business travel safety policy

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The complete guide to corporate travel policies

A guide to corporate travel policies, how to improve travel policy compliance with travelperk, what is a travel policy.

• Booking procedure and approved corporate travel company
• Allowable cost of booking (hotels, airfare, ground transportation)
• Special exceptions or rules for more expensive cities or routes
• Preferred company vendors
• Approval process for trips that exceed typical limitations
• Reimbursement process
• Permitted and not permitted expenses
• Travel debriefing process
• Travel insurance carrier
• Duty of care vendor or procedures

Why create a business travel policy?

Benefits for travelers.

• Flexibility and autonomy to book their own travel within guidelines
• Safety first! (Travelers’ whereabouts are tracked)
• Reduce confusion and hassle with travel booking

Benefits for the company

• Reduce spikes in travel spend and gain control
• Reduce friction and frustration over expenses and reimbursements
• Reduce total costs on business travel and optimize your company's budget
• Increase fairness and foster a positive company culture

What should be included in a corporate travel policy?

Start writing your own corporate travel policy with our comprehensive template

Lodging policy guidelines, travel and entertainment policy guidelines.

• Spending limits for meal expenses (either on a per meal or per day basis)
• Rules on what is allowed when employees are entertaining clients (meals, alcoholic beverages, etc)
• Clear instructions regarding situations where alcohol can and cannot be expensed , and a maximum amount that can be spent on alcohol per head
• List of unallowable personal expenses, such as laundry services, mini-bar charges, and personal phone call charges
• Instructions on information, original receipts, and other documentation required in order to process reimbursements

Air travel policy for employees guidelines

Guidelines for business class bookings, guidelines on using business frequent flyer miles for personal use, common challenges with travel policies.

• Travel policies are difficult to understand
• No one reads them or remembers them
• Travel policies are not enforced using technology
• Travel policies come across as overly bureaucratic

How to market your corporate travel policy

Make sure that your corporate travel policy is visible and accessible, create a comprehensive faq, encourage employee feedback, travel policy problems by the numbers.

• 64% of millennials understand their company’s travel policy but still book outside of it.
• 72% of businesses haven’t met their desired level of travel policy compliance.
• 50% or more of hotel bookings are outside of corporate policy.

How to bake your policy into the booking process

• How to write a travel policy
• Best practices for travel policies
• A travel policy template
• How to improve policy compliance
• How you can automate a travel policy

Achieving 100% travel policy compliance has never been so easy

What to consider when creating a business travel policy for startups, “bleisure” travel, younger employees may prefer to self-book travel, alternative lodging options.

Make business travel simpler. Forever.

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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 .

Download Our Business Travel Safety Template

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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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

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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.

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Corporate travel safety tips

a guide to keeping employees safe overseas

The health and safety of your employees is paramount when they are traveling – especially overseas. While a business trip might go without a hitch most of the time, sometimes things can happen – and when they do, you need robust corporate travel safety and security procedures in place to deal with them. From the issues around personal health and security, to understanding how to get around and interact with the locals, a travel manager needs to make sure that their employees have everything they need to stay safe and well abroad.

With this in mind, read on and make sure you get all the advice you need to keep your business travelers safe on the road.

Assessing risks and researching the destination

If your employees often travel to different parts of the world, here are some of the key scenarios you should prepare for:

• Cultural misunderstandings. Make sure your travelers are familiar with local customs to avoid making a faux pas. It’s also a good idea for them to read up on cultural and business etiquette , and learn a few spoken phrases, so their trip goes as smoothly as possible.
• Adverse weather. Events such as floods, earthquakes and hurricanes are more common than you might think in certain parts of the world. Make sure your travelers are prepared for this by staying up to date and keeping them informed about weather warnings with apps and tools like CWT Safety and Security.
• Civil unrest. Political instability can affect travel plans and put travelers in jeopardy. Terrorism is an added risk that can also lead to severe disruption. The best way to ensure corporate traveler safety is by following the latest travel advice with CWT Safety and Security for the country your travelers are visiting.
• Unpredictable local laws. Activities such as drinking alcohol and smoking are frowned upon in some countries. In others, they could even be illegal. Remember your travelers are representing your business during their trip, so to avoid embarrassment – or worse – research local laws before your travelers risk inadvertently breaking them.
• Lack of medical support. Traveling can expose people to a number of potential illnesses and injuries. Give yourself peace of mind by partnering with corporate travel specialists CWT, which works with International SOS – the world’s largest medical and travel security firm.

Preparing employees for international travel

If your business travelers are moving between countries, they’ll need to have access to key information at every stage of their trip. Ensure corporate traveler safety by making sure your employees:

• Have the right travel documents. Your delegates will need to prove their right to enter other countries if traveling internationally. They’ll definitely require a passport, travel tickets and occasionally a visa. CWT partners with visa services company CIBT to assist with the occasionally arduous task of getting a visa for international travel, making the whole process more efficient - meaning less stress for the traveler. It’s a good idea to keep any essential documents – including insurance, hotel confirmations and car rental details – in one safe place so they don’t go missing.
• Pack properly. Important travel documents aside, there are many other items your business travelers need to bring on their trip. From laptop chargers and adapters to breath mints, there are many items they might not realize are essential until it’s too late – so make sure they follow a packing checklist .
• Know where they need to go. It’s essential your travelers have all the details they need to get to their destination. Travelers can put themselves in danger and waste valuable time by getting lost in an unfamiliar country – so give them the travel directions they need to know. Consider pre-booking cabs from the airport to the hotel in unpredictable destinations.
• Are aware of local customs. Knowing local etiquette can help you avoid appearing rude. Make sure to educate delegates on the important cultural differences.
• Have key contact information. Your travelers should know how to contact International SOS, local emergency services, and anyone in your organization who could help in case of disruption or other issues.

Keeping travelers healthy

If your employees don’t feel healthy on the road, they’re unlikely to perform at their best in business meetings, or produce quality work. While you often can’t predict health issues, you can plan how to manage them in advance. There are a number of health-related considerations to be aware of while traveling, including:

• The availability of healthcare. 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.
• Food and water safety. Getting a flavor of the local cuisine is a prospect that will excite many travelers. However, some parts of the world might not have the same hygiene standards as at home. Travelers should avoid street food, and particularly dishes like salads, which might not have been properly treated, washed or prepared. Similarly, travelers shouldn’t take any chances with tap water, and drink bottled water instead.
• Health threats and diseases. 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.

It’s also essential your travelers complete any necessary vaccination courses for the country prior to traveling, and have comprehensive travel insurance that includes emergency medical repatriation.

Getting around

Your travelers will likely be taking various forms of ground transportation on their business trip. The more traveling methods they take, the greater the number of risks. Make sure your employees follow these corporate traveler safety tips when:

• Driving. Traveling by car is often the easiest and quickest way to get from A to B, so if your travelers are permitted to drive in a different country, it’s an option worth considering. Travelers will need to ensure they have their driving license with them at all times, and should take care to book with reputable car hire firms. Some destinations may also have very different driving rules – for example, motorists might drive on the opposite side of the road. Routes may also be congested, making it difficult for drivers to navigate, particularly if they’re tired from traveling, so a taxi might be a safer option here.
• Taxi. If your travelers need a taxi, make sure they only use a reputable, registered one. If possible, always pre-book rather than accepting one off the street.
• Public transport. The safety levels of a destination vary greatly between cities, and even neighborhoods within cities, at certain times of day. To ensure your corporate travelers’ safety, research public transport options where they’ll be passing through – or whether a car and driver is recommended.

Personal security

Sometimes your travelers might be so preoccupied with their meetings or conferences, they might neglect to research the crime levels, safety standards and neighborhoods to avoid in their destination. Make sure you educate them around these key areas:

• A country’s background. Whatever the domestic issues a country is facing, make sure you keep your travelers informed about it. That way they can stay vigilant and avoid areas of unrest where possible.
• Crime and the law. Some destinations could be renowned for having high level of a certain type of crime - pickpocketing for example. Check out the most common crimes in the area and you can bring in measures to protect against them, whether your travelers need a guard or just a secure place to put their valuables.
• Security training. Keep staff safe through risk prevention training, or training for other specific personal security measures.

At CWT, we’re on hand 24/7 to react to any risks your employees face on their trip. We have representatives in every region across the world who are ready to help in an emergency situation. Working with International SOS, the world’s largest medical and travel security services firm, we’ll help you keep your travelers safe on the road at all times. Find out more about our business traveler care programs

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Travel safety guidelines for employees: ensuring safe and secure business travel.

As a business owner with employees who travel, you have a duty and responsibility to keep them safe. Communication and training are key to preparing them for their next business trip. And because you never know what’s going to happen, it’s best for travelers to be prepared for anything. 

Travelers can face health issues, physical safety concerns, and delays or disruptions. Using these travel safety guidelines for employees helps strengthen the security of travelers and establish a plan for productive corporate travel safety. 

Pre-trip Planning and Preparation 

Anytime an employee travels outside of an area they are familiar with, they should research the area on their own, or check to see if their employer has any specific guidance for that region. Every area has local regulations and cultural differences; it’s important to adhere to the rules so travelers stay safe. When you prepare ahead of time with these safety tips for business travel, you can anticipate some potential traveling pitfalls. 

Extreme Weather 

All around the world, there are weather events travelers may not know about. Floods and earthquakes are common in some places. Your traveler should stay up to date about the weather in the area. They can use apps and other resources to get weather warnings. 

Your most important duty is duty of care

Learn five tips for ensuring employee health and safety.

Cultural Differences 

Local customs change quickly across different areas. When travelers aren’t familiar with them, they are likely to make mistakes. While some mistakes are embarrassing, others are more severe and could come with fines or imprisonment. Business etiquette is also an essential part of travel. If the traveler is going to an area where a different language is spoken, they should learn a few phrases. 

Local Civil Unrest 

Depending on where travelers are going, there could be political instability. These concerns can impact travel and often cause dangerous situations. Understanding the political climate of an intended area of travel is crucial for traveler safety and when determining if the traveler can add some personal travel experiences to their business trip . 

Proper Documentation 

If traveling internationally, travelers must prove they are legally allowed to enter the area. This means always carrying proper documentation. Documentation could include travel tickets, a passport, and possibly a visa. In addition, it’s imperative to keep all documents safely in one place. Travelers should also keep insurance information, car rental documents, and hotel reservations together in case they need to provide them. 

Travel Training and Support 

Doing the research for any impending travel for your company only gets you halfway there. You also need to share this information with those who are going to travel. It’s important to let your staff know that you won't be able to control every situation. However, you can guide them on common threats and how to handle them. Training should be centered more on employees preventing themselves from getting into dangerous situations. It’s easier to avoid danger than to remove yourself from it. 

Training should include what to do when a traveler gets into a dangerous situation. In certain areas, there may be common scenarios that highlight a danger. When discussing these, you want to talk about what to do in the event they are caught in one of these situations. With proper training, they should feel competent about responding properly. Educating travelers properly can save their lives. While it may sound dramatic, it’s true. The more you discuss the risks with your travelers, the better they can identify and avoid them. 

Travel Tips 

When talking to employees who travel, you want to stress the importance of safety guidelines. For some, it may seem like excessive worry for no reason. However, they should understand that you are giving them guidelines for their own safety. 

Some of the top examples of safety guidelines include: 

Keep Belongings Safe 

Anytime an employee is traveling, they should stay on high alert. They should follow their gut and stay aware. Travelers should avoid unfamiliar or low-lit areas, especially at night. Always keep your  documents and valuables in a secure place that is not obvious. 

Keep Emergency Contacts 

It’s pertinent for travelers to carry emergency contacts with them. This includes the contact information for the consulate or embassy as well as contacts from home. By carrying a contact list, the traveler won't have to rely on memory or digital contact storage. 

Transportation 

Only consider reputable transportation options. Use licensed taxis, reputable companies, or public transportation. Travelers want to be sure to wear seatbelts or hold onto the handrails. Even if no one else is, they should. The rules of the road are different in other countries. 

Health Concerns 

Making an appointment with travel health professionals or a travel clinic can be helpful before your employees travel. Those professionals can alert the employee of any health concerns in the area. Travelers must have appropriate vaccinations and medications for the destination. 

Comprehensive travel insurance may be a requirement for your traveler. This can cover medical emergencies, trip cancelations, and other unforeseen events. All travelers should carry a card or document with important medical information, including allergies, blood type, and any existing medical conditions. 

When your employees follow these tips, it allows for a safer and, perhaps, slightly more relaxed travel experience. There are some steps all travelers should take to ensure their safety. These tips are essential for your employees to have a memorable and stress-free journey. If you want more information about how to help your employees travel safely, follow us on social media. 

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How to write a corporate travel policy

Published: November 1, 2023

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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Business Travel Safety Checklist: Managing Business Travel in 2020

Managing business travel safety: the checklist.

Whatever the size and nature of your organization, business travel safety is paramount. With a global health crisis, political uncertainty, and natural disasters already affecting travel so far in 2020, it’s never been more important to be prepared.

Find out how you can prioritize your business travelers' wellbeing

Working with a travel management company (TMC) who has the technology and offline support to help you manage your business travel risks and traveler safety is critical. From making decisions on — and instantly implementing and rolling out — new policies to communicating urgent alerts to travelers, there are a vast number of ways you could be supporting your employees’ safety on the road with the right TMC.

Tick your way through the checklist to assess if your current TMC or in-house program is helping you provide the best possible duty of care to your travelers and helping your business to:

• Plan ahead to manage travel risks 
• Update policy to promote business-wide safety decisions  
• Improve safety with leading risk management specialists 
• Share urgent communications 
• Locate your travelers in an emergency
• Provide your travelers with expert, human customer service 
• Mitigate risk with insurance partners

Before Egencia, NTT Singapore found it challenging to manage their travelers’ safety. 

“In the past, we felt the pain of not being able to keep track of our people. Thanks to Egencia, we know where people are scheduled to be. And because everyone has to book through the platform, we have their location with Traveler Tracker, which helps us plan for crisis management”

— Tricia Lim, executive VP of the corporate planning division at NTT Singapore.

Download the business travel safety checklist today.

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Stay Safe and Healthy on a Business Trip

Business travelers include people traveling for work-related training, meetings, conventions, research, and volunteer work. In 2017, an estimated 4.8 million U.S. residents traveled overseas for business.

Before You Go

• See your healthcare provider or a  travel medicine specialist  at least a month before you leave the United States. If you don't have that much time, even a  last-minute  visit can be useful.
• Check  CDC Destination pages to see what vaccines or medicines you may need and what diseases or health risks are a concern at your destination.
• Pack a  travel health kit  with your allowed prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines (enough to last your whole trip, plus extra), first aid supplies, and your health insurance card.

Business travelers may need to begin work as soon as they arrive at their destination. Jet lag can affect your ability to work. You can take steps to minimize the effects of jet lag.

• If you have a few days before you leave, try to shift your sleep cycle a couple of hours, depending on where you're going.
• Eat small meals to avoid stomach aches or other problems.
• Avoid alcohol as it disrupts sleep.
• Use caffeine and exercise strategically, these may help you stay alert throughout the day, but avoid these in the evening.
• Drink plenty of water.
• If you are sleepy during the day, take short naps to help you feel better during the day, yet still sleep at night .

During Your Trip

In addition to the stress of traveling, business travelers may also be stressed due to their work and activities. To lessen the health effects of stress, try to do the following:

• Eat healthy meals.
• Exercise regularly.
• Avoid alcohol.
• Get enough sleep .
• Stay in regular contact with friends and family at home.

Choose safer foods and drinks. It’s safer to only eat food that has been fully cooked and served hot, especially in middle- and low-income countries. Fruits or vegetables are safer to eat if you can peel them yourself or wash them in bottled or disinfected water. Bottled water  is a common option for most travelers. However, some bottled water can be risky depending on where the bottled water comes from and how it has been treated. Look for unopened, factory-sealed bottled water. Do not get ice in drinks, it was likely made with tap water.

In addition to using resources provided by your employer, if you get sick or injured  and need immediate medical attention while you’re on your business trip, contact the  U.S. embassy  in your destination; they can help you locate medical services in your area as well as notify friends, family, or your employer in case of an emergency. For more information, see Getting Health Care During Travel.

After Travel

If you traveled and feel sick, particularly if you have a fever, talk to a healthcare provider and tell them about your travel. 

If you need medical care abroad, see Getting Health Care During Travel .

Long-Term or Frequent Travelers

Long-term or frequent travelers to the same destination have a greater risk of getting infected, sometimes without symptoms, during travel. If you are a long-term or frequent traveler, consider having a thorough medical exam or interview with your healthcare provider after you return to the United States.

A post-travel medical visit typically includes discussing your travel itinerary in detail with your healthcare provider. They may ask detailed questions about potential high-risk exposures related to food, water, animals, and people. The physical exam portion of the visit focuses on specific signs and symptoms and may include getting blood tests that let you know if you have been infected with certain diseases and if you need treatment.

More Information

• Yellow Book: The Business Traveler
• CDC Foundation Business Pulse : Doing Business Abroad? CDC Helps You Travel Safe and Smart
• Business Pulse Travelers’ Health Infographic

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20 Business Travel Safety Tips To Provide Awareness

Travelling for business has become almost inevitable in a variety of professions. While client meetings and team working sessions are an important part of business trips, so too is the safety and security of your team while travelling. When planning business trips, it is important to consider how your team’s safety will be impacted during every step of the travel itinerary.  Gaining insight into your travel destination and having awareness of potential hazards, conflict situations, political sensitivities, and historical trends that can all impact what appears to be a simple business trip is necessary to do prior to departure. Depending on your destination, accommodation, transportation, and scheduled plans, there are many moving parts to consider to keep everyone safe.

We’ve put together a complete list of business travel safety tips to help you ensure your and your team’s safety while abroad.

Business Travel Safety Tips

• Before you leave

At the hotel or accommodation

Transportation, during the business trip, before you leave , 1. familiarize yourself with local customs .

As business travelers, you and your team should get familiarized with cultural and business customs before your departure. Not knowing what is customary in the country you are travelling to can cause unintentional offense or conflict. For example, in Japan, business cards are held in high regard; they should be handed out and received with both hands and never played with or written on—especially during a meeting! 

It is also a good idea to learn a few key phrases such as greetings, thank-yous, and goodbyes, to show respect to clients and locals. Consider sending your team a cheat sheet for them to study and refer to while travelling.

2. Understand local laws 

With so much diversity in the world, it is no surprise that there are varying laws and rules in each country. For example, it is illegal to chew gum in Singapore, and swearing in public in Muslim states, like the United Arab Emirates, could get you fined, jailed, or deported. Keep your team safe by reviewing and understanding local laws in your travel country prior to taking off.

3. Learn about political and civil unrest

Political instability can lead to serious trip disruption and put the lives of travelers at risk. Riots, demonstrations, and terrorism are a real threat when travelling to countries with unrest. When planning your business trip, check the Global Protest Tracker to learn about active unrest, follow up-to-date travel advisories from your government, and avoid corporate travel in areas of extreme conflict.

Ask the question, should you or others be travelling to this destination right now?  What is the climate?  What are the risks?  Obtaining threat, hazard, and risk assessments tailored to your travel itinerary can notify you of unforeseen dangers and provide awareness. Find out more on the Paladin Risk Solutions site. 

4. Know unsafe areas and districts 

Every city has a “rough part of town” (or two, depending on where you’re travelling to). Familiarize yourself with these locations ahead of time and avoid unplanned stops or accommodation and restaurant bookings in these unsafe areas.

Consider risk awareness training for you and your employees, to learn best practices on how to be aware of threats and risks, and to gain environmental awareness. 

5. Be prepared for the weather and possible natural disasters

Beyond checking the forecast to see if you’ll need to pack a raincoat, it is also important to check for larger risks like hurricanes, flooding, and earthquakes. Take extra precautions and familiarize yourself and your team with safety protocols in the event of a natural disaster.

Get up-to-date weather information and warnings on global weather websites like The World Meteorological Organization .

6. Create a contacts list 

Knowing who to call when you are in an emergency situation is an important consideration to stay safe during business travel. Create a list of emergency and medical support contacts including local emergency services, and embassies. Know where these establishments are in relation to your accommodations and workspace and be sure to have a list of contact information for relevant corporate emergency contacts (like travel managers) in case you need emergency help. 

7. Understand how COVID-19 has impacted the country

As a result of the economic downturn due to COVID-19, there has been an increase in unemployment, which can lead to a spike in crime in certain areas. Theft, robbery, drug-related violence, and more may be heightened in other countries post-pandemic. Be sure to perform a travel risk assessment to fully understand the safety risks that may be waiting for you at your destination.

You’ll also have to look into what COVID-19 requirements are needed to enter the country. For example, do you have to provide a negative COVID-19 test prior to taking off? If so, what kind of test is needed, will an antigen test be sufficient or does it have to be a PCR test? It’s the same for returning home. The last thing you’ll want is to be unprepared when trying to catch your flight. 

8. Keep accommodation details to yourself

Information like your accommodation address, room number, room key codes, travel documents, and additional security information should be kept confidential. Try not to speak loudly when discussing this type of information and never share it with strangers or people outside of your work cohort. 

9. Avoid being followed to your room

As an extra safety precaution, when your team is heading to their individual rooms— especially female business travelers—be sure to not let anyone follow. If someone is waiting for the elevator with you, let them go ahead and wait for an empty elevator. You can check your phone or ruffle through documents to signify you’re not ready to head up yet, simply gesture to them to go ahead.

10. Use all locks on hotel doors and windows

Whenever you are in your room, use the deadbolt and swing lock once you close the door. Lock all windows and access areas, especially if the room is on the ground level or second floor, and while sleeping or away from the room.

11. Always use the peephole

If someone you don’t know is at the door, keep it closed and locked and do not shout at them through the door. Simply ignore the knocks and they will likely go away. If someone is trying to force their way in, call the front desk immediately and notify them of the situation. 

12. Know the emergency exits

When arriving at any business stay accommodations, you and your team should familiarize yourself with the emergency exits. In case of a fire or need for evacuation, you and your team should be well-versed in how to exit the building safely.

13. Understand local ground transportation options

Transportation from the airport to the hotel should be established ahead of time. Not all cities have Uber. Most, however, will have taxis and car rentals. Arranging for transportation before arrival can save on cost and confusion, and keep travel plans running on schedule. Getting from the hotel to a conference center, office, meeting location, or downtown should also be considered ahead of time, with correct payment options available to employees if using taxis or public transport like the bus.

14. Be smart if you’re renting a vehicle

Depending on the trip, you or your staff may be required to drive. Get familiar with the areas you’ll be driving ahead of time and plan your route on a map. Make sure everyone in the vehicle is wearing their seatbelts and drive with the doors locked. Know where the bad parts of town are and where not to stop for gas. Always lock and alarm the vehicle when it is parked and keep valuables or any loose items out of sight and stored in the trunk to help prevent break-ins.

15. Try not to stand out

Despite the fact that you are a visitor in a foreign country, try not to look like it. If you and your team arrive in overly flashy jewelry, clothing, shoes, and expensive bags, you may stand out and become a prime target for inflated prices, robbery , pickpockets, or physical harm. 

16. Know where you need to go 

Beyond simply looking lost, the act of actually getting lost can be incredibly dangerous in a foreign land. Taking a wrong turn can put you and your colleagues in a very risky situation. Stick to well-lit areas, avoid large crowds (where pickpockets thrive), and make sure you get clear directions before leaving the airport or hotel. Use the GPS on your phone but also consider printing out a road map or writing down the directions to have a hard copy backup in case your phone battery dies.

17. Eat and drink wisely

Corporate travel isn’t all about business. You and your team still need to eat and drink, after all. Food and water safety is something to consider when planning corporate travel, as many countries do not have the same hygiene standards as North America. Try to avoid street food and tap water, which may contain harmful bacteria. Instead, opt for cooked meals at established restaurants, drink bottled water, and always wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before eating.

18. Know how to avoid illness

Health threats may be a risk when travelling abroad, including stomach upset, altitude sickness, heat exposure, and more. Understand these risks, how to avoid them, and how to treat them should they occur.  

19. Keep your team safe during a pandemic

Your team’s personal health is extremely important while travelling internationally. COVID-19 health-related considerations should absolutely be taken into account while abroad. Ensure your team is fully vaccinated, following all social distancing and mask requirements, and frequently washing their hands or using hand sanitizer. 

20. Consider hiring a security team 

To better prepare you for the unknown, it is recommended that you refer to a security and risk consultant to assess the risks and to provide awareness to you and your employees prior to travelling.

If corporate travel safety is a top priority for your business, hiring a security team might be the best approach when travelling abroad.  A reliable travel risk management program can enhance your travel protection.  Additional security measures can be arranged to keep your employees safe but at a minimum, most companies will at least conduct formal or informal security training before departure.

When planning business travel for you and your team, follow these corporate travel safety guidelines to ensure your employees’ safety and security at your destination. If you’re looking to increase your company’s security at home, Paladin provides a range of specialized security services for companies and events across the country. Contact us for a quote to learn more. To obtain more information on how to mitigate travel risk, contact Paladin Risk Solutions

For more Safety Tips around the security industry, make sure to read these helpful articles !

At Paladin, we will take the time to understand the security challenges you face and help you develop an integrated program customized to address your individual situation, needs and budget. Contact us today for a free, no obligation consultation.

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14 Simple Business Travel Safety Tips

Business travel usually has an itinerary filled with items like client meetings, working lunches and training sessions. Making good use of your time is essential! In the rush of fitting in work, workouts , and the area’s best food and drinks, safety can fall by the wayside. It’s important to remain alert and consider business travel safety during corporate trips, especially when traveling alone.

Corporate Travel Safety

Keep these business travel safety tips in mind to ensure your trips go as planned:

Before You Leave: Preparation

1. Share your itinerary with family members or friends so they have a general idea of where you’ll be during your business travel. If your contact information will be different while you’re traveling because you’re using a corporate phone or messaging app, let them know. 2. Take photos of your travel documents and store them in an online backup service. Give a copy to a coworker as well. 3. When you’re packing for your trip, be wise with your wardrobe and luggage selections. Leave expensive accessories and heirloom jewelry at home. Instead, use professional-looking substitutes that won’t draw attention from would-be thieves. Pack conservative outfits that will help you dress like a local. 4. Familiarize yourself with the culture and customs of your destination. Offending someone, whether in a business meeting or at a restaurant, can be bad for business and jeopardize your safety. 5. Keep an eye on the news and weather forecast for your destination to stay informed of any adverse weather conditions or civil unrest that may affect your trip or put you at risk.

At the Hotel: Business Travel Security

6. Locate the police station and hospital closest to your hotel and meeting locations. Know how to contact emergency services if you need to. 7. Use a portable door lock at the hotel for added business travel safety. Even if you feel safe without the added security, use the door’s deadbolt and peephole.

Ground Transportation: Travel Safety Tips

8. If you are using a rental vehicle, consider utilizing hotel and conference center valet parking. This way, you can enter your car in a well-lit, high-traffic area rather than searching for your car in a dimly-lit parking garage. 9. Make sure you know how to use your rental car’s lights and locks before leaving the lot. 10. Have a road map or app open at all times so you have clear directions to avoid ending up in an unsafe area that you’re unfamiliar with. 11. If you’re using public transportation services, select a reputable transportation service and book your transport in advance. Be sure to identify and confirm the driver’s name and license plate before entering the vehicle.

Throughout Your Trip: Safety Tips While Traveling

12. Keep your bags and luggage with you at all times. This is especially important in the airport. 13. Explore your host city in the daylight. Stick to well-populated areas and carry your valuables close to your body. Only venture out after dark with a group. 14. Carry an external backup battery for your phone with you so you don’t find yourself with a dead phone at the end of the day.

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Safety tips for the business traveller

Today more than ever, business is taking people around the globe, into foreign cities with different time zones, languages and customs. At the same time, we’ve seen an increase in worldwide political and social unrest and severe weather events.  While you prep for getting business done, it’s important to also put some thought into travel safety precautions:

Thoroughly research your destination

In addition to visa requirements, local culture and the seasonal temperatures, look into destination-specific perils. These can range from earmarking unsafe areas to avoid, to keeping abreast of possible local unrest, to tracking potential major climate events. 

Have an emergency plan in place

Keep numbers programmed on your phone for local police, your country’s embassy, your family, friends and your office. Give copies of your itinerary and travel documentation to your family and office staff and keep copies in several locations while you travel — including in your luggage and hotel safe — for easy access. 

Take the proper health precautions

In addition to getting the required vaccinations for your destination, bring extra prescription medications. Carry a first aid kit for minor incidents. 

Map your local transportation

Be aware of travel scams such as inflated cab fares and counterfeit “discounted” train or bus tickets. Pre-book your rides to and from the airport and use only accredited car, ride-share or rental services, where the price and accountability are clear. If you’re using public transportation, familiarise yourself with the routes.  

Take precautions against common theft

Visitors can be easy targets for pickpockets and scammers. Seemingly harmless requests (to sign a petition, to buy a friendship bracelet) can be excuses to distract you while an accomplice takes your wallet or belongings. Secure your passport and valuables away from easy access and keep only a small amount of currency in handy pockets. Be hypervigilant about strangers — even innocent-looking children or families —who approach you. Don’t leave your bags in a hire car, which can be a focus for thieves. Don’t let seemingly “helpful” locals watch or carry your luggage for you. 

Prevent being targeted for violent crime

Foreigners often stand out, so don’t make yourself an easy target.  

• Use your planning tools and/or trusted local advisors to identify and stay clear of dangerous areas. 
• Don’t hang around on the street with your mobile phone or an open map. Go into a busy café or shop to plan your route. 
• Avoid over-indulging in alcohol, which makes you more vulnerable.
• Don’t flash a lot of currency or credit cards.  
• Steer clear of public disputes, demonstrations, or political rallies, where you might become an unintended victim of hostility.

Guard against cybercrime

Make sure to connect your devices to the internet via a secure VPN. Avoid using free Wi-Fi networks in coffee shops or other public places; these are notoriously insecure and may offer cyber criminals a way to get your personal information or even hack into your company’s network. 

Understand your employer’s insurance against travel hazards

Despite precautions, the unexpected can happen — from a minor theft to a major medical emergency. While business travel insurance can’t prevent foreign mishaps, it can mitigate the misfortunes.  Your employer’s travel insurance is a partner in your business trip. If that insurance is with Chubb, you’ll be able to travel with confidence. And if you’re extending your foreign business trip for personal or family pleasure, your Chubb cover will respond in the same way.

All content in this material is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute personal advice or a recommendation to any individual or business of any product or service. Please refer to the policy documentation issued for full terms and conditions of coverage.

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