6 Risk Management Clauses For Travel Policies to Protect Staff

Do you have a comprehensive travel programme that meets your duty of care obligations and keeps your employees safe while away? 

Travel programmes or policies are essential if frequent travel plays an important role in your business’s operations. Even the occasional business trip requires at least a basic policy to ensure your employees’ safety while they’re on the road. 

It’s not just about protecting your employees, although that is the primary purpose. A travel programme that includes risk management and safety measures also protects your business from legal action should significant harm occur. 

Developing a travel programme is only half the battle, however. In December 2023, The Business Travel Magazine published some worrying statistics supplied by Enterprise Mobility. Only 30% of employees have read some of their company’s policy, or have read it but don’t understand it. Worse, 10% reported they haven’t read the policy, and 7% don’t even know if their company has one.

We’ll explore six non-negotiable risk management clauses essential to your policy. 

1. Pre-Travel Risk Assessments

The aim is to be proactive rather than reactive. Pre-travel assessments identify potential risks, so you can mitigate or avoid them altogether.  

Risks that flag attention include:

• Health risks: Sudden outbreak of diseases (new Covid variant)
• Security risks: Civil or political unrest and acts of terrorism
• Compliance risks: Visa and entry requirements (specific vaccinations)
• Financial risks: Currency fluctuations, chronic overspending, fraud 
• Destination-related risks: Crime rate and patterns (high rate of GBV) and predisposition to natural disasters
• Individual risks: Health conditions, fatigue, and burnout

If the risk level is high, cancel the trip and work with the other party to come to a mutually beneficial solution, for example, meeting at a neutral location.

2. Emergency Response Plan

One should always plan for the worst; that way, there’s no panic when things go spectacularly wrong. It’s also important to have backup plans if any options aren’t viable.

A response plan should include:

• Plans B, C, and D
• Clear crisis communication procedures
• 24/7 customer care services
• Guaranteed evacuation due to medical reasons and compromised safety due to civil unrest or a natural disaster

On that note, ensure you have comprehensive medical travel insurance to cover expensive procedures, like an emergency appendectomy and repatriation.

3. Inclusion and Accessibility Provisions

Risk management should be flexible enough to accommodate employees’ specific safety needs. For example, LGBTQIA+ travellers face safety risks, like hate crimes. 

Others who need flexibility in travel policies include:

• Disabled travellers: They have special needs when it comes to travel, accommodation, and accessible meeting venues.   
• Women alone: Sadly, women travelling alone are more at risk than men travelling solo. They face harassment and could be vulnerable when using public transportation. A designated driver is a good idea.
• Racial/religious profiling: Some countries or regions aren’t exactly known for their religious or racial tolerance.  

Ensure your employees understand the risks and give them the option to decline (without judgement) if they’re not confident in their safety. 

4. Assess Accommodation and Transport

Safety and well-being are intertwined with accommodation and transport. 

When it comes to transport:

• Certain airlines have a terrible safety record or have a reputation for rudeness.  Other airlines might cost more, but at least your employees will be safe and can enjoy friendlier service.
• One or two of your employees might be afraid of flying. Instead of forcing them to fly, allow them to travel by train or bus. Or, let them drive themselves, provided the destination isn’t too far away. 

When it comes to accommodation:

• Options here include hotels, guest houses, and Airbnb. Whichever one you choose must meet your safety and security requirements. For example, guest houses must have CCTV security systems.
• Hotels must meet specific specs. For example, a minimum of three stars, secure underground parking, and public reviews above a certain score (4.2 out of five).

Only approved accommodation options can be used. 

5. Clear Insurance and Health Guidelines

Business travel insurance is non-negotiable. It provides your employees with peace of mind, knowing emergency costs are covered and they won’t be out of pocket if the airport loses their luggage.

Travel insurance typically covers:

• Medical emergencies
• Flight disruptions
• Theft
• Evacuation and repatriation

Insurance helps you meet duty of care obligations while protecting your business from major financial loss.

6. Technology for Real-Time Tracking and Compliance

Real-time tracking tools provide essential information related to traveller safety and policy compliance. 

• Location tracking shows you exactly where your employees are if you need to dispatch assistance immediately.
• Travel-related data tracking covers the number of flights per employee, trip duration, and long-haul flights to identify potential burnout and ease stress and pressure. 
• Expense tracking monitors employees’ spending, catching out-of-policy payments and maverick spending. 

It’s important to explain to employees the tools used and data captured. They must understand the features, like real-time communication, so they follow the proper protocols. They must know the type of data captured to ensure their privacy is protected. They must give informed consent to use their personal data for monitoring and analysis purposes.

Prioritising People

Risk management is an essential component of comprehensive business travel policies. However, there is a risk that without proper training, employees might not even know that you have a policy, let alone how to use it. 

Training is pivotal to successful policy implementation, and feedback is necessary to keep your policy relevant to your employees’ needs. 

Remember that there is no one-size-fits-all policy. Maintain flexibility to accommodate personal preferences and protect those who are especially at-risk during travel, like disabled and LGBTQIA+ travellers. 

Clearly prioritising your people on business trips is one of the best ways to improve employee satisfaction, and, as a result, employee performance, and retention.

Posted on 10 April 2026 by VMR Travel