99% of Indian business travellers are willing to resume work trips

Covid-19 has stopped all the travelling for the past year and a half. Yet, it has also reaffirmed business travel’s importance in forging business and personal connections and enabling career advancement. According to a study commissioned by SAP Concur says, 99 per cent of Indian business travellers are willing to resume work trips within the next 12 months and over 78 per cent are ‘very willing’ to get back on work trips, which is higher than the global average.

Respondents to the survey carried out in India, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand believe that the current travel hiatus is hurting their careers by impeding their business goals and personal lives, while professionals are eager to restart in-person meetings soon, according to a statement. The study also reveals that travellers believe the inability to travel will hurt them both professionally as well as personally.

While uncertainty continues to linger around travel curbs, firms can support business travellers by updating travel policies to provide more flexibility in flight and accommodation selection, better-protecting employees’ health and safety. Then as vaccinations progress and travel bubbles form in the coming months, they will be better positioned to enable safe travel, facilitating business growth and talent retention.

Employees are ready to return to business travel, but on their own terms. Certain experts feel that the actions that businesses take in the next 12 months to protect traveller safety and health could make or break their ability to acquire and retain valuable employees amid a competitive market for talent. Going forward companies will have to rejig their travel policies and put employee safety and well-being first for a more productive and wholesome travel experience.