In today's interconnected world, business travel is essential, but it also comes with inherent risks. A robust Travel Risk Management (TRM) programme is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for any organisation with travelling employees.

Defining Travel Risk Management (TRM)

ISO standard 31030 defines travel risk management as “the effects of uncertainty on objectives due to travel.” This means making work-related travel safe(r) for employees and others, such as consultants, travelling on a company’s behalf.

The standard further describes TRM as “coordinated activities to direct and control an organisation about travel risk.” By adopting this approach to TRM, organisations consider not just the “why,” but also the “how.”

Primary Factors and Business drivers to consider

There are several factors to consider, including:

• Duty of care – Complying with duty of care is often the primary driver for establishing a TRM programme. Having the appropriate solution in place helps mitigate the risk of lawsuits and simultaneously creates a sense of organisational care for the well-being of its employees. In many countries, employers have a legal responsibility to care for staff when working. This extends to work-related travel.
• Moral and ethical duty – Organisational culture and ethics can sometimes override compliance as the main motivator for TRM. Protecting staff may be a core value that drives companies to invest the necessary resources. Simply stated, Employers must keep employees safe when travelling on business and support them should something go wrong during the business trip.
• Organisations’ Reputation – being viewed as a responsible and caring employer will help companies retain staff and attract new employees
• Past incidents - A post-incident review is often the catalyst for implementing or improving TRM at a company. Where a programme is already in place, a review can help identify what’s working and what isn’t and herald the necessary adjustments.

Managing the entire risk

Organisations should ensure that their TRM programme covers the complete set of complexities related to travel and not only focus on the most common travel risks. Designing a policy and deploying a complete solution ensures that the organisation is not exposed to serious legal consequences of unmanaged risks.

It’s easy to focus on the high-profile risks, such as terrorist attacks or large-scale natural disasters. Organisations should prepare for such events, particularly since the impact of these high-profile events can be significant, in reality, these are rare occurrences. It is as important to prepare for the often overlooked, smaller impact risks, which occur much more frequently. These can be more isolated incidents, impacting fewer travellers and include health or medical emergencies or accidents.

Where travel risk responsibility is less clear

There are some aspects of travel where an employer’s responsibility towards employee risk is less clear, this includes;

Bleisure travel as an employee benefit

Post-pandemic, blended travel has become more popular than ever and has supported the growth of the “digital nomad.” Many business travel insurance policies will cover employees when they extend their trip to include some leisure time. Companies can promote this as an employee benefit, helping with talent acquisition and staff retention.

Bleisure travel

Whilst on a business trip, an employer’s responsibility for employee safety and welfare begins once the employee leaves home and remains until they return home. Participating in leisure activities during a trip adds complexity, particularly when leisure and business travel are blended into a Bleisure trip. To avoid misunderstanding or ambiguity, clear policies should define the boundaries between work and leisure, and the validity of the company’s travel insurance during leisure time should also be ascertained.

Getting started

Before bringing in a third party, seeking advice from a travel management company (TMC) can also be a useful starting point. Information, available through the EFR Corporate Travel team, can help ensure TRM alignment to ISO 31030

EFR Corporate Travel partners with World Travel Protection, a specialist TRM company with over 30 years of experience in this complex field. The World Travel Protection team is dedicated to providing expert medical, travel and security assistance for travellers and expatriates before, during and after travel.

By helping travellers prevent and mitigate risks – and get the help they need whenever and wherever needed, travellers and their risk managers feel empowered, supported, and safe.

Comprehensive travel risk management programmes

Comprehensive managed solutions consider all risks and create risk mitigations for all stages in a business trip, from planning to a traveller’s return home. It’s not just about Duty of Care for travellers, but Duty of Care for all employees. And this is why travel risk management is evolving into people risk management.

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At EFR Corporate Travel, we understand that every business is unique. That's why we go beyond cookie-cutter solutions, crafting bespoke travel programmes tailored to your specific needs and objectives.

By combining our hands-on approach with innovative technology, we deliver tangible benefits:

• Reduced travel costs: We optimise your travel spend, ensuring you get the best value without compromising quality.
• Enhanced traveller satisfaction: We prioritise the comfort and well-being of your employees, making their journeys smoother and more enjoyable.
• Increased efficiency: We streamline your travel processes, freeing up your time and resources to focus on what matters most – your business.

In today's ever-changing travel landscape, agility is key. Partner with EFR Corporate Travel and embrace a future-ready travel strategy that is flexible, personalised, and resilient.

Ready to transform your business travel programme? Contact us today and let's embark on a journey towards a more efficient, cost-effective, and traveller-centric approach.