It’s always important to maintain reliable business operations whether your fleet team delivers products up and down the country or you have some of your best employees traveling for work to meet clients. But, while work and travel can be enjoyable, it also comes with several risks that can affect your team and your company. With that in mind, managers need to learn how to look after employees who travel for work, whether by air or via the roads.
Arrange Their Transport
If an employee is flying overseas or across the country, it’s up to you to arrange their transport. Of course, as a busy business owner, you may not have the time to do this yourself. Instead, your assistant or HR Can take the reins and organize the flight and any transport to the airport. This can relieve the stress from your employee and give them a chance to focus more on the project they are completing while also preparing for any meetings. Share this info with your employee as soon as it’s ready.
Check In With Them After Arrival
Traveling for work can be a lonely experience, especially if they only meet with clients for a few hours. Furthermore, they may get in late and encounter issues at the hotel. As the manager, you should check in with your team whenever they arrive. Not only does this confirm they made it to the right place on time, but it also reminds them that you care about their wellbeing, so they won’t feel so isolated in new cities or countries where they don’t know anyone.
Subsidize Essentials
Travel can be expensive, whether taking taxis or paying for gas during long trips. The least you can do is subsidize essentials, including a daily stipend for food and accommodation. If you run a delivery or shipping company, providing fleet credit cards by Coast Pay can relieve the financial pressure of paying for a full tank of gas regularly throughout the trip, so your team shouldn’t need to dip into their pocket to pay for the job you should be paying them to do.
Maintain the Vehicles
Another issue to consider is safety. The safety aspect varies depending on what your employees do. Regular maintenance for any vehicles, such as trucks is crucial as it means you can catch problems before they cause significant damage. The same goes for your employees who drive to various cities to meet clients. A company is vital as you cannot expect your team to put thousands of miles on their own vehicle and cover the maintenance cost.
Remember How Exhausting Travel Can Be
Visiting new places can be exciting but continuous travel is also draining. When expecting the team to carry out these tasks, such as long-haul deliveries or client meetings, you must remember how exhausting travel can be and how it can contribute to mental health issues if not kept in check. It’s unfair to expect your team to arrive, complete the delivery, and turn around. Instead, give them a grace period to recharge. Not only will this benefit their mental health, but it also minimizes the risk of accidents and mistakes.
Train Them
Proper training is always vital for employee travel. This applies to your fleet drivers, so establishing driver training strategies can help them stay safe on the roads and avoid causing accidents. You should only hire people who possess a driving permit, as you wouldn’t want to pay for someone to get driving lessons. When you identify promising candidates, check that they have a driving license before making an offer and outline the training required.
Decide If The Trip Is Safe
Sometimes, you may need employees to travel somewhere that isn’t as safe. The most common example is dangerous driving conditions that could put your drivers and employees at risk should they use the road. Heavy rain, wind, snow, or ice are all reasons not to drive. If this is the case, speak to the client to determine whether they can wait a day or two for the weather to clear and ensure the road is safe or look for another solution to ensure the product is delivered on time.
Provide Emergency Contact Details
Since your team travels to places they’ve never been before, they need support in case they get into trouble, such as an accident or similar emergency. Whenever they travel, provide emergency contact details for the local emergency services in case they need them. Hopefully, it never comes to this and your employee may spend most of their time recharging in their hotel room. Still, it’s always better to be prepared to avoid any issues and ensure a safe, comfortable trip that helps them get back on time.
Maintain Records
Records will help you identify how much someone has traveled during the month, which is useful when arranging the schedule. You don’t want anyone to spend too long away from home, especially if they have a family, so use these records to outline a rota that suits everyone. Some countries have laws surrounding how many hours a driver can spend on the road over a specific period, so it’s worth bearing this in mind when arranging the schedule to ensure they do not work too much.
Encourage Them to Join Associations
Even though you want to do everything to protect your employees, you may not have as much power as you’d like. Instead, encouraging your employees, (especially truck drivers) to join unions or similar associations will provide even more protection. Furthermore, they can get more information and support about the job and regulations surrounding their role, so clients cannot demand too much from your team if you’re worried about their condition.
Travel
Traveling for work is a great chance to see more of the country or the world while building business relationships. It also ensures your team can deliver products on time every time. But while these are important elements of running a successful company, you must consider the potential risks associated with regular travel. By focusing on taking care of your team, you’ll help them avoid burnout and isolation to guarantee better performance and a better work-life balance.
