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Strategies for Improving Employee Health and Wellness While Travelling

Mar 11, 2019

Travelling for business can be difficult when it comes to handling the stress of being away from home.

So much of a person’s life is spent at work, calling into question the effects a career can have on mental health. Specifically, the effects of travel for business on mental health. For many, travelling can be therapeutic; however, for others, it can be difficult to handle the stress of being away from home. This is especially true of business trips. Studies have found that increased business travel leads to more reports of “poor outcomes” such as smoking, alcohol dependence, insomnia and depression. This may be due to a disruption of routine or simply a reflection of the stress of travel.

Planning routes, finding appropriate accommodation, keeping fit, planning meals, and getting adequate sleep – it’s a lot to organize and keep track of and if not handled properly, can become a source of immense stress. The strong link between business travel and poor outcomes suggests that employers should take a closer look at the programs they offer and expand these to include mental health/stress management in addition to safety procedures, injury protocols and other physical health considerations. Managing travel preparations correctly can help alleviate the stress of travelling and keep employees in good mental and physical health, allowing them to better focus on what needs to be done while on the road.

Data Highlights the Challenges of Business Travel on Mental Health

A survey conducted by International SOS and Kingston University on 200 business travellers found that 25% of participants reported prevalent mental health issues, while 31% experienced emotional exhaustion and 75% said they were more stressed overall on business trips. Another study found a “strong correlation between the frequency of business travel and a wide range of physical and behavioural health risks”. For example, those who travelled at least 21 nights per month were more likely to be obese than those who travelled fewer than seven nights per month. Similarly, those frequent travellers were significantly more likely to report poor health, symptoms of anxiety and depression, alcohol dependence, insomnia, smoking and inactivity.

Achieving a Stable and Healthy Work-Life Balance

This analysis suggests that to achieve a stable and healthy work-life balance, proper systems must be implemented. Employers and employees alike need to be mindful and aware that people are often predisposed to make unhealthy choices while away from home. Eating and drinking in excess, neglecting physical activity, not getting adequate sleep – it all adds up over time and can lead to serious health issues. Something that can be beneficial for those travelling for shift work can be creating a new routine while away from home for extended periods of time.

Though travel can oftentimes be chaotic, it doesn’t have to be. Utilizing a service to organize all travel information in one place can keep employees in control of their time, leading to a successful, chaos-free trip. LodgeLink understands the complicated nature of managing travel for crews and provides a convenient online booking platform and customer service that helps workers find quality accommodation near project sites that best meets their needs.

Strategies for Improving Mental Health While Travelling for Business

Rest
One of the best ways to combat the stress of travel and reinforce a new routine while on the road is sticking to a sleep schedule. If employees are well rested, they are less likely to make mistakes on the job and are more inclined to make better choices about their health.
Healthy Food
Choosing the right food to fuel one’s body is especially important when travelling. With the convenience and instant gratification of fast food, it is very easy to make poor food choices. Often loaded with excess sodium and trans fats, fast food can leave employees feeling bloated and lethargic. Instead, packing healthy snacks and searching out healthier nearby restaurants ahead of time can ensure employees arrive at their destination energized and ready to work.
Drinking Water
Making sure to drink enough water is also essential and can sometimes be a challenge. The change in routine associated with travel can make it even harder for employees to focus on drinking enough water. Bringing a water bottle can help employees stay hydrated and dissuade them from choosing other, less healthy options (including alcohol). While all these strategies are technically physical, when one’s body is satisfied, it is much easier for one’s mind to follow suit.
Exercise, Music and Meditation
Meditating, exercising, listening to music, and taking baths are all useful techniques to help minimize stress, reduce anxiety and are beneficial to consider when making travel preparations.
Connecting with Friends and Family
Finally, one of the best ways for employees to maintain control over mental health is to keep in contact with a support system at home. Even though family and friends may not physically be able to provide comfort while on the road, having someone to talk to that knows you well can be very calming and beneficial.

While these are just some of the ways to combat unhealthy habits, they go a long way towards improving employee mental health and morale. Employers and employees need to work together to come up with tools, policies and resources that support workers both physically and mentally while travelling for business. For example, many employers have systems in place to assist employees in preventing or addressing physical ailment (including safety procedures and injury protocols). However, there needs to be considerations above and beyond these physical health policies to include policies dealing specifically with mental health. Mental health is not something to be taken for granted and employees deserve to be happy and healthy while working on the road. By providing the education, tools, and resources necessary, employers can encourage their employees to maintain healthy lifestyles and minds on the road, increasing well-being, productivity and ultimately, profitability.