By Christine Connolley, Senior Program Manager, Global Crisis Management, BCD Travel
The International Travel & Health Insurance Journal (ITIJ) recently posted results of a survey examining the growing trend of “the anywhere worker.” In a study commissioned by global risk management firm World Travel Protection, Opinium research revealed that 34% of business travelers want to be able to work from wherever they please. Already, 17% of respondents identify as an anywhere worker. These sentiments are reshaping views about business travel and remote work–but there’s more to be discussed.
In my view, this presents an opportunity to widen our perspective from travel risk management to a broader focus on people risk management. Travel risk management focuses on ensuring employee safety and mitigating risks related to travel, such as health, safety, and security during business trips. On the other side, people risk management takes a broader approach, encompassing the overall well-being of employees–including physical, mental, and emotional health–whether they are traveling, working remotely, or based in traditional office settings.
The shift to people risk management
BCD spotted this shift two years ago. In our own research and surveys, we found that more than half of the business travelers we asked would likely become digital nomads or work remotely if employer policies allowed. It was a sign of things to come. Today, as employees increasingly demand the flexibility to work from anywhere, organizations should prepare to adapt. This won’t mean simply changing the logistics of where employees work. It will involve policy–an area that this survey found lacking: only 21% of global respondents say their company has clear guidelines on where employees can and cannot work. So, organizations should expect to address updates to travel safety policies and an increased focus on managing overall people risk.
This goes beyond just where employees can work– it’s about ensuring their health, safety, and well-being no matter where they are.
The connection between remote work and talent retention
There’s another issue–and it’s major: talent retention. As World Travel Protection’s Kate Fitzpatrick pointed out in the ITIJ article, organizations that don’t adapt to the growing demand for flexibility may lose talent. The survey shows an urgent need for clearer remote work guidelines, particularly around safety and insurance. However, there’s a greater opportunity for businesses to adopt a holistic view of employee well-being, ensuring that their physical, mental, and emotional health are supported.
BCD has already embraced this shift. Our No. 12 ranking on FlexJobs’ Top 100 Companies to Watch for Remote Jobs this year underscores our commitment to evolving with the future of work, where remote flexibility isn’t just a perk, but a crucial element of talent retention and people risk management.
Interested in work-from-anywhere careers with BCD Travel? Start here.
Christine Connolley, Senior Program Manager, Global Crisis Management
Christine Connolley is part of the Global Crisis Management at BCD Travel, an innovative team that helps clients fulfill their duty of care. Also serving as a travel risk management consultant with Advito, Christine offers expertise in developing programs and policies, guiding security sourcing through RFP support, and conducting Traveler Security Program Assessments. These assessments evaluate the maturity of organizations’ travel risk management programs against industry standards to provide customized analysis to optimize the health, safety, and security of their mobile workforce.
Christine is the Chair of the Global Business Travel Association’s U.S. Risk Committee and an active member in the American Society of Safety Professionals ISO U.S. Technical Advisory Group TC262–Risk Management. Known for her ability to engage audiences, Christine has presented at numerous industry events, including GBTA’s Annual Convention, Business Travel News Global Travel Risk Summit, and the American Society of Safety Professionals Conference.
She holds a master’s degree from Colorado State University and a bachelor’s degree from Metropolitan State University. She completed post-graduate studies at James Madison University. She is based in Colorado.
