Corporate high-flyers face health risks on the road
TIME IS MONEY AND money is tight in these tough economic times, but companies need to spare more than a passing thought for their travelling employees, according to a recent report.
Health risks far outweigh the dangers of terrorism for frequent flyers, notes a report by Across The Board magazine, published by research organisation The Conference Board.
The 6.2 million people who average 23 business trips a year are under the greatest potential threat of developing blood clots or deep vein thrombosis, especially on flights longer than three hours. Radiation exposure, high levels of stress, impaired decision-making and unhappy personal relationships are other problems business travellers face.
Gwen Moran, author of the article, quotes from a 1997 study that compares 4,700 travelling managers and professionals at the World Bank with 6,000 other office-bound employees. The number of claims filed for treatment of stress, anxiety and other psychological afflictions tripled amongst the frequent flyers. Another 1999 study shows that almost 40 per cent of global business travellers had witnessed verbal or physical abuse in a 12-month period.
Bad decision-making has prompted many companies to give employees time off after long trips, or to allow them to take some leisure time while away.
United States companies and multinationals are at the forefront of this trend, according to Stuart Wines, senior vice-president (Asia-Pacific) at global travel company Radius.
'Business travellers are only human beings and need to be treated as such, both for their own well-being and for the sake of the business decisions they have to make,' Mr Wines said.
He debunks the myth that jetsetting executives live five-star lives, sipping champagne at the hotel pool while making the occasional phone call.
'Anyone who has arrived in Taipei at 2 am to find their hotel has been overbooked, the airline sent their bag to Tokyo and their morning meeting has been brought forward to 7 am will know just how stressful and lonely it can often be,' he said.
Mr Wines said weekend leisure fares are often cheaper than dashing to catch the last Friday night flight with a bunch of weary commuters.
'Say, for example, a flight from A to B on Wednesday, returning on Friday, costs US$1,000. The same flight returning on Sunday may only cost US$250, since leisure fares with a Saturday night stay are often much cheaper,' he said.
'Why not let the traveller take his/her significant other and enjoy a weekend away? The corporation may save US$300 but the employee and spouse will feel like a million dollars.'
At present many corporate travellers, especially in Asia, are employed by companies with less progressive policies. But having an annual health check and taking care to manage diet, exercise, rest and stress levels will go a long way to keeping them on the fast track.
