INSIGHTS
Essential safety tips for business travellers
Staying safe and minimising personal risk while travelling for business is very important. How do you, as a business traveller or corporate event attendee, keep yourself and your travelling companions safe, healthy, and secure while on business travel? We've outlined several important tips you should incorporate into your business travel routine.
Get to know your corporate safety and travel policies
Before leaving for any trip, be sure you're aware of your company's duty of care policies. These policies should outline how the organisation plans to protect your well-being while travelling for business. Policies can include pre-travel training, travel insurance, emergency contact numbers, risk assessments for international travel, and rules for air travel, ground transportation, and hotels.
Know who to go to when things go wrong
Keep a list of your company's emergency contacts, including your travel company, on hand, along with local emergency numbers. Know the procedures to report incidents and don't be afraid to ask for help.
Travelling safely via ride-sharing services
Ride-sharing services like Uber are one of the most popular ground transport options for business travellers, and here are a few tips for staying safe:
Verify identity: Double-check the driver's name, photo, and vehicle details, then ask the driver to confirm their name before getting in the vehicle.
Pick up in public: Select a busy, well-lit pick-up location. Airports and hotels often have specific ride-sharing pickup zones designed with safety in mind.
Tell a friend: Most services, including Uber, allow you to share your trip details with trusted contacts. They also offer tools such as real-time tracking and emergency buttons that will immediately contact authorities. Familiarise yourself with these tools so you can quickly engage them.
Hotel security for business travellers
A business class hotel can serve as your "home away from home" when travelling on business. Unfortunately, busy hotels can pose their own safety and security risks. Here are a few important safety tips:
Perform a hotel safety check: Locate the nearest exits and study the emergency evacuation plans. It's ok to ask hotel staff about their security measures.
Keep that room number under wraps: Avoid saying your room number aloud. If the reception announces it audibly, ask for another room. Opt for mobile check-in, if available.
Verify visitors: If anyone comes to your room claiming to be hotel staff, verify their identity by calling reception before letting them in.
Be careful with Wi-Fi: Hotel and public Wi-Fi networks are often unsecured, making them an easy target for cyber-criminals. Avoid accessing sensitive information when connected to public Wi-Fi. When you must connect, ensure connections are encrypted or use a VPN.
Safety when using food delivery services
It's been a long day and you're hungry, but don't let your hunger outweigh safety. When using food delivery services like DoorDash, here are a few tips you can follow:
Meet in public: Avoid giving strangers access to your floor and room by picking up food in the lobby or designated area.
Opt for contactless delivery: If you can't meet in the lobby, have the delivery person leave your meal at your door. Never let a delivery person into your room.
Check packaging: Most restaurants will seal bags or boxes to prevent tampering. If the packaging seems compromised, don't accept the delivery.
Recognise signs of human trafficking
Being vigilant and recognising signs of human trafficking helps to protect your safety and could help in the rescue of victims. Here are some ways to protect yourself, and others, from human traffickers:
Be vigilant of unusual activity: Multiple people entering and leaving a room at all hours, especially in a seemingly secretive manner, should raise a red flag.
Watch for abnormally high security: Multiple locks, barred windows, or surveillance cameras in non-typical places may be a sign of illicit activity.
Verify hotel security measures: A well-managed hotel usually has systems to deter or identify criminal activities, including human trafficking. If the hotel seems to lack such measures, it could pose a safety risk.
Report it: If something feels wrong, inform officials so they can take appropriate measures, which may include contacting authorities.
As a business traveller, you are uniquely positioned to be an extra set of eyes and ears that can make a significant difference.
Business travel safety: a collaborative effort
While companies need to fulfil their duty of care responsibilities, individual travellers must also act responsibly and take precautions to protect their own well-being. By following these tips, you can contribute to a safer, more secure travelling experience for yourself and others.