Duty of care is more than an HR talking point. It is an operational imperative. When your people travel, your organization is responsible for their safety and well-being. That responsibility is easiest to meet when policy, technology, and human support work together. Here’s a practical roadmap for strengthening duty of care in your travel program to protect both your employees and your business.
What does duty of care cover?
Duty of care means employers take reasonable steps to protect the health and safety of travelers. That includes:
- Knowing where travelers are and how to contact them
- Providing pre-trip briefings and risk information
- Ensuring access to assistance during incidents and emergencies
- Managing medical and security contingencies such as evacuation or repatriation
What are the core elements of an effective duty-of-care program?
- Traveler visibility and tracking
Real-time or near-real-time itinerary visibility is essential. Ensure your TMC or booking tool captures all trips and provides an easy way to see who is where. If travelers shift plans, that update should flow into your tracking system automatically. In an emergency or disruption, unmanaged travelers are on their own without backup support to rebook flights or track itineraries. This exposes your people and your company to potential liability. - Pre-trip risk information
Before travel, provide any relevant country-level advisories, health guidance (vaccinations, local medical care), and cultural notes. Briefings can be short but actionable: where to register with your embassy, common scams, and emergency numbers. - 24/7 human support
Technology warns and tracks, but people respond. Around-the-clock in-house agents and a clearly defined escalation path ensure travelers get fast help when they need it. ADTRAV’s Service Nonstop model pairs tech with real agents who can act immediately and professionally. Whether you need a last-minute flight change or emergency support in a storm, a real travel expert is just a call away 24/7 to keep your travelers safe and on schedule. In fact, our high-touch service earns 99%+ customer satisfaction! Our team continually measures and improves every client interaction so your travel program works efficiently and reliably. - Clear policy and delegated authorities
Define approval levels for high-risk travel and establish decision-makers for evacuations or itinerary changes. Make sure contact points are documented and tested. - Training and scenario practice
Conduct exercises and test communication protocols so employees and managers know how to act. Practice reduces confusion in real incidents.
Simple duty-of-care checklist
- Do you capture every itinerary centrally?
- Can travelers be contacted within minutes, regardless of time zone?
- Are there trained on-call agents available 24/7?
- Is pre-trip guidance prepared and distributed?
- Is there a clear escalation roadmap and decision authority for evacuations?
- Do you have solid data security and privacy policies in place?
Combine insightful technology with a dedication to service
Tools can aggregate itineraries, deliver advisories, and send mass notifications. But during a crisis, human judgment and empathy matter most. The best programs combine automatic alerts with skilled agents who can coordinate medical help, flight changes, or local support.
How ADTRAV supports duty of care
ADTRAV brings multiple components together: booking and data visibility, proactive advisories, and dependable human support. We help clients put simple, repeatable procedures in place so their travelers feel safe and managers demonstrate compliance. We deliver what’s needed to manage your travel program with confidence.
“This morning a flight to Dallas was delayed- then I heard from the agent that Dallas airport was closed due to weather. Called ADTRAV and in three minutes the agent had me an another flight with a different carrier. Before I could get to the United gate had my reservations and was confirmed and well on my way. I deal with customers and clients all day long and really appreciate when I receive outstanding customer service like I do from ADTRAV.” –Robert S.
Key Takeaway
Duty of care is a continuous practice, not a checkbox. If you want a practical review of your duty-of-care capabilities or help leveraging our traveler tracking and 24/7 in-house support, contact ADTRAV. We prioritize safety and well-being while mitigating disruptions. Reduced liability and increased peace of mind is a win-win!