What benefits will you see from the right approach to travel risk management?
The six benefits you’ll see are:
- Effective travel budget management.
- Better tracking of travelers.
- A plan of attack that allows you and your employees to respond quickly and effectively.
- Reduced liability and lawsuits.
- A more secure future. There were 24 employees from one company on the flight that went down in the Hudson River in January. If that event were fatal, it would have caused a catastrophe for that company.
- Employees know you are concerned about their safety.
How do you develop a travel risk management plan?
Many companies have a risk management department or policy, but oftentimes, it does not include travel. You need to mitigate travel risks and assist travelers so they are able to do their jobs. First, assess the risk levels of all scenarios associated with travel. Then determine which threats you can handle internally, which you can transfer to an outside company, such as an insurance agent, which you can eliminate, and which you can tolerate with little risk to the company. From there you develop a travel risk management plan that will be effective for your employees, corporate image and bottom line.
Your travel management company should play a crucial role in your plan. It should assist managing, communicating and enforcing your travel policy as well as maintaining traveler profiles to track and assist in case of an emergency. It should also provide pretrip, destination-specific, traveler-specific, high-risk destination and intelligence reporting to employees.
How do you communicate the plan to your employees?
The plan should be readily available through your intranet, employee handbook, human resources department and department managers. Everyone should be clear on what his or her responsibilities are. Depending on the level of crisis management, the plan may need to be rehearsed ahead of time to make sure it runs smoothly. You don’t want to realize that kinks need to be worked out during an emergency. Meet with your employees after a rehearsal to gather feedback on the process to make sure situations are handled correctly in the future.
Review your travel policy and travel risk management plan at least once a year. With constant changes in the travel industry, your business, and economic, social and political issues around the world, what worked last year may not be the best practice for this year.
What are other ways employees can prepare for travel to unfamiliar places?
Be aware of your surroundings. Don’t wear expensive jewelry or carry expensive luggage. Also, don’t let anyone meeting you use a card bearing your name, company name or logo. Choose your luggage carrier and cab driver yourself, and always look for the nearest exit in case of emergency. Research your destination prior to arrival. Being prepared is always a good thing. Finally, do not carry more cash or credit cards than necessary and never check valuables or travelers checks in your luggage.
Tracy DeBarr is a corporate account manager with Professional Travel Inc. Reach her at [email protected] or (440) 734-8800 x4096.