Travelproof for Good Business

Proper planning prevents poor performance, a truism we’ve all heard before. And if as much thought went into getting to the meeting as went into its contents, just maybe the business might get better.

Traveller well-being, specifically business traveller well-being, how to travel through multiple time zones interrupting sleep patterns, mealtimes, daily rhythms and family life and still be at your best at the far end is a work in progress.

Travel and Transport Statesman, a leading London-based TMC is highlighting the increasing importance of personal well-being in the life of a business traveller through a long-term programme of traveller-centric initiatives :

Physical – how to use exercise and nutrition to combat the effects of jetlag, stress and poor sleep patterns

Mental – help to combat the loneliness (and possible depression) of regular, often foreign, hotel stays

Social – the need to connect with colleagues, fellow travellers and family whilst travelling

Intellectual – don’t underestimate the importance of noise-cancelling headphones – take advantage of the time you get to catch up on podcasts, assess the usefulness of the personal growth resources, learn a language or improve your industry knowledge

Occupational – consider your travel schedules and your own body clock. What works best for you transatlantic, or Far East or Europe; low cost flight and great hotel for a longer stay maybe and business class with a budget hotel for a one-meet / one day trip?

“Perhaps too often companies concentrate only on cost when it comes to business travel,” said T&T Statesman Managing Director, Mervyn Williamson.” Now, trends are changing, staff welfare and traveller well being are becoming important – not least because good stewardship leads to be better business.”

Synchronising journey times with local time zones; hotel choices from budget for quick visits through to more upmarket accommodation with a gym or swimming pool for longer stays perhaps, matching the class flown with the journey time and the length of the business trip, flexibility on accompanying spouses, generous mobile phone expenses “are some of the small, but important criteria that can often turn a headache business trip into a much more welcome, and therefore successful, part of the employee’s working life,” concluded Williamson.