Tips for Keeping Traveling Employees Safe

For companies that require their employees to travel both long and short distances, keeping employees safe is a top concern. Once the company has screened and selected employees with excellent driving records, the next step is ensuring that the company offers the employees the tools to be safe and successful in their job related travels.

Company Credit Cards

For the employees who do a lot of driving in a single day, it is important to offer a company credit card in case they need to refuel. Employees should not fuel company vehicles from their own wallets; it can cause issues with accounting, reimbursement, and more. These credit cards can also be offered to help the employee in an absolute emergency, such as paying for towing fees or taxi fees if the vehicle breaks down after hours. Company credit cards offer peace of mind for employees.

Mobile Phones

While many people already have cellular phones, others may have limited use of their phones or may not be able to afford them at all. Employees may also choose to keep their personal lives and careers separate, preventing them from using their personal cell phones for work related purposes. Business mobile phone plans can offer all employees a reliable method of communication while at work, and they can also replace landline business phones.

Working In Teams

In order to keep employees out of the line of danger, especially in risky neighborhoods or during the evening or night hours, companies should require teams of two or more for each job related task that involves traveling. Employees will feel far less fear, and will be more willing to accept a job at places or times that would otherwise make them feel rather uncomfortable. It might even reduce the rate at which employees leave the company, especially if there has been an alarming event in the past involving other employees or future job sites.

Emergency Safety Kits

Another great investment is a car safety kit for each company vehicle. Each kit should supply at least a 72 hour ration of food and water, blankets, a first aid kit, a radio, flares, jumper cables, ponchos, a flashlight, and other emergency supplies. Emergency kits can be very useful when employees are caught in snow storms, gridlocked highways or interstates, or become stranded in an isolated area without a means of communication.

Keeping employees safe is a vital part of employee happiness in the workplace. With traveling employees, the risks are far greater. Protecting these employees is important, as many future applicants may not have licenses or impeccable driving records.