Communications
An effective travel risk management program hinges on the awareness and participation of your employees. That is why effective communication plays such a significant role.
Implementing your travel risk management program is just the beginning, success relies on keeping employees well-informed, trained, and knowledgeable about the processes to reap the benefits of a well-managed travel risk management program.
All stakeholders involved in your organization’s travel risk management program play a pivotal role as communication champions, not just the travel department, but also human resources, security teams, legal, risk management, and executive management.
Leverage diverse communication channels to reach your employees and keep them informed about your policies, procedures, and support available to them during business travel. It's essential for your organization to assess all available communication avenues and tailor a cohesive strategy that aligns with your organizational culture and operational landscape, considering the following methods of communication:
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Employee orientation
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Annual training (i.e., in-person, online, etc.)
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Targeted training (i.e., frequent travelers, individual risk profile, etc.)
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Organizational intranet sites
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Organizational mobile applications
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TMC/ Third-party assistance provider mobile applications
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Email or instant messaging (i.e., MS Teams, Yammer, Slack, etc.)
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Face-to-face meetings
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Video posts
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Podcasts
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Blogs
Communication of policies and procedures should be seamlessly integrated throughout the traveler's journey, employing proactive measures and providing real-time updates during travel. Here is a checklist of travel risk management program information to consider for communication:
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Travel health, safety, and security measures as part of your travel policy or as part of a stand-alone travel risk management policy
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Travel approval process and applicable restrictions
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Availability of pre-departure destination information and travel checklists
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Availability of travel security training and available specialized training (i.e., LGBTQ+, minoritized employees, etc.)
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Instruct employees on who to contact and how to request assistance during travel (i.e., medical, security, insurance, legal, financial, etc.) whether that is supported in-house or through a third-party assistance provider
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Ensure employee contact information is updated and correct, including emergency contacts to ensure they can be reached during an incident
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Post-travel surveys that include questions on safety-related matters