Corporate travel involves risks and uncertainties that may hamper the business trip, employee safety, and business continuity. Several factors can disrupt a well-planned business trip. Assessing the risks and ensuring employee safety is a crucial aspect of Duty of Care. Travel risk assessment addresses all eventualities employees may face according to job functions and travel destinations. Domestic and international travel risk assessment is a proactive approach to mitigate disruptions and threats to the health and well-being of employees. Knowing the risks of travel enhances the preparedness of employees and travel managers to reduce the impact of events.
Identifying probable threats and consequences to the health and safety of employees when they are proceeding on a business trip is the crux of travel risk assessment. Using an all-hazards approach while performing risk assessment for employee’s travel is crucial as employees can face multiple risks simultaneously.
Importance of a travel risk assessment
Knowing the risks and implementing measures to avoid harm to the health and well-being of employees is crucial to the employer’s Duty of Care obligations. TRA and the subsequent travel risk management measures reassure employees about their well-being while they are away from their families. It helps establish confidence and a strong bond between the employer and employees.
Employers can mitigate legal risks by taking proactive safety measures following a travel risk assessment. Effective implementation of travel safety policy by knowing the risks ensures business continuity in an uncertain environment. Risk assessment takes care of employees’ well-being, which is the employer’s responsibility. Assessing the risk potential of employees of your organization is important, as each organization faces different travel risks based on the type of industry.
TRA evaluates the business travel patterns in the organization and offers an in-depth review to protect employees and businesses from disruptions. It enables corporate travel managers to establish protocols and communication systems to mitigate business travel risks. Through a comprehensive analysis of probable risks, travel managers can revise travel risk management guidelines for better compliance with the Duty of Care obligations.
What should a travel risk assessment include?
An organization’s TRA should focus on several factors that may threaten the safety and health of employees. Individual factors such as health status, gender, travel itinerary, and modes of travel need consideration. Besides, there are several environmental factors:
1. Accessibility of destination
Several factors can impact accessibility to a specific location. Before planning business trips, travel restrictions, trade embargos, or a ban on travel to the location are a few situations to consider. Ease of accessibility determines the success of business trips, as movement restrictions will cause loss of work hours besides additional accommodation expenses.
2. Political instability and civil unrest
The corporate TRA must consider the possibility of civil unrest or political uncertainty, as riots and demonstrations can severely hamper the safety of employees in unfamiliar locations. Sophisticated travel management platforms provide continuous updates about such developments to help employees plan business trips.
3. Natural calamities
Travel managers consider the possibility of natural disasters like tsunamis, earthquakes, floods, extreme weather, and tornadoes for risk assessment for employees traveling to specific locations. SaaS-based travel management platforms provide weather alerts and warnings through mobile apps.
4. Health hazards
Infectious diseases like viral epidemics can be detrimental to the health of employees. TRA must include the health hazards to protect employees by taking precautions like vaccination.
How to perform a travel risk assessment?
The right time to perform a thorough risk assessment is before an employee embarks on a business trip.
It must include domestic and international travel risk assessment for last-minute travel and trips to repeat destinations. An ideal TRA is industry-specific, with customization to match the travel patterns of the organizations. It should address all aspects of the Duty of Care for effective compliance.
- Determine individual and environmental threats
- Evaluation of risks
- Establish measures to mitigate risks
- Training employees
- Communicating protocols
The travel manager must periodically perform a risk assessment to include new factors according to emerging situations. Using TRA as a basis to design policies for travel risk management is the right way to improve compliance with the Duty of Care obligations.
Conclusion
Using a unified portal for corporate travel management enables effective mitigation of business travel risks. Paxes offers real-time updates regarding emerging situations besides seamless access to emergency help. Many SaaS-based travel management platforms provide real-time location tracking to ensure the safety of employees who may travel to risk-prone regions.
Suggested Read: Why Is Travel Risk Management Needed By An Organization
Travel Risk Assessment FAQs
What is the single most important aim of travel risk assessment?
Preventing or mitigating the risks to the health and safety of employees during business trips is the most vital objective of travel risk management.
How do travel risk assessment benefit employees and the organization?
Travel risk management lets employees know possible risks before changing their tour plans. Organizations can ensure effective risk mitigation measures to safeguard employees and comply with the Duty of Care requirements.
Which is the best approach to risk assessment?
Using an all-hazards approach to gain comprehensive readiness for emergencies is a suitable strategy for risk assessment.
Why is it necessary to review travel risk assessment periodically?
The global threat landscape changes constantly. Periodic assessment of travel risks enables organizations to respond to emerging situations.
Is there a standard risk assessment for all organizations?
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to the travel risk assessment, as travel patterns and business travel objectives vary according to the type of industry and employees job functions.
