What is Duty of care for business travel?

Last Updated on: March 7, 2023 at 9:27 am

Business travel is usually a big part of growing a business – just turning up when it counts can result in better client retention, networking opportunities, business development and employee engagement. 

While employees work hard on business trips, it is important that companies fulfil its legal and moral duty of care responsibilities for the welfare and safety of employees. But 25% of business travellers in Asia say that their employers have not adequately communicated their duty of care responsibilities.

The business travel landscape has been shifting long before COVID-19 with digitalisation, changing traveller needs and habits, to name a few. The pandemic, however, is apt timing for companies to rethink how its business travel policy supports employees. 

There are multiple benefits to taking care of your business travellers and it is important that your company provides a good level of duty of care. 

What is duty of care?

‘Duty of Care’ is the term given to the moral and legal responsibilities of companies to ensure that its employees and contractors are protected physically and emotionally. This includes on business premises or when undertaking activities related to the company, such as business travel.

Companies are required to adhere to workplace health and safety laws in its respective countries. Some broad areas of company duty of care include:

• Accidents and on-the-job injuries
• Fire safety
• Emotional wellbeing
• Health and safety 
• Training and supervision
• Compensation

Duty of care for business travel

When it comes to business travel, there is a reasonable duty of care owed by the company to ensure employees are protected and safe throughout their trip. Having a robust duty of care policy will help companies avoid costly legal issues and unexpected employee emergencies. 

Beyond cost and legality, however, it is important that employees know that they are safe and taken care of no matter where they are. It gives employees peace of mind through long transits and other travel complexities.

What could go wrong during business travel?

There are many issues that business travellers must potentially face that can be disrupting. On top of that, it is difficult to resist comparing how travel has changed today from our pre-Covid days.

It is important that employees feel supported especially when travelling solo on business trips. Some issues that business travellers may encounter are as follows:

• Flight delays or cancellations
• Changing travel restrictions and entry requirements
• Missing a flight
• Falling sick in a different country
• Accidents or emergencies
• Incomplete travel documents

Companies must effectively communicate its duty of care and ensure employees know how to get help when they need it.

Better duty of care with business travel management

Your company travel policy is the right place to define your duty of care and let them know how they are taken care of. Ultimately, implementing your travel policy and communicating duty of care to employees should be as easy and straightforward as possible.

Here’s how using a business travel management tool can add value to your duty of care implementation.

• Flexible travel arrangements for sudden travel cancellations for any reason
• 24/7 support for in case anything goes wrong for your business travellers
• Travel advisories for up-to-date travel restrictions and alerts
• Seamless tracking of traveller whereabouts and risk intelligence

Overall, using the right business travel management technology makes travel more seamless, intuitive and flexible. Having information at their fingertips and a clear line of communication can go a long way in keeping employees engaged.

Employees can add more value during business travel if they know they are taken care of. Are you keen on learning more about how business travel management can enhance your company’s duty of care? Book a demo with us and we’ll show you around, or sign up for a free trial.