Here’s how to protect the mental health of your corporate travellers

In our hyper-connected world, business travel remains a key component of many industries. Whether it’s for conferences, client meetings, or site visits, travel can be essential for growth and relationship-building. However, while the benefits to the company are often clear, the toll on employees’ mental health (your corporate travellers) is less frequently discussed.

Business travel can be disruptive, exhausting, and isolating. Long flights, time zone shifts, tight schedules, unfamiliar environments, and time away from family can all contribute to stress, burnout, and even anxiety or depression. As an employer or manager, you have a responsibility – not just ethically, but strategically – to safeguard the wellbeing of your traveling team members.

Here’s how to proactively protect your staff’s mental health when they’re on the road.

1. Plan with wellness in mind

Avoid packing itineraries too tightly. Give employees buffer time between meetings and travel legs so they aren’t running on adrenaline. If possible, allow an extra day before or after a trip for rest, adjustment, or personal time.

Tip: A little breathing room goes a long way. Avoid scheduling critical calls or deadlines the day after travel.

2. Encourage work-life boundaries on the road

The “always on” mindset is amplified during travel, especially when employees feel they need to prove productivity while away. Encourage reasonable working hours and emphasise that rest and self-care are not luxuries – they’re essential.

Action step: Communicate that checking emails at midnight isn’t expected, and model that behaviour yourself.

3. Provide mental health support that travels

Ensure your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or mental health benefits are accessible remotely. If your team uses mental health apps or teletherapy services, confirm these are accessible from different regions and time zones.

Pro tip: Provide travellers with a “wellbeing travel pack” that includes mental health resources, emergency contacts, and tips for managing stress on the go.

4. Empower autonomy & flexibility

Let employees make choices about how they travel – whether that’s picking a preferred airline, choosing flight times that don’t disrupt sleep, or staying at hotels that support rest and comfort.

Bonus: Flexibility increases a sense of control, which can reduce anxiety and improve overall morale.

5. Check in – genuinely

Don’t assume silence means everything is fine. Take time to check in before, during, and after the trip—not just on deliverables, but on how the employee is doing.

Good question to ask: “How are you feeling about the trip? Is there anything we can do to make it more manageable for you?”

Support your corporate travellers with their mental health

6. Acknowledge & normalise the emotional load

Business travel isn’t a vacation. Acknowledge that it’s okay to feel tired, homesick, or stressed. Creating a culture where vulnerability is accepted and supported goes a long way.

Manager’s role: Share your own travel struggles and coping strategies. This helps build psychological safety and trust.

7. Debrief with compassion

After a trip, ask for feedback not just about the business outcomes, but the travel experience itself. What worked? What didn’t? What could be improved?

Use this feedback to: Adjust future travel policies and offer individualised support.

Final thoughts

Protecting mental health during business travel isn’t just about preventing burnout – it’s about showing your people that you value them beyond their output. When employees feel supported, they’re more engaged, more loyal, and better equipped to perform at their best.

In short: take care of your travellers, and they’ll take care of your business.

Your next step: Review your current travel policies. Where can you build in flexibility, support, and wellness-oriented resources?

At MIDAS Travel, we support you and your team with the physical and emotional weight of travelling on behalf of your business. An essential part of a company’s success and growth, we’re here to ensure you’re fulfilling key business objectives as well as delivering on your duty of care obligations. To find out how we can help, whether it’s checking in on your travellers or managing feedback and improvements, then get in touch.

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