Travellers are less likely to feel unsafe at a restaurant (6%) or in a hotel room (6%), according to a recent BCD Travel survey. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/Natee Meepian
Business travellers are benefiting from safety and security as a
priority, but this is not the case when it comes to those working
remotely or combining business with leisure.
These
findings are from a recent BCD Travel survey, which aimed to examine
travel risk management and the traveller experience, as well as a
variety of measures that may improve the health, safety and security of
business travellers on the road.
More
than three-quarters of business travellers say their employer treats
traveller health, safety and security as a priority, but only 36% of
travellers say their employer unconditionally takes care of their safety
and security when working remotely.
According to the survey respondents, companies are doing reasonably
well supporting traditional travel risk management, but there’s a lack
of support for newer workforce behaviours, specifically remote work and
bleisure travel. Some 64% of travellers don’t know if they are covered
by their organisation’s travel security and medical support if they
extend their business trip for leisure purposes.
“This survey shows the growing need for a mindset shift from travel
risk management to people risk management,” said Mike Janssen, global
chief operating officer and chief commercial officer for BCD Travel.
“Today’s duty of care policies have to address the realities of hybrid
or work-from-anywhere workforces as well as the changing values around
traveller wellbeing.”
The survey also revealed that when travellers do feel unsafe, it is
most often when walking in the streets (44%), driving in an unfamiliar
location (43%), or using public transportation (40%). Travellers are
less likely to feel unsafe at a restaurant (6%) or in a hotel room (6%).
The main actions travellers take to support their own safety include
separating their hotel room key from its envelope (50%), taking a taxi
or ride-hailing service instead of public transportation (46%) and
checking the fire escape route at their hotel (40%).