Using Data Analytics to Identify Traveller Burnout and Optimise Well-Being

Travelling for business isn’t cheap. But did you know that poorly managed (or non-existent) travel policies can bump up expenses due to burnout and its effects, including declining motivation and poor performance? While many businesses have realised that prioritising employee well-being combats burnout, relatively few successfully implement or maintain their policy.

This means that traveller burnout continues to pose a business risk because exhausted employees often leave to escape the burden and poor performance can sour business relationships and tarnish your reputation. It’s difficult to come back from that kind of damage. 

The solution lies in data analytics. Analytics delves into essential travel-related data, providing quantifiable metrics that can guide your travel policy and not only prevent burnout, but also provide insights into other aspects of corporate travel that can save you money.

The Toll of Excessive Travel on Road Warriors

Burnout is insidious. It creeps in as stressors continue unabated. These include frequent trips with short breaks in between, disruptions to travel methods, unexpected changes to schedules and agendas, and little to no recovery time after long-haul journeys. In fact, research shows that employees who go on six or more trips a month are extremely vulnerable to burnout. 

Burnout symptoms include:

• A physical and emotional toll on travellers, leading to anxiety, insomnia, and, in some cases, obesity. 
• Weight gain is largely due to packed schedules that don’t leave time for physical activity. Employees spend most of their time sitting indoors, eating unhealthy food. For example, snacks provided in meetings (muffins, doughnuts), and fast food just to have something quick to eat before crawling into bed.
• Concentration is affected most, leading to silly errors and, in extreme cases, catastrophic mistakes. 
• Engagement suffers, which clients might perceive as disrespectful. They become apathetic and just don’t care anymore. It’s around this point that previously high-performing professionals leave for jobs that offer a better work-life balance. 

Replacing professionals is expensive due to the lengthy recruitment process. But the more serious concern is the loss of institutional knowledge when employees leave. It takes a long time for new hires to deliver the same returns.

How Data Analytics Prevent Traveller Burnout

The information gained and reports generated from data analysis enables you to proactively address burnout. You can prevent burnout rather than react to it.

Analytics findings form the basis for travel policies tailored to your business, for example:

• Monitoring geopolitical tensions in your most frequent destinations. You can avoid these destinations with video calls or develop a risk management and safety plan you can implement should the situation worsen.
• Include a process that covers what to do in health emergencies, from a sudden case of Covid to a traffic accident. Different emergencies require different solutions, so come up with a few scenarios to guide the correct actions. 
• Behaviour tracking isn’t about pointing fingers should an employee spend a few nights at local hotspots, like clubs and restaurants – unless it affects performance or blows the expense budget. Instead, it’s about determining their preferences and well-being needs on trips. For instance, Peter uses exercise to relax, so a hotel with amenities that include a pool or gym are ideal.

Analytics can also look into travel schedules and downtime to identify employees at risk of burnout. You can then adjust your (flexible) travel policy as you take these factors into account. 

Putting Data to Good Use

Data generated by analytics has two primary benefits.

• It identifies problems
• It suggests solutions

It’s an all-round service that helps you cover every contingency. It also enables you to establish internal policies, set limits, and guide behaviour to optimise well-being.

For example:

• Including recovery days for long-haul trips; either a few days off after the meetings for some sightseeing, or a day or two off they can spend recovering at home. The importance of downtime is evidenced in an Opinium survey commissioned by World Travel Protection (May 2024).
  The survey found that 28% of business travellers would appreciate a personal day, and 27% said they’d be more likely to remain at a company that provided personal days. 
• Bleisure (business and leisure) is becoming increasingly popular, as businesses add some leisure elements to the trip.
• Flexible booking so employees can make travel arrangements that support their well-being, like direct flights or long layovers, arrival a day or two before business kicks off so they can adjust to different time zones.
• Potential for upgrades, like premium economy or business class if your budget allows. Access to airport lounges, hotel suites rather than rooms, designated driver for the duration of the trip, etc.

Remember to address mental health. Well-being apps are useful. They can include guided meditations, yoga classes, alerts for regular breaks during meetings, and affirmations. Also, ensure HR is trained to spot signs of burnout or mental fatigue, so they can intervene before it becomes a crisis.

The Value of Data Analytics in Preventing Burnout

Most solutions increase travel expenses. So, while businesses are happy enough to develop travel policies that prioritse employee well-being, they seldom stick to them. This is a double blow to travellers dealing with burnout, because it gives the impression that business owners are content to sacrifice their health and safety to save a few pounds. 

The reality is that your company’s future depends entirely on your staff’s motivation and performance. Emphasising employee well-being in your travel policy keeps them happy, motivated, and keen to always perform at their best. 

Isn’t that worth the investment?

Posted on 9 January 2026 by VMR Travel