IN DETAIL: TRAVEL
Managing the Risks of Business Travel With the growing likelihood of travel bubbles opening up as the world learns to live with COVID-19, businesses must review the risks and instill confidence in travellers. – By Todd Handcock
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ince the COVID-19 outbreak, virtual work has been necessary to conduct effective business. However, with travel bubbles opening1 and COVID-19 testing, companies are preparing for the gradual resumption of business travel. For some organisations, it’s already arrived – either domestically, or through bi-lateral agreements that enable essential business to be conducted abroad, in person. Now is the time to review existing travel risk management solutions and ensure they remain fit for purpose – especially since the International Standards Organization will soon publish its travel risk standard (ISO 31030); created to help organisations manage the challenges faced with the fast-changing landscape that surrounds business travellers. Here are seven key factors to address:
1. A moving threshold for essential travel Travel policies must be continually reviewed to align with the constantly changing landscape of COVID-19 safety risks, travel restrictions and border closures. As we’ve seen from recent travel bubble openings and poppings, things can change quickly. This moving threshold for essential travel necessitates multiple approval points and multiple layers of risk
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assessment; transforming the question of essential travel from a permission-seeking process, into one where individual traveller needs and well-being are central.
2. Individual-based risk assessments Particularly during COVID-19, businesses must understand individual risk profiles to determine travel authorisation and provide tailored support. This includes physical conditions like asthma, as well as mental health needs. An additional challenge is to comprehend employee health risks without violating workplace privacy law; explaining why many companies turn to an independent medical assistance provider.
3. Robust scenario planning With the strong potential for unexpected airspace and border closures, businesses must continually track the situation; managing large amounts of intelligence to understand what’s happening at any given moment, and with absolute clarity on roles and responsibilities to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. Additionally, companies must be agile enough to quickly adapt plans real-time, as conditions change.
