Duty of care and the information gap

Embedding duty of care into travel management involves taking preventative, protective actions tailored to potential travel risks. Managers craft comprehensive policies outlining appropriate safety protocols for different locations and scenarios. Thorough pre-trip preparation and training also educate travelers. Training may involve online learning modules that review policies, in-person sessions providing destination-specific guidance, and even interactive drills simulating responses to emergencies. After training, employees should clearly understand risks, protocols, resources, and how to get assistance if trouble arises. While traveling, check-in protocols make it possible to monitor employee locations and flag issues early. If disruptive events such as natural disasters or civil unrest occur unexpectedly, crisis management plans detail how to safeguard affected travelers.

It’s important to note that these policies aren’t something to set and forget. Updating policies constantly as global conditions evolve allows managers to fulfill expansive duty of care obligations during business travel.

Purpose-built duty of care platforms integrate with airlines, hotels, transportation services, and other travel industry partners to provide heightened awareness and response coordination capabilities that protect mobile workforces. With International SOS, for example, real-time traveler tracking through mobile check-ins and automated trip monitoring provides enhanced visibility that closes information gaps for managers. Alert capabilities notify staff of nearby safety threats and assist if care becomes necessary. You could also consider a duty of care platform that provides access to in-region security resources for advice and on-the-ground response. By centralizing traveler data and response coordination on a single platform, businesses gain an always-on duty of care capacity that strengthens traveler safety, satisfaction, and productivity anywhere staff operates.

When events like viral outbreaks or impending natural disasters occur, some professionals may be caught off guard. Companies must implement crisis response plans outlining how to safeguard and support travelers in such situations. Having open communication channels provides consistent safety updates to employees while giving leadership the information they need to limit travel or mandate remote work if necessary during acute events. By scenario planning, managers can help eliminate weaknesses in the duty of care plan, coordinate informed responses, and demonstrate organizational commitment to traveler well-being.