As a manager, supervisor, or team leader, it’s your responsibility to ensure that your employees and colleagues stay safe while traveling abroad for work. Here are some essential travel safety tips to share with them.
Before You Depart
- Know the local laws. Be aware of what actions and words can lead to arrest.
- Learn the local customs. Get yourself familiar with the cultural and business customs before leaving to avoid unintentional offense or conflict. Also, learn a few key phrases in the local language (e.g., hello, yes, please, pardon, excuse me, thank you, goodbye) to show respect to clients and locals.
- Know about civil unrest and which areas are unsafe. Riots, demonstrations, and terrorism are a real threat when traveling to countries experiencing unrest. When planning your business trip, learn about active unrest, follow up-to-date travel advisories from the government, and avoid corporate travel in areas of extreme conflict. Remember, every city has at least one neighborhood that’s less safe, or a “rougher part of town”. Research these locations ahead of time and avoid unplanned stops or accommodations there.
- Create an emergency contact list. Knowing who to call in an emergency is important. Create a list of local medical and emergency services, and embassies. Know where they are in relation to your accommodations and workspace, and include corporate emergency contacts in case you need emergency assistance.
- Traveler security also involves being prepared for extreme weather and natural disasters. Check for severe weather risks such as hurricanes, flooding, and earthquakes. Take extra precautions and familiarize yourself with safety protocols in case of a natural disaster.
When You Arrive
- Keep accommodation details to yourself and don’t get followed. Keep your address, room number, room key codes, travel documents, and additional security information should be kept confidential. Try not to speak loudly when discussing this type of information and never share it with strangers or people outside of your work team. As an extra safety precaution, ensure no one follows you to your room.
- Use all locks on hotel doors and windows, and always use the peephole. As per international travel advice, whenever you are in your room, use the deadbolt and swing lock once you close the door. Lock all windows and access areas, especially if the room is on the ground level or second floor, and while sleeping or away from the room. If someone you don’t know is at the door, keep it closed and locked, and do not shout at them through the door. Instead, ignore the knocks and they will likely go away. If someone is trying to force their way in, call the front desk immediately and notify them of the situation. As well, learn about all the emergency exits.
While You Are There
Try not to stand out. Avoid wearing flashy clothes, shoes, jewelry, and expensive bags because you may stand out and become a target for pickpockets and muggers.
Be careful with food and beverage choices. Think about food and water safety – many countries do not have the same hygiene standards as the U.S. Avoid street food and tap water, which may contain harmful bacteria. Instead, choose well-cooked meals at established restaurants, drink bottled water, and always wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before eating.
Know where you need to go – don’t get lost! Taking a wrong turn can put you in danger. Stick to well-lit areas, avoid large crowds (where pickpockets thrive), and make sure you get clear directions before leaving the hotel. Use the GPS on your phone but also consider printing out a road map or writing down the directions to have a hard copy backup in case your phone battery dies.
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