What NOT to do when travelling for business

Business travellers are mixing business with pleasure more often than one might imagine, creating a nightmare for HR professionals.

Binge drinking is a favourite of more than a quarter of those in the US travelling for work, with men being more likely to indulge (33%) than women travellers (24%).

The survey by On Call International also found one in 10 business travellers admitted they have "picked up" a stranger at a bar, while on work-related travel. Here too, men were more likely to get promiscuous (14%) compared to just 8% of women.

Meanwhile, 2% of male travellers claimed they have picked up a stranger in a bar "every time they’ve travelled for business."

"While it certainly appears that the allure of a one night stand without the constraints of being close to home is tempting to many business travelers, letting one’s guard down in an unfamiliar setting can easily lead to dangerous situations for an individual," said Jim Hutton, chief security officer at On Call International.

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However, the on-the-road behaviours did not stop at sex and alcohol. According to the survey, 8% of travellers have lied to their employer about their activities while on a work trip.

Hutton pointed out the onus to act in a responsible and safe manner during business travel ultimately falls on the travellers themselves.

However, employers also need to be proactive, by setting up appropriate parameters and being clear about the expectations they have of their employees while they are out representing the organisation, he added.

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