Enhancing the well-being of frequent business travelers through sustainable practices

When it comes to safeguarding the well-being of business travelers, travel policies often concentrate on conventional areas of risk management, such as in-country safety, pandemic health concerns, and civil disturbance. However, they may overlook the social aspect of the organization’s sustainability framework. Sustainability encompasses not only the health of the planet but also the well-being of individuals.

While a portion of the workforce may travel for business, it is the frequent business travelers who require a greater level of care. Are they able to maintain a healthy diet, get adequate sleep, and continue their exercise regime during their travels? These considerations may not be part of the organization’s travel policies, but they are crucial to ensuring the overall well-being of frequent business travelers.

Many organizations already prioritize employee wellness in the workplace and company culture, but it is equally important to address the well-being of those who frequently travel. This blog offers tips to organizations on how to improve the well-being of their frequent business travelers, as part of their broader sustainability goals.

Health and well-being impacts

Frequent business travel can take a toll on both the physical and mental health of travelers. Being away from home and loved ones, disruptions to daily routines, and lack of familiar comforts can lead to unhealthy habits, poor sleep patterns, feelings of loneliness, and increased stress levels.

Businesses and their travelers understand business travel is critical for organizational growth, building important partnerships, maintaining customer relationships, and boosting productivity. Focusing on more purposeful travel and ensuring those that must travel frequently are supported by the right travel program and policy, to accommodate good health and well-being practices, will not only enhance the travel experience but also promote a positive and productive outcome.

Traveler behavior

When creating or evaluating a travel policy, organizations need to have a comprehensive understanding of their frequent travelers. This includes identifying their business purpose, demographic, and specific travel trends and behaviors. By analyzing frequent travelers’ booking patterns, organizations can gain valuable insights into areas of the travel policy that require attention.

Organizations should also encourage their frequent travelers to share feedback on the current travel policy to identify areas for improvement. This collaborative approach can help ensure that the travel policy aligns with the needs and expectations of frequent travelers, resulting in a more effective and efficient travel program.

To make informed decisions around traveler well-being, Travel Managers may review the following:

• What time of day are they traveling and how often?
• If traveling internationally, how many time zones do they cross?
• What fare class (economy, premium, business, first) are they booking versus flight duration?
• How many days are they away from home?
• Are they traveling on weekends to accommodate work commitments?

Corporate Travel Management (CTM) provides customers with an intuitive traveler well-being dashboard within the CTM Data Hub reporting tool which enables Travel Managers to identify travel behaviors and trends which could impact the well-being of travelers. They can dissect data down to an individual traveler level and view a broad range of well-being travel metrics to identify potential triggers of traveler fatigue and risk.

Review your preferred travel suppliers

The ability to support business travel with health and well-being services that your frequent travelers want and need will be important for traveler experience, productivity, employee satisfaction, and retention.

Some areas for consideration:

• Are there apartment hotels on the travel program to allow travelers to cook fresh meals?
• Are hotels centrally located, allowing travelers to walk and enjoy fresh air between appointments?
• Do your hotel suppliers have an onsite gym or partner with neighboring facilities?
• Is your business aligned with hotels/airlines that offer wellness programs?
• Is your business aligned with hotels/car rental/airlines that support sustainable initiatives for the environmentally conscious traveler and business?

For frequent travelers, the hours in the air quickly add up over the year. While sedentary in a seat with limited options for movement or choice of food, keeping healthy while flying can be a challenge. In recent years some airlines have stepped up to the plate to provide in-flight wellness programs, including meditation apps, yoga videos designed for in-flight stretching, improved blankets and bedding, and healthier meals. T

here is also the consideration of rail, especially throughout Europe where many airlines are canceling services that are less than 2.5 hours in duration. Not only is the use of rail a more sustainable choice, but from a wellness perspective, travelers also have more time to rest, move about, and work (if they choose) as they are not spending time in security, customs, and boarding lines.

Wellness solutions have also moved into hotel rooms, and are no longer solely about beauty treatments. Health and well-being amenities can be personalized and booked based on a traveler’s preference. Some hotels now offer yoga mats with on-demand yoga videos, meditation apps to promote mindful breathing, virtual fitness classes, cooking demonstrations, and even telemedicine consultations.

Flexible travel policies

For the benefit of frequent business travelers, providing flexibility within travel policies to address travelers’ specific needs is crucial for a successful travel experience. This can be achieved through individual or departmental-level approval processes.

Offering bleisure travel options empowers travelers to decide if they want to extend their stay for a break before returning to work. Providing the ability to adjust flight plans for longer or earlier departures can enhance this experience.

Including premium or business class options for domestic and international travel, as well as lounge access during lengthy transit times or potential flight cancellations or delays, can help travelers to arrive well-rested and productive.

Key takeaways to support the well-being of frequent business travelers

By taking these steps, businesses can help promote a healthier and happier lifestyle for frequent business travelers.

• Review your travel program and policy to ensure it accommodates good health and well-being practices.
• Use data to understand who your frequent travelers are and their travel behaviors to make informed improvements to travel programs and policies.
• Ensure your hotel/air/car suppliers support your organization’s overall health, wellness, and sustainability goals.
• Provide opportunities for employees to disconnect from work and engage in relaxation activities, such as yoga or the inclusion of bleisure travel to allow downtime before or after a business trip.
• Introduce rail (where available) to reduce transit time and instead create more time for rest or productivity during travel.
• Offer support and resources for managing stress and maintaining mental well-being while traveling.
• Introduce flexible travel policies that meet the unique needs of frequent travelers.

Global network, local solutions

CTM’s global technology strategy is delivered by regional development teams which work out of technology hubs in all four of the market regions we operate. Within these hubs, our cross-functional teams work closely together on projects with an immediacy that delivers results. While our global network is underpinned by compatible systems and processes in every market, our local tech teams understand exactly what is happening on the ground in their regions. They liaise directly with customers to ensure localized, tailored solutions that are both meaningful and relevant to businesses of all sizes.

Technology that delivers

CTM recognises the role agility can play in meeting and exceeding customer expectations. Our technology development roadmaps are built around tomorrow’s travel landscape, ensuring we are always one step ahead. Whether keeping travellers informed while on the road or allowing Travel Arrangers to make the best decisions for their businesses, CTM has powerful and reliable tools to meet our customers’ unique and ever-changing travel needs.