Business Travel Executive, December 2015

18Business Travel Executive DECEMBER 2015 TOTAL COST OF TRAVEL Cool The Burnout In the second of two parts we look at what can be done to keep your frequent travelers traveling frequently Your companys high frequency high value travelers are among your teams most indispensable members But too much travel friction can lead to road warrior burnout and a costly war for talent In last months installment we looked at three simple steps to analyze and begin addressing the risks of burnout First using objective metrics identify those road warriors who are at risk Second determine the cost of attrition if you lose these team members what will it cost to replace them And third share the findings with senior management and be prepared to present ways to act on the information This month its time to consider some realistic solutions Reward and Recognition Some companies reward their travelers with time off to make up for traveling for work on personal time say when someone gives up a Sunday night to make a 9 oclock Monday morning meeting three time zones away Other firms split cost savings when the traveler beats a trip budget Fly coach when youre eligible for business class and get half the difference or maybe a free coach class ticket for your spouse It doesnt reduce travel wear and tear but it does ease some of the resentment What all firms should do Recognize frequent travelers with simple thank yous from senior management Hi Kelly thanks so much for all the long trips you took last quarter I really appreciate your working to build our business Less Travel This may be the most obvious answer and the most difficult to implement after all road warriors by definition need to travel a lot But start by asking the key question Hey Kelly can you keep this amount of travel up for the next few months If not please says so and well take a good look at options If Kelly cant sustain the level of travel then ask what she needs to keep her reasonably happy The key is to check in by asking then acting Healthier and Safer Travel Road warriors worry about their health and safety during travel more than you realize so recognizing those concerns will go a long way toward reducing traveler friction Consider these options Provide black car service for travelers arriving at night or in a higher risk city or coming in on redeye flights to avoid self driven road accidents Provide counseling to travelers who have anxiety about aspects of traveling thats 10 percent of road warriors by one indicator in tClaras research Pre trip medical advice can help with chronic medical conditions temporary health problems or destination specific health risks Encourage and reward travelers for healthy habits on the road with tips on eating drinking exercise and sleep More Productive Travel Improving overall trip productivity is a top priority for many road warriors Here are some tips Reimburse for airport lounge memberships and onboard WiFi fees Book fewer connecting flights whenever possible to reduce the stress of missed connections and lost luggage Educate travelers about on demand resources like LiquidSpace for small meetings Task Rabbit for quick errands or DUFL for luggage less travel Ensure travelers have the right tools a great laptop a smartphone with strong coverage and a list of recommended travel apps More Convenient Travel About two thirds of road warriors time in flight is on their own time outside of normal office hours significantly reducing time for their personal lives Here are some strategies to ease the frustration Encourage more convenient flight times fewer early morning departures and late evening arrivals Cut down on flights early Monday or late Friday or worse over the weekend by discouraging the scheduling of meetings first thing Monday or late Friday Make sure travelers can stay at hotels near their meeting destination Provide black car meet and greet service for easier ground transfers Provide on call access to well trained travel agents to help sort out the inevitable disruptions Reimburse for TSA PreCheck and GOES Global Entry services More Comfortable Travel Before concluding that companies should not spend money to make travel more comfortable realize that comfortable travel is basically a proxy for healthy safe convenient and productive travel Approve business class for flights longer than six to eight hours the results are better rest more room to be productive in flight and less likelihood of deep vein thrombosis Approve cabin upgrades for any travelers who have medical conditions think bad back or obesity issues Allow travelers to use higher quality hotels to ensure a better nights sleep healthier dining options and access to good fitness facilities Yes travel thats more comfortable is likely to cost more But thats the whole point of the Total Cost of Travel paradigm If a company can reduce attrition among high value road warriors while improving their productivity and overall success then these extra costs are not really extra at all BTE Learn more about travel friction at Scotts blog Gillespies Guide to Travel Procurement By Scott Gillespie