Five Things you may not have Considered when Travelling for Business Post-Covid

With the UK cautiously opening back up and life gradually getting back to usual, many of us can finally start looking to a post-Covid landscape. That includes the business world; whether the pandemic has forced you into new ways of working or put parts of your operations temporarily out of action entirely.

Of course, the changes the pandemic has brought to the world of business aren’t expected to snap back overnight – if at all. Among talk of a ‘new normal’ as to how business is conducted across the country, we can expect to see differences in all the ways we conduct our work – including business travel. If that’s something you or your company did plenty of pre-Covid, here are five things you’ll need to consider if you plan to pick up where you left off.

Expect online attendees

From pitching to clients, to connecting separate UK-wide workforces, there’s some things that are simply better done in person. For many, the importance of occasionally conducting catch-ups, conferences and meetings in person – rather than via Zoom and Teams calls – has been one of the key takeaways of pandemic working.

But no matter what you’re travelling to attend, you can expect dial-in delegates to be a permanent feature. The pandemic has changed expectations about travelling for work, and indeed work/life balance as a whole. And with most of us now having got into the swing of doing things from home and connecting digitally, you can expect some of your fellow attendees to opt out of making the journey themselves.

Prepare for protocols

With a wholesale return to the office seemingly imminent, every business will be preparing its own set of protocols to ensure its employees and any visitors on-site feel safe. Even when Covid feels to be very much in the rear view mirror, we can expect companies to leave some measures in place to protect the health of their staff, possibility through to the end of the year and beyond.

If you’re travelling to visit a customer or client, you may need to be aware that another business’s rules and procedures could be different from your own. Before you travel, it’ll always be a good idea to check what’s required of you. For example, you may be required to show evidence of a recent negative Covid test, proof of vaccination or have your temperature checked on entry and wear a mask in certain parts of the building.

Less will be more

Covid has forced many businesses to reflect on the way they do things – including how they travel. Not only has the pandemic shown there are some functions that can be carried out online just as effectively, but also employers will have seen a financial benefit to the halt of business travel, while it may also have boosted their environmental credentials – a matter that’s guiding business decisions more and more.

Yet the importance and effectiveness of in-person networking remains. That means that while businesses may want to cut back on travel somewhat, the travel they do approve is likely to be of increased importance. This might involve sending fewer but more carefully selected representatives to a large event, or planning longer and more intensive trips for things like training courses.

Don’t expect to travel far (yet)

Even as things begin to feel normal here at home, the situation in other parts of the world over the next couple of years will be changing all the time. That means businesses are likely to keep a pause on international travel, preferring to attend or host similar events on a domestic basis instead.

If international travel was relatively routine for your company pre-Covid, there are all kinds of ways you can seize the opportunity to get collaborating and networking again here at home as things open up. You could even start new UK-wide internal events or plan industry get togethers with your competitors, harnessing everyone’s pent up desire to socialise into something great for your business.  

Where international travel is planned, you should be prepared for things to change at short notice. There may also be hoops to jump through depending on national and international requirements, such as testing before and after travel, as well as providing evidence of having had a Covid vaccination.  

The right venue will be a priority

Even once all social distancing requirements are waived, businesses are expected to remain cautious. No company wants to knowingly put its employees at risk, and as such, we can expect to see a renewed focus on the setup of meetings and conferences, and the suitability of where they take place.

This may mean hosting large events off-site to help minimise the number of contacts a wider pool of office workers have. It may also entail using a much larger space than is available in a typical office boardroom, so as to allow for social distancing to remain in place for an increased number of attendees.

If you’re looking for somewhere to host a conference, meeting or function in the capital, the facilities available at our Leonardo Royal Hotels in London are second to none. Each and every one of our events spaces is stylish and well-equipped, with an excellent selection of room sizes available in all kinds of setups at your request. Each is served by a dedicated team who’ll have all your needs and arrangements in hand, plus we have a rigorous charter in place that outlines and reiterates our commitment to ensuring the safety of all of our guests and events during the Covid-19 restrictions.