Business travel is a crucial part of a growing, worldwide economy. However, it can be risky and stressful for both travelers and organizations. The likelihood of danger is colossal, ranging from becoming stranded after a natural disaster to being seriously sick far away from home. When business travelers are unaware and unprepared, the likelihood of danger only increases. Below are some useful business travel safety tips.
Organizations are advised to educate em
ployees who are going for business trips about their destination. This involves finding out about the risks of social unrest or terrorism in the country to which they will be traveling. For example, there are Internet-based resources that
offer country information as well as security advice. Often, the resources are included in insurance policies for business travel. A mistake some organizations make is assuming that travelers know the risks because they have previously been to the destination, or because they travel often. Such travels stand the same chance of something happening to them as other travelers.
Organizations should help employees understand how business partners in a certain country do business. Employees should also be taught how their behaviors and practices may be different from those in the home country. Failure to take into consideration event slightest differences is likely to affect business negatively. Given that body language is not consistent worldwide, gestures that may be acceptable at home may be considered offensive in other regions. Also, minor matters such as pointing or raising one’s voice can be regarded as rude, reflecting badly on the individual concerned.
Organizations should forewarn employees going on business trips about the use of the internet while traveling. According to recent surveys, a significant percentage of reported security breaches take place on hotels networks. Travelling employees should be encouraged to ensure that their systems are up-to-date, and to always turn on their firewall. Also, they should avoid signing into personal accounts at non-private networks, avoid activities on the internet that personal information to be accessed.
Be
fore departing for a business trip, employees should access health information. They should also get vaccinated against any diseases that may be prevalent in the region of destination. Organizations should also encourage their employees to capitalize on additional services offered by insurance companies.
It is important for organizations to understand the risks posed by business travel, ranging from minor hazards to worst-case scenarios. The more proactive a traveler is in organizing a safe business trip, the more secure and successful it will be.
