Duty of Care in the New Era: Domestic Travel Requires Vigilance, Too
Business travel was upended at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. As it begins to return, many restrictions are still in place in certain travel destinations, and traveler safety is still an important topic for procurement functions. Nonetheless, most of the attention of procurement organizations' duty of care initiatives has been focused on international travel when domestic travel requires the same amount of vigilance.
Here are just a few of the reasons domestic business travelers deserve the same level of care as international travelers.
Domestic Travelers Need the Same Safety Measures
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), domestic travelers should delay travel until they are up-to-date on all their COVID-19 vaccines. The CDC also recommends travelers check their destination's COVID-19 situation before arriving, as some locations may have higher rates of transmission than others. Finally, the CDC recommends travelers stay home if they are sick, or even if they've had close contact with an infected person.
Other duty of care requirements are the same for domestic and international travelers. Procurement functions need to keep their business travel policies up to date with evolving COVID-19 guidance, including any new restrictions or regulations. They should also have a duty of care plan that lays out what happens if an employee is infected while traveling, as well as how to handle employees who are returning from travel.
Medical Treatment Isn't Easily Accessible Everywhere
While duty of care plans can address this issue, procurement functions need to be aware that medical treatment may not always be as readily available at some domestic travel destinations. Medical systems are already overwhelmed with patients, and there may be long wait times at emergency rooms and urgent care clinics. This can create a significant barrier to care if a traveler suffers an emergency.
Even if a traveler receives excellent treatment, they may still be in an unfamiliar location when they recover. They may not know how to get back to where they are staying or where to go once they're feeling better. Procurement functions should consider solutions that provide travelers with medical assistance and travel security services at every destination. This way, even travelers who are sick won't be lost in an unfamiliar place.
Some Travelers May Not Take Precautions While Traveling Domestically
Although duty of care starts at the procurement organization, it ultimately relies on employee compliance. It is not uncommon for travelers to take risks if they are traveling to a location with which they are familiar. They may neglect to social distance or wear their masks properly while traveling, especially if they are traveling to a location with few restrictions. They may even neglect to report an incident.
Travelers should get the same training they'd receive before they travel internationally when traveling domestically. Procurement organizations should consider solutions that provide employees with on-demand support while traveling. Travelers can use intuitive tools like apps and cloud-based software to alert the organization if they are sick or in an emergency, as well as get answers to any questions they may have about their location.
Domestic Travelers Must Be Briefed on Risks and Restrictions
States in the U.S. have different rules and restrictions, so it can be confusing for travelers when they go from one state to the next. In most cases, travelers should stick to CDC guidelines to keep themselves safe. Nonetheless, they must understand what restrictions are in place at their destination and what will be required of them during their stay.
These are just a few of the travel safety measures procurement organizations should be implementing for their domestic business travelers:
- Checking local COVID restrictions at each stage of your trip, including hotels and rental cars
- Providing regular updates to domestic travelers about new COVID-19 guidelines or regulations in place before they arrive at their destination
- Encouraging telecommuting as much as possible
- Offering virtual meetings and other remote work tools
- Canceling or postponing trips to locations with high COVID-19 rates.
Ensuring Safe Domestic Travel
Just like with international travel, duty of care initiatives for domestic business travelers must include up-to-date information on COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, travel restrictions, and safety guidelines. By doing so, procurement organizations can help ensure the safety of their employees—no matter where they're traveling.
Duty of care is set to be a hot topic at the next ProcureCon Travel conference, happening from June 13th to 14th at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas, Rancho Mirage, CA. Download the agenda today.