Travel Policies Can Make or Break Employee Retention
More than a third of hiring managers report candidates asking to see the company’s travel policy during the interview process
Traveling for work can be a boon and a burden to employees, according to the experts at ViewFrom36k, a leading corporate travel source. Companies need to strike a delicate balance that considers both budgets and traveler satisfaction—if they don’t, they risk their best employees becoming unhappy.
“Work travel offers a host of benefits to an organization,” said Gabe Rizzi, President of Travel Leaders Corporate, a division of Travel Leaders Group, the organization behind ViewFrom36k. “From getting in front of customers, to building relationships among teams, there is no substitute for in-person work. But the travel that comes with it can lead to burnout, especially if an organization has a punitive travel policy. Top performers will soon tire of this and seek other places that offer more flexible policies that keep the traveler top of mind.”
Refusing to change an unpopular travel policy can be costly, according to a white paper published by ViewFrom360K. The Society for Human Resource Management estimates that bringing on a new employee is cost-equivalent to six to nine months of their salary.
ViewFrom36k offers the following advice to corporate travel departments:
* Well-constructed travel policies make good business sense. Don’t look at travel as simply a line item in the budget.
* Shift your mindset to how travel builds business, and the human cost of a too-strict travel policy.
* Think like a traveler. Typically, travelers want a corporate travel policy that puts them first, gives them flexibility, lets them use easy mobile platforms for booking and expenses, and gives the option of talking to a travel advisor who can help them with their travel issues at any time of the day or night.
* Don’t forget about Duty of Care. Your employees want and deserve to feel safe while traveling for work. Knowing that your company has a robust Duty of Care policy sets their minds at ease and is a building block to a traveler-centric policy.
Flexibility is good, but you still need a detailed travel policy. The ViewFrom36k article cites a report from a respected business travel publication noting that employees value structure — the least happy were those working for organizations that had no policies. A well-written, traveler-centric policy provides a framework that travelers desire.
“No one wants to see good workers leave over their unhappiness with work travel,” Rizzi commented. “ViewFrom36k’sgoal is to start this discussion in order to prevent retention issues. With the right partners, it is possible to have a travel policy that travelers love, and that fits the budget.”
ViewFrom36k is a thought-leading digital content hub developed by Travel Leaders Group that gives a comprehensive big-picture view of business travel, along with the solutions needed to lower costs, increase traveler satisfaction and drive revenue growth.
