Are Employers Responsible for Employees Travelling to Work?

Are employers responsible for employees travelling to work? Well, it depends on the kind of travel. 

The daily travel of an employee to and from the office is not an employer's responsibility. However, when it comes to travelling for work, like business trips, the employer is responsible not just for the employee’s safety, but also for their accommodation, transportation, meals and other costs directly associated with the work travel. 

Regardless of whether it’s a daily commute or a business trip, the employer has the duty of care to keep the workplace safe for all employees.

What Is Duty of Care?

A duty of care is one’s obligation to keep others safe and avoid causing possible harm to another person or their property. Having this duty means you are responsible for their safety and health. For employers, this means they must keep their employees safe when they’re at their workplace or on official business travel.

All Australian companies have a duty of care regardless of the nature of business, so this duty is not limited to high-risk jobs. All companies are legally obligated to take reasonable steps to keep their employees and others affected by the business and its activities safe from harm.

Keeping Employees Safe When They Travel

As the world continues to become interconnected, business travel remains a common and essential activity. However, it also introduces various risks ranging from health issues to security threats. By prioritising travel safety, employers not only fulfil their duty of care but also enhance employee well-being and productivity. They must adopt the following practices to establish reliable support systems and protect their employees.

1. Orient employees with the company travel policy

A travel policy is a company’s rules and procedures that outline the elements that clarify protocols for employee travel. It’s a set of guidelines for official business trips and usually outlines things like booking procedures, the reimbursement process and allowable costs of booking.

When you orient employees with the company travel policy, they can make informed decisions and prepare for potential challenges such as security risks or health issues.

2. Have emergency support available 24/7

As an employer who’s responsible for their travelling employees’ safety, you must ensure that your employees can receive immediate assistance in case of emergencies, such as medical issues, accidents or security threats, regardless of time zones or geographical location. Furthermore, 24/7 emergency support demonstrates the company's commitment to its duty of care, enhancing employee trust and loyalty.

Examples of emergency support include access to medical care, communication support and insurance coverage.

3. Ensure the safety of their accommodation and transportation

An employer’s legal obligation to protect their employees' well-being includes providing safe accommodation and transportation that minimises the risk of harm. They can ensure the safety of the accommodations and transportation methods by conducting research, assessing the locations and booking with trusted providers.

4. Provide travel insurance

Ensuring your employees’ safety includes providing them with the proper travel insurance that can provide financial security during business trips. Travel insurance can protect employees when issues such as medical emergencies, trip cancellations and lost baggage arise.

5. Implement a tracking system

Software that tracks daily trip data and expense records enables employees to report expenses as they occur, allowing for timely monitoring and verification. This reduces the risk of fraud and ensures that employees are not financially burdened. The software can also ensure that employees adhere to company travel policies.

ProSpend’s Travel Manager sends you trip details from a daily feed from your travel management company so your employees don't have to keep physical receipts. It also uses automation to match travel details with traveller and expense records.

Risks Involved in Business Travel

Business travel comes with a range of inherent risks that can impact both employees and organisations. Understanding and addressing these risks is crucial for safeguarding employees and optimising the success of business travel.

1. Health risks

Changing one’s environment can expose them to various health risks, such as exposure to unfamiliar diseases. A long-distance trip can also lead to stress and fatigue.

2. Political risks

When your destination has political instability, there can be significant risks such as protests that disrupt transport or, in more extreme cases, military conflict.

3. Safety risks

Personal safety risks are often a traveller’s worry. These include theft, assault and road accidents.

4. Environmental risks

Environmental risks refer to natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or other disasters that are common in that area. These events may require immediate evacuation measures.

5. Cybersecurity risks

Many travellers rely on technology and connectivity that can expose them to cybersecurity risks such as data theft. Software that can match digital receipts to the traveller can decrease their need to log in and enter data each time, thus decreasing exposure to cybersecurity risks.

Take Care of Your Travelling Employees With a Travel and Expense Management System

Implementing a robust travel and expense management system is essential for taking comprehensive care of employees who travel for work.

Part of ensuring the safety of travelling employees is accurately tracking and reimbursing expenses related to accommodation, transportation and other travel necessities. By doing so, the company demonstrates its commitment to employee well-being and financial security.