How To Inspire Better Travel Decisions
Travel policies are evolving to address hybrid and remote workers, team travel, changing carbon goals, a tighter economy, and work/life/travel balance. That’s on top of the existing duty of care, corporate discipline, and safety considerations.
With many factors, rigid requirements may not always yield the desired behavior. And the modern workforce expects more freedom to make smart choices independently. That’s why the next step in the evolution of travel authorization is a blend of require and inspire tactics.
Inspire tactics can guide travelers towards more sustainable and cost-effective travel choices, such as using public transportation or choosing accommodations with eco-friendly certifications. An example: You’ve probably already noticed a green leaf icon by the most sustainable travel option available.
These nudges can be incorporated into travel booking systems or communicated through pre-travel emails, providing travelers with actionable recommendations that align with corporate travel policies.
Most legacy travel policies are heavy with required tactics. So, in this article, we’re sharing Cornerstone’s best practices to inspire desired behaviors from travelers.
- Clear and concise communication: Ensure your communication is clear, concise, and easy to understand. Use simple language and avoid technical jargon that may confuse your employees.
- Highlight the benefits: Communicate the benefits of adhering to the travel policy, such as cost savings, improved safety, and better travel experiences.
- Promote Company Objectives: Companies with aggressive sustainability goals, for instance, should consider objective-based messages like this: “Thanks for making the most economical choice for your airfare. Did you know you can save 200 kg of CO2 by choosing the same cost trip with a greener footprint?”
- Make it personal: Communicate the policy in a way that resonates with employees. Provide examples of how the policy can positively impact their work and personal life.
- Use visuals: Visuals such as infographics, videos, and images can be powerful tools to communicate the policy. They can help simplify complex information and make it easier for employees to understand.
- Regular reminders: Use reminders, such as emails, to reinforce the policy and encourage compliance.
- Feedback mechanism: Establish a feedback mechanism where employees can provide feedback on the policy. This can help to improve the policy and increase compliance.
- Communicate at Decision Points: Remember that employees are bombarded by communication all day. They are more likely to consume, comprehend, and act on recommendations they receive when they need to decide. To do this at scale requires automation.
A blend of require and inspire tactics can provide a holistic approach to enforcing corporate travel policy that balances traveler desire for flexibility and autonomy with corporate cost control and compliance needs.
Sound like a lot of work? It can be! But the latest automation tools can take the burden off your teams, improve the consistency of these communications, and produce measurable improvements in policy compliance.
Let’s face it—travel operations that fail to automate will not be able to compete on customer satisfaction or pricing. The right technology partner will enhance your program and set your business up for ongoing success. As a travel management and procurement professional, you are constantly pressured to satisfy your customers, reduce costs, and increase your team’s productivity. To achieve this, we know it’s not enough to automate easy transactions. So, our solution automates and captures all the changes and details that allow you to manage and measure a credible travel program.
Cornerstone’s Policy Compliance Manager ™ solution automates the costly, labor-intensive, and error-prone process of securing approval for travel before all reservations are ticketed and confirmed, regardless of whether they are made with an agent or online. Additionally, PCM is a communication tool that notifies your travelers of your policy during the reservation process leading to increased compliance. Our mission is to provide the platform and tools that automate what results in accurately completed and transacted travel reservations for travelers, their buyers, and travel service providers. Contact Cornerstone today to learn more.