All you need to know about business travel during COVID-19

Intending to ensure the safety of the employees, many businesses worldwide are coming up with flexible travel and expense policies. Reports suggest that 62 per cent of organisations have modified all their travel safety and security policies for all their travellers. After consultation with the WHO and CDC recommendations for the destinations for business travel plans, the companies are allowing their corporate travel teams to function accordingly. Travel decisions are based on how safe the country is where the company has planned to send their employees on a business trip.

Tips on how to stay safe when business travelling during the COVID-19 pandemic

–Always carry a hand sanitiser along with you and ensure that the alcohol content is between 60 per cent to 95 per cent. This will help stay safe as you use the sanitiser in every 15-20 minutes interval. You can also carry disinfecting wipes along with you for the business travel.

–Avoid directly placing your hand on the armrest, TV screen, tray table or the remote. Basically, the common objects around you which you might require during your business travel trip needs to be avoided. What you can do is first disinfect the surfaces with the wipes you are carrying. You can also use a safe travel spray and spray on these surfaces for safety. Only once the surfaces are thoroughly clean, should you touch them.

–Unless it's a long-haul flight and requires you to spend a lot of time up in the air, try to minimise or avoid the use of the airplane lavatory. The airplane lavatory is also one of the places where you might contract the virus. Hence, just avoid using it, however, if you do have a long flight and would require to use the lavatory, carrying your disinfecting agents along with you. Use the travel spray on the spaces, try not to let your body touch any of the surfaces in the lavatory and carry hand sanitiser too. Another important detail about business travel during COVID-19 would be to close the lid before you press the flush button. This will reduce the spread of particles in the air and minimise the chances of contracting the virus.

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–As soon as you check into your room, the first thing to do would be to wash your hands thoroughly with an effective handwash. Sanitisers also help but simply ridding your hands off the germs would be the way to go.

–Follow this by wiping all the surface in the hotel room with disinfectant wipes. You can use the safe travel spray here to ensure that all the surfaces that are predominantly touched by the staff are wiped clean. This would include the alarm clock, the door handles, the phone, the switches, the sink and more. Once you enter the room, you will realise the places that need to be cleaned up.

–Another important tip for business travellers travelling during a pandemic is to ask for a new set of pillowcases and comforters. It might seem a little tedious, but you can always ask the room service to get you brand new linen that has not been touched or opened yet. It would be amazing if you could use your bedding and make it yourself too. However, if it is too much task for you to undertake, you can always ask the room service staff to help you out with fresh new linen. They will even help clean the space for you.

–The 20-second rule to wash hands during the COVID-19 pandemic is a must. In fact, the whole process needs to be memorised by you to be certain that you are safe. Use the right handwash to wash your hands for a complete 20 seconds before taking up any other activity.

–Do not touch your face! One of the most important rules aside from wearing a mask and social distancing is not to touch your face. If you are travelling and need to meet people, it is all the more imperative that you do not touch your face. Use a hand sanitiser ahead of touching your face.

–When you're on a business trip, handshakes are necessary. However, with the pandemic, you might not want to shake hands with your peers and contemporaries. This is one practice that many businessmen are taking up to ensure their safety as well as the safety of their partners. Instead, a little nod makes for a great way to greet a business entourage.

–Always carry your tissues and use it to cover your mouth if you need to sneeze or cough. If you find anyone else in the room ready to sneeze or cough, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. If you do run out of tissues, then use your elbow or arm to cover your face. Further, you can use a hand sanitiser to wipe your hands clean after placing them on your face.

–The six-feet distance to be maintained is a must. On your business travel trip, you need to be certain that you keep your distance and follow the social distance protocol. If you notice that anyone in the vicinity is coughing or sneezing, you must maintain your distance at all times. A mask would do you good because your face will be covered at all times. It would put you at a lesser risk of contracting flu of any sort. And of course, avoid touching surfaces, especially commonly used ones- like ATM’s, railings etc

–Stock up on your vitamins and other essential medication. It is a known phenomenon that the COVID-19 virus is contracted majorly by individuals who have a weak immune system. To ensure that your immune system is bolstered and strong, you should carry vitamin tablets and make sure that you eat them on time. Further, you can always keep some of the important medical drugs for cold and flu. This is just to be on the safe side.

–Use a credit card and online payment instead of exchanging cash. During your business trip during COVID-19 pandemic, the last thing you need is to be in physical contact with another individual. Hence, the best way out is to carry your credit card or conduct any sort of online payment. This would help you maintain the social distance protocol as dictated by the WHO and CDC.

According to experts, the corporate travel scenario is bound to bounce back following the lifting of travel restrictions. However, before the business travel plans are resumed, many travel policies will be updated to ensure that they all follow the necessary safety and health regulations that are in lines with the WHO and the CDC. There are a handful of new travel policies that are being introduced and proposed by governments for the airlines and hotels to follow. Currently, they have a set of rules and regulations that are being followed, but it might change with time. Luckily, if you do have any cancellation ahead of your business travel plans, you can always go ahead without fretting about losing exorbitant tariffs.

Airlines are accepting flight-change, cancellations and have even worked on making their refund policy stronger and flexible. Further, hotels are also following the same protocol to ensure that changes in the reservation can be made and it wouldn't cost you a lot. As long as the travellers follow the government-issued travel rules and restrictions, the hotels would be certain to make the necessary changes in reservations. You can opt for a cheap business trip and even enable changes in the bookings and reservations.

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