

Advanced travel management software programs provide real-time travel safety alerts, allowing employees and TMCs to implement proactive measures. The policy should be a comprehensive document listing all aspects of travel safety tips and standard protocols in the event of an emergency.

3. Employee tracking

Continuous tracking of employees is a helpful feature of reputable corporate travel management solutions. Itinerary tracking enables employers to know the exact location of an employee if any travel risk is probable. It is an important business travel safety tip.

How to ensure the safety of employees who are traveling alone?

Here are some of the important points that one should consider to ensure safety while traveling alone:

• Corporate should provide thorough pre-travel information and resources
• Managers should risk assessment and itinerary review
• Travelers should have emergency contact information
• Managers should provide preferred accommodation and transportation providers
• Become aware of the traveling location and organizations should provide travel insurance coverage

The perpetually changing travel risk landscape mandates proactive measures to ensure the safety of employees during business trips besides duty of care obligations. An all-inclusive corporate travel safety policy and adopting a high-end travel management platform with in-built corporate travel security tools will provide necessary safety coverage to employees.

Paxes is a SaaS-based corporate travel management platform with efficient corporate travel safety features. It offers reliable duty-of-care services with real-time safety alerts, and round-the-clock chat-based support to connect with rescue teams.

Corporate Travel Safety Measures FAQs

How does duty of care help corporate travelers.

Duty of Care policies include policies that legally and morally support the traveler, thereby ensuring the traveler security and safety from any risks. Duty of care policies help corporates analyze risks and provide effective support and solutions for any problems.

What is a travel management program?

A travel management program is a program with which the travel management companies and the corporation can operate and manage business travel for its employees smoothly and efficiently.

What is a custom travel safety policy?

Under custom travel safety policy, corporations are also allowed to customize the travel policy according to their industrial and organizational needs for an effective and efficient process of managing travel for businesses.

How can business travelers be safe while traveling?

Business travelers can be safe while traveling in many ways, such as through security policies, employee tracking, and an effective travel management program.

What is the risk of political instability in business travel?

Any major political activity leads to hindrances in business travel planning as it can result in a temporary suspension of flights or the cancellation of an event due to an emergency. Political information or events must be taken into account while planning a business trip.

What are the safety rules for Corporate Travelling?

Always carry identification and necessary travel documents. Stay aware of your surroundings and avoid high-risk areas. Use reliable transportation and avoid traveling alone at night. Keep your valuables secure and avoid displaying them in public. Follow the travel policies and guidelines of company.

Pratyush is a traveling enthusiast who always looks for innovations in business travel management. He has 5 years of experience writing content on corporate travel management and working closely with expert business travel facilitators.

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How to Build Your Corporate Travel Safety Policy

After hitting a pause button several years ago, companies are back to sending employees on the road. According to the Global Business Travel Association, business travel will continue to spike in the years ahead, with growth between 5.8 and 6.9 percent through 2019.

Retailers are central to this surge in employee travel. As they look to become more nimble, many are focused on maximizing global sourcing opportunities, seeking new customers in emerging markets, and sending employees to comb the globe for the next jungle superfood or local fashion to turn into a trend on Brooklyn streets.

Of course, opportunity—as it often does—runs headlong into risk. More international assignments put more workers outside of the protective shield that companies try to place around their workforce via their corporate travel safety policy.

It’s tempting to let the prospect of capitalizing on the next hot global marketplace overwhelm security concerns. In a survey of clients, International SOS, a provider of medical and security assistance, found that of 3.5 million international trips taken by employees, 25 percent were to what the firm identifies as high- or extreme-risk destinations.

Companies aren’t blind to the security and safety risks of international travel. In a world where luxury hotels have become recognized terrorist targets, most organizations appreciate the importance of helping traveling workers stay safe. So why do companies struggle to make security central to their corporate travel safety policy?

The Coordination Challenge

Communicating with traveling employees, tracking their whereabouts, and extending help to them if necessary are important parts of an organization’s effort to protect employees from harm. However, a survey of 300 corporate security directors by Security Director’s Report ( SDR ) found that many international trips that employees take go without a security review. Without sufficient advanced notification of employees’ travel plans, threat assessment and logistical planning to support safe travel are impossible.

The SDR survey points to another difficult challenge: goal alignment. Employers may fail to meet their responsibilities for protecting traveling workers because responsibilities fall to different business areas and functions, which often have different objectives. Individuals with responsibilities often have such diverse roles as corporate security managers, risk managers, travel managers, medical directors, insurance managers, legal managers, heads of HR, global HR, and line managers.

Improving the security of traveling workers overall relies on the extent to which the different players fill the security aspects of their broader assignment. For example, a corporate travel manager may issue a request for proposal (RFP) to develop a preferred list of hotel properties, with the ultimate goal of improving efficiency and reducing the cost of travel. Within the RFP, hotel properties will be asked a range of questions on which their suitability will be judged, from services and amenities, available technology, rate proposal, to whether or not they will provide a traveler with free transportation to a new hotel if they are oversold.

Modernizing PoE Networks for Loss Prevention and Physical Security: Familiar vs. Right

A safety and security module will typically be part of this RFP, but the extent to which security criteria is examined in the selection of preferred properties can vary. A travel manager, whose primary objective is to please workers who want convenient and quality accommodations and heed management’s desire to trim expenses, may not let something like incomplete responses on safety issues interfere with property selection.

So what is the key? In a word, coordination. With the amount of corporate travel ramping up, security management might start by mapping out the security roles that different function areas are expected to play in the protection of traveling associates and ensuring that the responsibility for those roles are assigned to specific employees.

Security staff might also want to review how well information is being shared among departments. It can be helpful to use a comprehensive database that houses all travel-related information, including employee profiles, corporate and employee contact information, and risk intelligence information on travel destinations. Through a centralized data collection point, security, HR, and the corporate travel department can better coordinate their activities and responsibilities with respect to ensuring the safety of traveling employees.

Finally, security leaders might find it helpful to determine whether individuals who provide security advice to traveling employees are sufficiently informed and knowledgeable, and get them up to speed if they’re not.

Components Needed for Your Corporate Travel Safety {Policy

There are challenges beyond coordination to keeping a corporate travel safety policy operating effectively, including cost and management complacency.

In a presentation at the 2015 National Retail Federation (NRF) PROTECT loss prevention conference in Long Beach, CA, Scott McBride, vice president of loss prevention, safety, security, and emergency response for American Eagle, described how his company’s travel safety program has, over time, built out to include a complete compendium of traveler safety information.

A corporate travel safety policy typically includes the following items:

• Risk ratings for travel locations,
• A traveler tracking system,
• Pre-trip assessments, training, and awareness briefings,
• A travel safety website, and
• An emergency response plan in the event a traveling worker runs into trouble.

It should also define a process for examining employee travel itineraries, comparing them against the unique risks and availability of services in the destination region, and concluding if additional security steps need be taken before travel, such as specialized traveler education or equipping the employee with tracking technology.

But a travel safety program starts with a company travel policy, which McBride says to write with your duty of care in mind. To demonstrate a company’s due diligence, it should cover and include the following elements:

• A statement from management that employees’ personal safety is a primary concern of the organization and that it does not want business interests to put workers at undue risk.
• How the company will determine which destinations are unsafe for travel, such as prohibiting employees to travel to countries or regions the US State Department has declared as unsafe.
• Responsibilities related to business travel for both employees and those in charge of monitoring the safety of travel destinations.
• Special action employees should take if they are traveling to high-risk locations.
• The individuals who are responsible for the daily monitoring for notices about travel to high-risk countries to ensure the safety of employees during their travel out of the country.
• Procedures for communicating warnings to employees and for locating and communicating with employees in a crisis event.
• Actions employees must take before departure, such as leaving their supervisors with a detailed itinerary, flight information, destination contact information, contact numbers, and updated emergency contact information.

As he built off the corporate travel safety policy in his company’s program, McBride said his team realized that ancillary policies are also important part. Data security , for example, has become an integral part of minimizing a company’s risk with respect to workers traveling abroad.

Some of the ancillary policies his team identified included the following:

• Travel Code of Conduct.“We have a travel code of conduct policy in addition to an ethics policy,” McBride explained. More than just keeping workers in line, American Eagle strives to provide traveling workers with information that will prevent them from unwittingly getting into sticky situations, which can result when local laws or customs differ from the United States, such as on the treatment of homosexuality or alcohol consumption. “What about people living in a hotel overseas for two months? What are the acceptable behaviors? You need to spell those out in a policy so you have evidence you told people about them,” McBride warned.
• Foreign Ground Transportation Policy. “With us, you’re not permitted to rent a car if you can’t read the language,” said McBride.
• Foreign Corrupt Practices Policy.Traveling workers need to be aware of actions they might take—to smooth out a travel snafu, for example—that could violate the FCPA.

McBride and other security pros SDR interviewed offered additional tips for enhancing the value of a travel safety program—without breaking the bank. Review the expert advice by reading the full article, “ Keeping International Travelers Safe .”

This article was excerpted from “ Keeping International Travelers Safe ,” which was originally published in 2015. This post was updated May 29, 2018.

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What Should be in a Travel Risk Policy?

Policies and the procedures to implement them provide clarity to everyone involved regarding accountability issues or activities of critical importance to an organization, such as health and safety, regulatory requirements, legal liabilities, or other issues that may have serious consequences. Given the critical importance of protecting an organization’s people, having a travel risk policy is an imperative. However, simply having a travel risk policy is not enough. An organization must develop and implement procedures to ensure the policy is followed. Not doing so can result in creating more liability for an organization.

An organization may choose to address the elements of a travel risk policy across other existing policies covering travel, health/safety, risk, and security. However, having a standalone travel risk policy helps all involved quickly find relevant information and results in better compliance.

A travel risk policy needs to address the three essential elements of a travel risk management (TRM) program: 1) help the organization and traveler avoid problems; 2) provide help when the traveler needs it; and 3) protect the business from financial loss. In addition to addressing these, the policy needs to address its scope, as well as the roles and responsibilities of all those involved, including the traveler.

Here are the essential elements of a travel risk policy.

• Policy Scope
• Policy Aim and Objectives

Roles and Responsibilities

Travel Planning and Approval

Travel Risk Assessment

Incident Reporting

Policy Scope, Aims, and Objectives

A policy should always start with the reason for having the policy. In this case, the importance of the health, safety, and wellbeing of those traveling should be clear. The policy should also raise awareness of your TRM program. Specifically, the policy should focus on the need to identify any potential risks and what should be done by both the organization and the traveler to mitigate them.

It is very important to designate which department owns responsibility for the policy and ensures that it is properly implemented. Likewise, the policy needs to address other groups responsible for carrying out the policy and specific procedures. This section will also include senior management, line manager, and employee responsibilities.

This section of the policy needs to outline what should be done to plan a trip and get approval before travel. A range of issues should be considered beyond the organizational need for the trip and the cost, including risks such as geopolitical instability, security, natural disasters, and endemic disease. You should also address information asset protection risks, any regulations, and how traveler risk profile issues (e.g., LBGTQ, religion, gender, etc.) will be handled. The travel approval process will be the key procedure to develop, document, and provide training for both the traveler and management.

To help all involved avoid potential problems, it is imperative the policy include a risk review for each trip prior to departure. Most organizations classify a country based on the assessed overall risk level with a multi-level system consisting of two, three, or up to five levels. Each level should define what is required for further risk review and required approvals. The policy should address reviewing the risk profile of the person traveling and ensuring that they are included in the assessment.

The policy must address the responsibility and limitations of the organization to provide support and assistance to the traveler and how to get that support. Ideally, this assistance would be through a single phone number. If not, the policy should include a list of support numbers for travel, medical, security, device/information loss, etc.

In addition, the policy should spell out how to report an incident and how the organization will handle incidents and a crisis, if one arises. The actual procedures for activating an incident or crisis management team will likely be embodied in other procedures.

Finally, the policy should address key areas of loss along with specifics about what is covered and key exclusions. The policy should be “traveler friendly” to provide clear direction for the traveler. For example, should the traveler purchase the collision/damage loss waiver when renting a car? What if a traveler’s personal mobile device is lost or stolen? What about other personal effects? If the traveler must pay for medical care, will the expense be reimbursed? The policy needs to clearly state the employee’s obligation to report the loss and support filing a claim.

Overall, the objective of a travel risk policy is to help keep an organization and its people safe from harm and risk. By implementing the essential elements of a travel risk policy outlined here, you can help ensure the health, safety, and security of your travelers while protecting the organization legally and financially.   

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Bruce McIndoe is a leader in the risk management, travel, and intelligence industries. A WorldAware founder, McIndoe has been the key contributor to the company’s strategic growth, securing its position as a leader in business resiliency with the development of the Worldcue® Global Control Center. Prior to joining WorldAware, McIndoe was founder and CEO of CSSI, an Inc. 500 and four-time Washington Technology FAST 50 company that developed software for the intelligence community. He has also served as a lead architect on intelligence programs for the US government. He is a trustee of Allegheny College, where he received a BS in Physics, and holds a MS in Computer Science from Johns Hopkins University.

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Creating Corporate Travel Security In Your Travel Policy

The importance of having a corporate travel security policy.

Business travel is an important strategic lever for organisations of all kinds. Face-to-face meetings help secure new business, build teams and show a commitment to existing customers, which helps retention.

However, a business trip entails far more than just getting on an airplane. And in today’s climate, this also means that an organisation needs to have a travel security programme in place.

For the organisation, asking people to leave their loved ones comes with moral and legal duty-of-care obligations. For the employee, taking on any business trip requires a level of trust that the organisation takes their well-being and security seriously and has plans in place to mitigate or avoid risk.

Travel risk assessment — why you should do it and how to do it

The entire organisation is responsible for travel risk management. The travel manager’s role is to spearhead the development and management of the duty-of-care policies and plans aimed at traveller security that also addresses their safety concerns. This requires two interrelated efforts: 1) creating those plans and 2) communicating this business travel advice to travellers.

Egencia can help when it comes to travel risk assessment and mitigating high-risk travel.

Understanding travel risk tolerance and duty-of-care obligations

One of the travel manager’s first steps is to work with organisational stakeholders to understand the firm’s risk tolerance when it comes to business travel. Risk tolerance is more than weighing whether it’s a high risk to get on an airplane when a natural disaster, like a hurricane, is threatening a coastal zone.

As part of travel risk management, risk tolerance is a broader management concept. At a high level, it’s a framework for determining business travel risk assessment and how much risk is acceptable to achieve a desired outcome. For instance, entering an entirely new market is a riskier investment than incrementally advancing in a sector where you enjoy a strong established position. However, the upside reward could be substantial. How much risk are you willing to tolerate? Working through these issues and developing ways to mitigate the risk and amplify your strengths helps to create a strategy for making decisions. That includes deciding whether the risk is too high and that your time would be better spent focusing your efforts elsewhere.

Travel risk tolerance tailors this concept to corporate travel, creating a gauge for evaluating whether a trip should be taken. It also dovetails with an organisation’s duty-of-care obligations. This tolerance gauge can vary between individual business travellers.

For instance, a region with higher pollution may pose a greater risk to someone with a respiratory condition than another employee. You can mitigate the risk by sending one employee versus another. It can also involve systemic issues, such as monitoring areas that have experienced some civic unrest or other safety concerns. What conditions would constitute an acceptable risk of travel to that region? How are these considerations built into your corporate travel policy? These assessments need to include domestic and international travel and strike an appropriate balance between risk involved with business trips and business growth.

The definitive guide to prioritising business traveller well-being

Traveller security policies use risk tolerance factors to understand, track and react to levels of risk in the world. Travel managers need to augment these policies with concrete plans for what to do in the event of an emergency to help their travellers stay safe.

Traveller communication

Against that backdrop, travel managers need to communicate these policies and procedures to travellers as a foundation for building the required trust that the organisation stands behind the corporate travel security measures that are put in place. The first step in that communication is surveying your business travellers to understand their needs. Broad-based concerns and needs can be built into the travel risk management framework. Individualised concerns can become part of traveller profiles and data points when evaluating a specific business trip.

Travel managers should use all available means of communicating policies to employees. Interactive forums — like presenting at staff meetings — offer the opportunity to gather feedback, in addition to other one-way channels. In many cases, duty-of-care policy communication can be built into the booking tools so a traveller can be reminded of security policies and mitigation efforts within the context of an intended trip.

Egencia helps with duty of care at every step

Egencia brings extensive experience and resources in travel risk management that can help with setting risk tolerance frameworks and duty-of-care policies. Egencia can also help travel managers put traveller security guidelines into practice and keep travellers informed in real time of events and developments around the world.

Our booking tools can flag business travellers for any non-compliant bookings and guide them to compliant choices. That interface can also communicate appropriate traveller security information about a destination or itinerary. Travel managers can set the company’s duty-of-care policies in one place and instantly apply them across every booking channel.

Once a trip is underway, Egencia can push alerts to travellers to keep them informed of events and relevant information that can impact their plans. In an emergency, travel managers can locate their travellers with our Traveller Tracker for all travel booked through Egencia. That view can extend 30 days into the past for a specific travel destination to assess any safety concerns that could cause potential traveller impact from a retroactive discovery, such as a late-emerging public health issue in a region like coronavirus.

Looking for better business travel solutions? Get in touch with us.

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