New survey suggests rethinking business travel
While the level of readiness to return to business travel varies throughout the world, businesses and their employees are now thinking about what the “new normal” will look like once they receive the green light to hit the road again. New research fielded by SAP Concur, an American SaaS company providing travel and expense management services to businesses, in May-June 2020 looks into business travelers’ concerns and expectations post-COVID-19. While the data suggests travel will continue to play an irreplaceable role in meeting critical business demands, it also shows that health and safety are top-of-mind among employees. The survey reveals that ensuring their health and safety while traveling is most important to business travelers, with 65 percent placing it in their top three considerations. Top concerns about returning to business travel also include infecting their families (55 percent) and getting sick themselves (53 percent).
These concerns could be contributing to employees’ stress during the trip. Forty-five percent of business travelers said they find the actual trip the most stressful stage, a 50 percent increase from last year. Additionally, business travelers are also looking to their employer to protect their health and safety (18 percent).
The SAP Concur survey found that among travel manager respondents, 96 percent reported that their company was not fully prepared to manage evolving travel demands during the outbreak. If companies do not meet their employees’ expectations to ensure their safety, 65 percent of business travelers say they intend to take some degree of action, such as asking to limit or reduce travel in their current position (45 percent), searching for a new position within their company that does not require travel (10 percent), or searching for a position at a different company (8 percent).
Here are a few tips that can help travel managers meet business travelers’ expectations to keep them healthy and safe:
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Update travel policies: Travel managers should look at their current travel policy and make updates to fit the current situation. One important guideline to update is what the company will consider essential travel.
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Consult the experts: National health organizations and hospitals offer free information for businesses and consumers who need to travel.
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Health checks and personal protective equipment: Travel managers should look into ways they can implement mandatory personal health screenings before and after travel for employees.
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Implement technology that gives insight into employees’ travel plans: It is vital for travel managers to know where employees are during business trips so they can communicate with them should an incident occur.