47% of organisations based in Asia consider Covid-19 management to be the key concern. Photo Credit: Getty Images/Panuwat Dangsungnoen
2022 looks to be a year of complex risks, necessitating the need for
corporate planners to increase investment in traveller safety and
welfare, including mental health.
Covid-19
management remains a key concern for many organisations. 33% of
respondents said that having adequate resources to deal with the virus
is a top challenge for 2022. Of significance is the increase to nearly
half (47%) when it came to organisations based in Asia.
Other security risks of concern highlighted by respondents are
natural disasters (21%), transportation – including local and
international travel (19%) and security threats or civil unrest (16%).
“In 2022 organisations must be aware that perennial security concerns
such as crime, civil unrest, terrorism or other geopolitical issues
have not gone away due to the pandemic. In many cases the risks from
these concerns have actually grown.
“Tensions around pandemic lockdowns, vaccine rollouts, and perceived
infringements on civil liberties have fuelled civil unrest and violence
in some locations. With the increased use of vaccine mandates or
restrictions on unvaccinated individuals around the world we can expect
to see tensions heighten throughout 2022,” said Mick Sharp, Group
Director Security Services, International SOS.
According to the International SOS Risk Outlook 2022 report, over two
thirds (68%) of organisations anticipate risks to increase or stay the
same next year. Decision makers responsible for business travel (69%)
and international assignees (67%) expect risk levels to increase or stay
the same in 2022.
Based on an online survey from 21 September to 25 October 2021, 987
replies were received from respondents across 75 destinations in Asia
(36%), Europe (26%), the Americas (24%), Australia and New Zealand (8%),
and Africa and Middle East (5%).
5 key predictions by International SOS
• Covid-19 concerns and mental health will be a primary disruptor of employee productivity.
• Duty of Care obligations will be reshaped by new health and safety measures, employee expectations, and regulatory compliance.
• 2023 will bring in stability as organisations respond to risk
management and support employee retention, and the willingness to return
to activities such business travel.
• The rise of civil disorder and geopolitical volatility will catch
organisations not prepared for rapidly changing security environments.
• Climate change will bring on more frequent occurrences of
infectious diseases, extreme weather events, and socioeconomic tensions.
The above predictions are based on the Risk Outlook survey, the
Workforce Resilience Council and the organisation’s proprietary data.