Eight in 10 business travellers engage in risky behaviour

Younger travellers especially prone to taking chances

As many as 79% of business travellers are engaging in risky behaviours they wouldn’t consider at home, raising concerns about duty of care, a new survey shows.

The data has been released as part of global travel risk management company World Travel Protection’s annual survey of business traveller sentiment in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Australia.

According to the survey, eight in 10 business travellers engage in behaviours on a work trip that they wouldn't normally, including gambling or using illicit substances, getting into a car with a stranger, and ignoring local safety advice.

Only 20% of respondents said they behaved in the same way on the road as they would at home.

Younger business travellers, those just entering the workforce or early in their careers, are especially prone to taking chances, often in ways that increase personal risk.

Travellers under 34 are nearly four times more likely than older colleagues (55+) to ignore health advice such as drinking tap water or eating at questionable venues; they are also more likely to ride motorbikes and electric scooters and engage in other risky recreational activities.

In contrast, older business travellers (55+) are far more likely to stick to their habits, with four in 10 (42%) stating they don’t behave any differently while travelling, compared to just 15% of those under 34.

“While engaging in these kinds of risky behaviours may seem fun at the time, they not only endanger the traveller but also place employers in a challenging position,” said Frank Harrison, Regional Security Director, Americas, World Travel Protection.

“This data is a reminder of companies’ legal and moral obligation to ensure the safety of travelling employees, or what we refer to as duty of care. Failing to uphold this obligation can carry serious legal consequences.”

The increasingly volatile travel climate has reinvigorated a discussion among business leaders about how to identify and mitigate the many unique risks associated with work travel. These include risks associated with the journey itself, as well as how employees behave when they reach their destination.

“Before they travel, employers should educate employees on local risks, help them plan ahead, and make sure they’re prepared to make safe decisions while on the road,” added Harrison.