How to create a travel policy that enhances workplace culture

Top companies around the world are raising the bar and their productivity by establishing travel policies that have a positive effect on employees and enhance workplace culture.

The benefits of a flexible travel policy come in the form of greater employee engagement and increased job satisfaction, both of which have a positive effect on the bottom line.

Find out more about how a well thought out travel policy can help improve your workplace.

Let employees reap the rewards

Business travel has its challenges: flight delays, lost hotel reservations and missing luggage. Reward your employees for their travel time and efforts by allowing them to keep the airline, hotel and rental car loyalty program points they earn from business travel.

Even better, choose a system that also rewards your company with discounts for your spending. That makes it a win-win.

Encourage autonomy

Trusting employees to do what's reasonable and not take advantage of travel expense reimbursements has worked for companies in the past. Project management software creator Basecamp has a no-limits expense policy and provides employees with American Express cards in their names. Giving employees the freedom to use their own judgment and travel for work when they deem necessary allows them to do their jobs unimpeded and creates a sense of empowerment as well as responsibility.

Netflix and Virgin Group are two companies that offer staff unlimited vacation days. In return, they get high performing, results-oriented employees. The underlying logic – that trusting employees engenders accountability and ownership on their part – has paid off in numerous ways.

Keep expense reports simple

Platforms and apps like Foreceipt, Expensify and Shoeboxed make it easier for traveling employees to organize receipts and submit expense reports from wherever they might be. That makes it easier for you to track expenses.

Quick turnaround on travel expense approval and reimbursement is crucial to keep employees productive and motivated – and to keep them from looking for jobs elsewhere. Expense advances provided before travel can also help employees feel their needs are important and that they’re respected and valued.

Make booking options flexible

Booking flexibility also enhances employee engagement. Giving employees the option to work with travel agents instead of self-booking their travel allows them to make their own choices about their travel, but with professional guidance and assistance. The practice has proven profitable to companies that offer these types of travel booking options, including the pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk.

It's to everyone's benefit to be aware of the importance of personal time to employees. That might mean paying for a more expensive ticket to fly them home on Fridays rather than Saturdays, so they can enjoy the weekend with their families. It's also important to keep in mind the benefits of flying business class on long-haul flights so employees can arrive for meetings overseas refreshed and ready to take on the world.

Keep employee safety in mind by ensuring that caps on hotel rates don't compromise their security. Encourage them to extend their stays and combine business with leisure if they would like to do so.

Although employees would pay for their hotel stays outside of days required for business, they can save money on vacation flights by adding a leisure component to a business trip. Allowing an employee to extend a trip to Los Angeles to enjoy the city over the weekend after the work is done – for example – can boost morale, motivation and engagement.

What are some of the elements of your workplace’s travel policy? Share them with us on Facebook. Plus, check out some of our other travel tips for your next business trip.