NEW RESEARCH REVEALS IMPACT OF BUSINESS TRAVEL ON MENTAL HEALTH
- 77% of global business travellers say travel benefits their mental health, with 75% saying it makes them more likely to stay with their organisation
- But more than half (55%) report frequent business trips contribute to stress and burnout
Leading global travel risk management organisation World Travel Protection has released new research revealing how business travel impacts the mental health of global business travellers.
The Opinium* survey finds that while more than three-quarters (77%) of respondents believe business travel has a positive effect on their mental health and wellbeing and say business travel makes them more likely to stay with their organisation (75%), more than half (55%) say that frequent travel adds to their stress and burnout. They reported suffering with exhaustion (30%), stress (30%), homesickness (27%), and anxiety (27%).
One in five (23%) also experienced loneliness, while a similar proportion (20%) enjoy the sense of freedom that comes with being temporarily free of family responsibilities.
Expert calls for greater employer support
Dr Neil Slabbert, Regional Chief Medical Officer (Asia-Pacific) at World Travel Protection comments: “While business travel is generally an enjoyable and rewarding part of work life, this survey shows that employees also face emotional and mental health challenges when away from home. Disruptions to daily routines, separation from family and friends and the effects of jet lag and time zones can all heighten stress and anxiety, especially when travelling frequently. Organisations need to consider both physical safety and mental wellbeing when supporting their travelling workforce.”
He continued: “Having peace of mind about your safety abroad makes a big difference in how confident you feel at work. Travel risk management providers, like World Travel Protection, play a key role by offering pre-trip medical and security intelligence, real-time monitoring of potential risks via an app, and 24/7 access to highly qualified medical and security experts.”
Practical steps for employers
Dr Slabbert recommends employers support travelling teams by encouraging daily video check-ins with family or friends, and by promoting the use of wellness or meditation apps to help manage stress. It’s also reassuring to put clear emergency action plans in place before departure and to ensure travellers have easy access to travel assistance contacts should urgent care be needed.
*Opinium online survey conducted with 2000 people, who travel for business at least once a year in each of the UK (500 respondents), the United States (500 respondents), Canada (500 respondents) and Australia (500 respondents), from 3 – 10 February 2025.
About World Travel Protection
Founded in 1988, World Travel Protection is a global leader in travel risk management, providing corporate and leisure travellers with access to 24-hour expertise and support.
Travel risk management encompasses medical case management, evacuation, and repatriation together with providing access to virtual care services (telehealth) and security intelligence. In addition to support services for medical, travel, and security emergencies, World Travel Protection – part of Zurich Cover-More – educates and trains businesses to mitigate exposure to inherent risks associated with travelling abroad. These proactive travel risk management services focus on understanding unique risks based on traveller profile, the activity being conducted, and destination risks to ensure foreseeable risks are understood and managed.
Millions of travellers place their trust in World Travel Protection each year for assistance across 200 countries and territories. World Travel Protection is a trading name of Cover-More Insurance Services Limited. For more information, visit www.worldtravelprotection.com
