While many business travellers know of and often refer to their company’s travel policy, there is still a gap between policy awareness and policy compliance, according to a recent BCD Travel survey of more than 1,200 business travellers worldwide.

The survey looked at changes in travel policies and traveller satisfaction with current regulations.

Travel policy awareness
In a corresponding April survey of some 200 travel buyers, BCD found that two-thirds of travel buyers consider their travel policy to be extremely or very effective.

On the surface, this statistic seems to hold when business travellers are asked about their company’s travel policy. The survey shows that more than 95% of travellers know where to find the travel policy, and nine out of 10 have consulted it (with a quarter doing so frequently). Eight out of 10 travellers have consulted their travel policy within 12 months. And half are satisfied with the policy.

“Based on our survey results, travellers in North America (NORAM) are less inclined to consult their corporation’s travel policy compared to travellers from Asia Pacific (APAC) and Europe,” said Craig Bailey, president, Americas at BCD Travel. “This could result in more out-of-policy bookings. While these bookings create extra costs and, in some cases, risk issues, the lack of awareness around policy changes could also hurt the organisation’s overall goals, for instance, regarding sustainability.”

One factor contributing to this behaviour may be the frequency of travel policy communications. A quarter of APAC travellers reported receiving communications about their travel policy often compared to only 15% of NORAM travellers.

Out-of-policy bookings
The survey shows that more than two-thirds of travellers deviate from their company’s travel policy. Most often, this is due to client meetings requiring out-of-policy transportation or accommodation or booking conference and event accommodations with non-preferred suppliers. As a result, travelling employees often need additional approvals for non-compliant bookings.

Companies can boost travel policy compliance through employee involvement and engagement.

Desire for flexibility
Over one in five travellers said their company’s travel policy is not responsive to traveller needs or is too restrictive. Three in 10 want more flexibility when booking either transportation or accommodation. A quarter said they’d benefit from increased spending limits and additional air ancillaries. One in five are interested in more policies for traveller well-being.

“When you understand your travellers’ needs, you can make impactful changes to your policy. A simple and effective way to do that is through surveys,” Bailey said. “While of course you must set limits that align with the company goals, a good travel policy sets its travellers up for success. This, in turn, helps the company stay within both its budget and keeps lines of communication clear.”

Low impact on job acceptance
While only eight per cent of surveyed travellers admit the travel policy influenced their decision to take their job, a quarter acknowledge that it influences their willingness to stay with the company. The travel policy’s impact varies by region – again supporting the need to understand travellers’ specific needs and beliefs. Almost half of APAC travellers say the policy is likely to affect their decision to stay with a company while 27% of EMEA and 21% of NORAM travellers say so.

“Sharing your travel policy with new hires during the onboarding process is key,” said Bailey. “They’re excited and eager to learn. Take advantage of that and stress the importance of your travel policy to new employees. Explain what it is, how it relates to company goals, and why it’s important to comply with the policy. It’s not just about cost savings, but also about duty of care and sustainability.”