Business travel can open doors to new markets, strengthen client relationships, and create
valuable opportunities for growth. However, sending employees away from their usual
workplace also introduces risks that businesses need to consider.
From unfamiliar destinations and transport risks to cyber threats, illness, extreme weather, wildfires and other unexpected emergencies, effective travel safety should be part of every organisation’s duty-of-care
strategy.
Why Business Travel Safety Matters
Employers have a responsibility to take reasonable steps to protect employees while they
are carrying out work-related activities, including when they are travelling.
A well-planned travel safety programme can help businesses:
- Reduce the likelihood of accidents and incidents.
- Prepare employees to respond appropriately to emergencies.
- Identify and manage destination-specific risks.
- Protect company information and devices.
- Maintain communication with travelling employees.
- Minimise disruption if an incident occurs.
Travel safety is not simply about reacting when something goes wrong. The most effective
approach is to identify potential risks before an employee leaves, including environmental
hazards such as wildfires, flooding, extreme heat, storms, or other natural disasters.
Assess the Risks Before Employees Travel
Every trip can present different risks depending on the destination, purpose, and individual
circumstances.
Before approving travel, businesses should consider factors such as:
- Political or civil unrest.
- Crime and personal security.
- Local transport and road conditions.
- Extreme weather or natural disasters, including wildfires.
- Health and medical considerations.
- Local laws and cultural expectations.
- Cybersecurity risks.
- The availability of suitable accommodation and emergency services.
- The potential for disruption or evacuation caused by a wildfire or other natural disaster.
For destinations where wildfires are a known seasonal risk, employers should consider
whether the employee’s accommodation, workplace, meeting location, or travel routes could
be affected. They should also consider how an employee would receive emergency alerts,
leave an affected area, and access alternative accommodation or transport if required.
A proportionate travel risk assessment allows employers to identify appropriate precautions
rather than applying the same approach to every destination.
Give Employees the Right Information
Employees should not be expected to research every potential risk themselves. Employers
can provide clear, practical guidance before departure.
A pre-travel briefing might cover:
- Emergency contact details.
- Local emergency procedures.
- Safe transport arrangements.
- Accommodation information.
- Relevant local laws and customs.
- Health and vaccination considerations.
- Guidance on protecting company devices and information.
- Procedures for reporting an incident.
- What to do if a wildfire, extreme weather event, or other natural disaster threatens the area.
Employees travelling to wildfire-prone areas should understand how to monitor official
warnings and what action to take if an evacuation order or other emergency instruction is
issued.
Employees should also know who to contact if their plans change or they encounter a problem.
Have a Clear Emergency Plan
Even with careful preparation, incidents can happen. Businesses should therefore have a
documented process for responding to emergencies involving travelling employees.
The plan should establish:
- Who is responsible for responding to the incident.
- How the employee can contact the business.
- How the business will maintain communication.
- When external assistance should be contacted.
- How colleagues, family members or other relevant parties will be informed.
- How the incident will be documented and reviewed afterwards.
- What arrangements will be made if an employee needs to evacuate, relocate, or extend their stay.
This is particularly important during rapidly developing emergencies such as wildfires.
Employees may have limited time to respond, roads may become congested or closed, and
accommodation or transport arrangements may suddenly become unavailable.
Businesses should consider having alternative accommodation, transport, communication,
and travel arrangements available where the level of risk justifies it.
Employees should receive enough information to understand what to do without having to
search for instructions during a stressful situation.
Don’t Overlook Cybersecurity
Business travellers may rely heavily on laptops, smartphones, and public Wi-Fi, potentially
increasing exposure to cyber threats.
Employees should be reminded to:
- Keep devices and software updated.
- Use strong authentication and passwords.
- Avoid accessing sensitive information on unsecured networks where possible.
- Be cautious when charging devices in unfamiliar locations.
- Keep company equipment physically secure.
- Report lost or stolen devices immediately.
- Be alert to phishing attempts and suspicious communications.
Travel safety therefore extends beyond physical security. Protecting business information is
an important part of keeping employees and organisations safe.
Consider Accommodation and Transport
Accommodation and transport should also form part of the travel risk assessment.
Where appropriate, businesses can establish minimum standards for hotels and other
accommodation. Employees should know how to identify emergency exits, follow local
safety procedures, and report concerns.
For destinations affected by seasonal wildfires or other natural hazards, businesses should
also consider the location of accommodation and whether there are viable evacuation routes.
Employees should be encouraged to familiarise themselves with local emergency procedures
and follow instructions from the relevant authorities.
Transport arrangements should be considered based on the destination. In some locations,
businesses may choose to use trusted transport providers rather than relying on unfamiliar
services or employees driving themselves.
During a wildfire or other emergency, normal transport routes may be disrupted. Employers
should therefore consider alternative routes and arrangements where appropriate and
ensure employees understand that they should follow official evacuation instructions rather
than attempting to travel through affected areas.
Keep Communication Open
A travel safety policy should not end when an employee boards the plane.
For higher-risk destinations or longer trips, businesses may need appropriate check-in
procedures so they can identify when an employee may require assistance. These
procedures should be proportionate to the level of risk and should not create unnecessary
burdens for employees.
For employees travelling in areas where wildfires or other natural disasters are possible,
organisations should have a reliable method of communicating urgent warnings and checking
on employees if an incident occurs.
It is equally important that employees feel comfortable reporting concerns. A traveller who
believes something is unsafe should know that raising the issue will be taken seriously.
Review and Improve Your Travel Policy
Travel risks change. A destination that was considered low risk several months ago may
present different challenges later.
Businesses should regularly review their travel policies, risk assessments, and emergency
procedures. Seasonal risks such as wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, and extreme heat should be
considered when planning travel at different times of the year.
After an incident or near miss, organisations should also consider what can be
learned and whether procedures need to change.
Employee feedback can be particularly valuable. Those who travel regularly can provide
practical insight into what works and where additional guidance may be needed.
Building a Safer Business Travel Culture
Effective business travel safety is ultimately about preparation.
Employers can reduce risk by understanding the destinations their employees visit,
identifying hazards such as wildfires and extreme weather, providing appropriate guidance,
maintaining communication, and having clear procedures for responding to emergencies.
The goal isn’t to prevent employees from travelling or to eliminate every possible risk.
Instead, businesses should take a structured, proportionate approach that helps employees
understand the risks and gives them the support they need to travel safely.
Safe business travel starts before the journey begins.
By making travel safety part of everyday business planning, organisations can protect their people while continuing to take advantage of the opportunities that business travel provides.