Creating a business travel policy that addresses multiple processes, answers possible queries, and keeps everyone aligned can be a tough challenge.
While many consider it to be the starting point, it’s a document which needs to be updated as and when things change, like new suppliers being signed, changing sustainability expectations, shifting risk factors, and so much more.
There’s a lot to be considered, and it can greatly influence the safety of employees, as well as their well-being, productivity, and company budgets. To help you perfect your company’s business travel policy, we’ve listed out some of the common mistakes you may be making, along with actionable steps for improving the system.
What is a business travel policy and why is it needed?
A business travel policy is a pre-determined set of rules and guidelines relating specifically to corporate trips and the requirements of the business.
It shouldn’t be so extensive that people find it difficult to find the information they need, but it should thoroughly explain aspects like:
- Booking and Approval Process
- Expenses and Reimbursement
- Preferred Suppliers and Booking Channels
- Travel Classes and Accommodation
- Traveller Safety and Duty of Care
- Sustainability
- Compliance Expectations
- Post-Trip Feedback
Having these listed and easily accessible means travellers understand which bookings will be approved and how far in advance requests need to be made, as well as what they can expense when they’re on their trip. This prevents confusion and potential budget overspill, with the business traveller also knowing the protocols for emergencies or incidents.
Seven of the most common corporate travel policy mistakes
Not planning for emergencies
Unfortunately, any form of travelling can face emergencies and disruptions like last-minute flight or rail cancellations, major delays, lost luggage, or even natural disasters.
There are many considerations that need to be taken ahead of a trip taking place, with measures in place that everyone should be aware of. This includes assigning a point of contact and making this clear within the document (example: line manager or head of department) as well as clearly outlining travel insurance needs and how this can be booked or reimbursed by the company.
Neglecting the creation of a standardised process
If your travel policy doesn’t include a standardised process or specific details as to how something should be completed, it can lead to major confusion and miscommunication.
The steps need to be clear and repeatable, so anyone going into the travel policy can understand how to successfully achieve each step. Without this, you could be causing more administrative headaches and slower operations.
Forgoing compliance or not measuring business travel policy usage
If you’ve created a comprehensive travel policy that addresses every necessary stage or possible process, as well as includes commonly asked questions, you may think this task stops there. But not focusing on compliance could mean the document goes underutilised, or even worse, simply collects dust.
When this is the case, you could find yourself spending more time on basic administrative tasks or going back and forth with employees on the same queries that are already outlined.
Unfortunately, though, it’s a common issue as research suggests that more than 95% of travellers know where to find their company’s travel policy, but more than two-thirds deviate from this. To prevent your time from being wasted and to ensure travellers complete the much-needed steps before travelling, a focus on compliance needs to be at the front of mind.
Forgetting to embed a feedback loop into the business travel policy
Not asking for feedback post-trip from the very people who have experienced the booking can cause frequent pain points to go unnoticed, poor performance from suppliers to not be recognised, and result in a stressful trip.
Travellers, for example, may have actually struggled to navigate specific booking tools or had a poor supplier experience (like late check-in, unclean rooms, or missing amenities), but if they can’t convey this after the fact, the same issues could go unaddressed and keep occurring.
Not updating the document as and when needed
Whether you’re signing new supplier contracts or working with a travel management company that has bespoke technology to streamline the corporate travel process, these additions need to be included in the travel policy whenever things start to change.
There’s nothing more frustrating than going into a document expecting answers and, instead, leaving with more questions than you initially had.
Focusing only on the cost and the bottom line
While the budget is important and must be adhered to, a penchant for the cheapest option could derail motivation and increase stress for business travellers.
For example, long layovers or multiple connections might make sense from a cost-saving perspective, but the convenience and employee experience (and wellbeing!) must be a consideration too.
Not including the duty of care and making this a priority
In the UK, employers have a responsibility to protect their employees and prevent harm to a reasonable degree. This duty of care spans health, safety and welfare, with safe working practices, risk assessments, and the necessary training and equipment to be provided.
When an employee goes on a business trip, the legal and moral duty of care is extended as there’s a responsibility to ensure employees’ safety and well-being while they’re away. Not planning for an employee’s safety or considering this is a major mistake.
Solution: How to perfect business travel policy with best practices
Collect feedback from travellers after the trip and utilise this data
Even the most thorough of travel policies can have bottlenecks or have elements of confusion, but these aren’t usually discovered until feedback is gathered.
To do this in a seamless way, set up an automated post-trip survey which collects 5-10 answers and leaves an option for greater feedback if more comments are needed. These questions (examples below) could be scored on a 1-5 scale, with comment fields open for further context.
How easy was it to book your trip?
Did you feel safe and supported throughout the booking process and trip?
Were you satisfied with the suppliers?
Were there any times you had questions or concerns about the process, and what were they?
Were there any out-of-policy situations, and why?
Once this information has come back, it should be carefully reviewed as it’s through this that patterns can be identified, like confusion with certain steps or recurring supplier complaints. If relevant, these details can be used to improve the policy.
Keep the document updated and add a ‘check’ process
The document needs to be updated with the relevant information, so people can go into the policy and follow the steps without being misled by outdated processes.
This can sound easier said than done, as it’s time-consuming to check through materials, but it’s quicker to amend every so often than to completely start anew.
To ingrain this into your tasks, schedule a formal review at least once every six months. There should be a clear owner of these check-ins, whether that be procurement, HR, or finance. When valuable feedback comes through, determine how to integrate it.
Work with relevant suppliers to keep options flexible
If you’re finding your sole supplier to be restrictive in their options, consider creating relationships with others who match the services you’re looking for.
Besides, business travel is a fast-moving industry, with multiple suppliers potentially resulting in greater flexibility if a plan is to shift at the last-minute.
Hone in on the duty of care with clear emergency protocols
Duty of care has to be considered, with this meaning travellers need to be informed about safety, supported during disruptions, covered by appropriate insurance, and able to contact for support 24/7.
Not only does this help protect those going on the trip, but it also builds their confidence and trust as they know there will be a coordinated and quick response should something take place.
Actionable steps to make this a reality include implementing systems that can track people during work hours, enabling risk alerts, providing training for both employees and managers, assigning responsibilities (who will be contactable) and ensuring the traveller has comprehensive insurance coverage.
Partner with a travel management company that is an expert in corporate travel
Any form of corporate travel can be time-consuming, frustrating and complicated if the right considerations aren’t made within the policy and beyond.
To help make business travel policy and compliance as smooth as possible, consider partnering with a travel management company. At Good Business Travel, we have a centralised travel booking platform and provide customised travel planning services.
We help with travel policy and can manage all aspects of corporate requirements, while keeping the traveller’s experience at the forefront. If you’re looking to work with experts in the industry, contact us to get started.