The Travel Manager’s Holiday Business Travel Checklist

For most companies, business travel slows down over the holidays but it doesn’t necessarily stop. If you’re sending employees out on the road in December, they’re sure to face some challenges that are unique to the season. More people traveling, icy and snowy weather, cold and flu bugs everywhere…ba humbug! As charming as it can be for business travelers to experience the hustle and bustle of the holidays in a far-away location, they’re sure to appreciate anything you can do to make their trips less stressful and more enjoyable.

Here are some ideas to help your employees survive their holiday business trips:

Boost their Health

‘Tis the season for airborne illnesses. But your employees don’t need to miss out on any holiday celebrations (including the office Christmas party) due to a bad cold they caught while traveling. Remind travelers to drink plenty of water and stick to a healthy diet, get plenty of rest and take time to keep up their workout routine. Getting the flu shot before heading out isn’t a bad idea. Also, arm them with information, like this CDC guide and any additional details specific to your travel policy, about what they should do if they do get sick while on the road.

Keep them On Time

According to the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the number of long-distance trips during the Christmas/New Year’s Holiday period rises by 23%

Extra people plus lots of extra luggage plus icy roads and tarmacs equals extra stress and the potential for running behind schedule. While allowing extra time to get to airports and board flights is standard practice for the seasoned traveler, encourage them to sign up for mobile device alerts on so they’re made aware of any flight changes or delays. They should also take advantage of online/mobile check-in at airports and hotel. Ground travelers can skip the long taxi line and order and pay for a ride-share from their mobile device, too.

See For Today’s Business Traveler, Technology Remains Key to Productivity for more tech tips.

Schedule Wisely

You might want to discourage flying on Mondays and Fridays. Even though they kick off and wind down the workweek (making them ideal travel days for business travelers), the holidays add more leisure travelers to the mix and further slow down the lines at security gates. And be careful, December 23^rd, regarded as the busiest day for holiday travel, falls on a Friday this year. Another idea? It might even make sense to skip the most efficient method (e.g. flying) in favor of a less-crowded one (e.g. train travel).

If this gets you thinking, you might enjoy What’s New in Corporate Business Traveler Booking?

Simplify Baggage Handling

One of Inc.com’s 7 Survival Tips for Holiday Business Travel is to ship travelers’ baggage to and fro so they can avoid the hassles of navigating crowded walkways and baggage claims. If this expense isn’t written into your corporate travel policy, maybe you can make an exception for employees traveling during the holidays?

Encourage Fun
Yes, even just a little fun, especially if they’re down about having to travel close to the holidays. They can use any spare time to enjoy the holiday magic offered in their destination cities—think dining (remind them about per diems), shopping (not on the company dime), and old-fashioned sightseeing. It just might be an opportunity to incorporate some personal or vacation time into their trip, so tell them about your company’s bleisure policies. Read Bleisure Behaviors Reveal Opportunities for All, The Trends Behind The Rise of Bleisure Travel, and Clearing Up The Blurred Lines of Bleisure Travel Expenses for everything you need to know about the business and leisure travel blend.