Business travel has resumed, but not everyone can take part.
SAP Concur recently released the results of its annual global business travel survey, which found that while two-thirds of employees believe travel is essential to career advancement, just as many say they don’t have equal travel opportunities compared to their peers.
WorkLife has previously reported on the importance of international business travel when it comes to career growth and learning opportunities. “International business travel isn’t a nice-to-have,” says Anna Potter, head of global mobility services for Continental Airlines’ Americas base. “It’s a must-have. You can’t be an effective global leader without global experience. That’s where the limitations lie.”
A report from SAP Concur suggests that these sentiments are easing, with the percentage of people who feel they don’t have equal travel opportunities compared to their peers increasing by four percentage points (from 62% to 66%) between this year and last.
So why are some employees lacking the opportunity to travel? A survey of nearly 4,000 business travelers across 24 markets cited job level (19%), age (18%), parent or guardian status (14%), location (14%), appearance (12%) and frequency of attendance at the office (12%) as reasons for this unequal opportunity.
Additionally, certain reasons, such as age, parenthood, and gender, play slightly more of a factor for women than men. Men are more likely to say they have never felt that their business travel opportunities are unequal (38% vs. 29%).
“I think business travel is an opportunity to enrich lives and advance careers, especially for younger people,” said Jen Moyse, vice president of product and head of UX at SAP Concur. “It’s disappointing to find data that shows many travelers feel like they’re being pushed away from those advancements, and not just because of age.”
Additionally, many LGBTQ+ business travelers feel they are not given equal opportunities because of their appearance (12% vs. 20% of the general population), disability (8% vs. 14%), or sexual orientation (7% vs. 20%).
A new survey from Global Travel Protection also found that the majority of business travelers (64%) are concerned about traveling to areas known for prejudice and criminalization of people who identify as LGBTQ+. The survey of 1,000 business travelers also found that relatively few employees (15%) said their company provides information about LGBTQIA+ rights in the countries they visit.
“We’re providing travelers with basic guidance and tools to help them prepare so they understand where they’re going, what risks they might face, and help them make informed choices,” said Frank Harrison, Americas regional security director for World Travel Protection.
So what can companies do to become more LGBTQ+ inclusive in business travel and beyond? Moise says the first step is awareness.
“First and foremost, talk to your employees and ask them how they feel about the company’s travel policies,” Moise says. “Do they feel they have the same opportunities as their colleagues? If not, why not? You can leverage your HR team to discuss these concerns in the workplace.”
Companies can also avail themselves of the help of organisations such as World Travel Protection, which can provide guidance to minority ethnic groups on additional travel support to keep them safe and ensure groups travelling together look out for each other.
“We approach our partners from the perspective of providing consistent and identical information to all employees,” Harrison says. “If they are going to an environment that poses a risk, they should be supported in their choice. Conversely, if someone says they don’t want to go because it’s not safe, they need to understand that organizations cannot take punitive action against individuals who are concerned about their personal safety.”
There are other ways to ensure equal opportunity when it comes to business travel.
For example, GrowthScribe, a company that helps companies grow revenue through automation, finance, and marketing acumen, sometimes offers the opportunity for anonymous applications. Interested employees apply for trips anonymously, which “reduces bias and allows us to select people purely on their application,” says founder and CEO Kartik Ahuja.
“This fosters healthy competition and motivates everyone to contribute more,” Ahuja says, “so that each employee has a fair chance at traveling.”
The company also has a rotational shadow program that gives everyone an opportunity, allowing employees to accompany their managers and other senior leaders on business trips to learn and gain experience without taking on full responsibility.
“Through this approach, you will gain practical experience in managing various aspects of the job, including writing reports, conducting research and understanding the intricacies of handling complex projects and large teams,” says Ahuja.