Planning a work trip? Don’t forget these six considerations, says MAJA PRICA of WebOracle

Planning a work trip can be a time-consuming and demanding task. Many arrangements must be made and booked, such as hotels, flights and transport. 

Preparing thoroughly can ensure your trip runs smoothly and all meetings go as planned. 

Travelling and arriving at your destination well-prepared means that you can focus on the purpose of the trip and be much more productive. 

Keep reading to find out six important things you must consider to make planning your work trip that little bit easier.

Budget

The first step to planning a work trip is to determine your budget. Planning the travel budget early means that flights and hotels can be booked in advance which will save a great deal of company money. 

The way travel expenses are managed will depend on your business’ travel policy. Some companies will cover all expenses before the trip and others will reimburse staff after the trip.

It is important that staff are aware of how expenses will be handled before the trip to prepare themselves before they start travelling. Creating an expense system will be beneficial for everyone involved. 

Software such as Xero can assist staff with travel expense management. Staff can submit photos of receipts for travel claims so that they can easily be reimbursed.

Detailed itinerary

A detailed itinerary reaches above just scheduling and timetables. This is a place to put every detail about the trip in one place. Not only should the itinerary include information such as business dinners and meeting times, but you should also include all travel details and documents. 

This can include information such as boarding passes, passports, flight numbers, hotel rooms and more. Plus, having information in the expected order of events can make the itinerary easier to use and understand.

Keeping all the important information in one place saves the hassle and time of going through multiple documents and emails trying to find the details.

Each traveller should be given a personalised version of the itinerary as well as hard copies. This ensures that if any electronics fail or go flat, there is no need to stress.

Make sure you let your team know any dress codes or particular items they will need to pack. Will you be having business dinners at upscale restaurants? Make sure your team members have packed an appropriate outfit to wear. Or will you be visiting worksites? Make sure your team packs closed-in shoes in their suitcases.

Meeting plans

Going on a business trip certainly means that there will be meetings taking place. Maybe you have a meeting with a new supplier in Queensland or a potential new team for ecommerce web development in Melbourne. Regardless of what your meeting is about, you and your team must be prepared.

It can be difficult to plan for meetings on the road which is why it is always a good idea to complete meeting preparation before your trip. Being prepared ensures you make the most of your meetings and that the meeting runs as efficiently as possible. You should ensure that you plan all topics to be discussed and questions to be asked, and have all documents you may need readily available to you.

Team requirements

Taking a work trip means that you and your team will be spending a lot of time together. Before you go, you should learn any important details about your team that perhaps you would not normally know. This means you need to ask your team about any dietary or health requirements or any special considerations you may need to take for religious practices. 

If you are travelling interstate or overseas you may need to know details such as the vaccination status of your staff. Knowing these details in advance will save you from any awkward interactions or tricky situations and can help you make sure your team is comfortable on the trip.

Don’t forget to ensure your staff have read and signed your travel policy as well as any health and safety documents. You should prepare a risk assessment to identify any risks or hazards that may take place on the trip and have your team familiarise themselves with this document before the trip.

Plan for the team staying behind

While you’re off gallivanting around the country, don’t forget about the team back at the office. It will be the responsibility of this team to ensure everything runs smoothly back at the home base.

Let your team know the dates and details of the trip as soon as possible so that they can start preparing for when you’re gone and ask for any details they may need to know or questions they may have. 

Before you go, make sure all of your staff are prepared for what they need to be doing. Delegate tasks to the most suitable team members and provide instructions and log-in details and any other relevant information.

Make sure you inform your team of your contact details or any times you may be out of reach. This way your staff know that they can reach you for any urgent queries when you’re gone.

Opportunities for growth

Taking the time to gather and ask for feedback after the trip is a pivotal part of a work trip. Asking your team for positives and negatives as well as what went well and what could have gone better can help you improve for next time. You can discuss with your team whether you reached the goals of your work trip and what you learnt from it.

Remember to thank your team for attending the trip as they have sacrificed personal time to attend. Make a list of anything that needs follow-up from the trip or anybody that needs to be thanked, this way you can strengthen your relationship and show your appreciation.

Taking the time to research and plan out your work trip in advance could be the difference between reaching your business goals or not. Take these six things into consideration to ensure your work trip goes without a hitch.