The health of the United States’ frequent business travelers may be quickly deteriorating due to high stress levels and the hectic nature of work-related travel. According to a national survey by On Call International—a travel risk management company—a majority of business travelers (54%) say they are less likely to exercise on a work trip compared to when they are not traveling. Furthermore, 44% say they are more likely to eat unhealthy foods during business travel. 36% business travelers believe work-related travel makes them more stressed than normal and have difficulty sleeping when on business trips. Moreover, 13% have trouble remembering taking their medication while on a work trip. 16% business travelers say they drink alcohol more on business trips compared to when they are not traveling.
Dr. William Siegart, Chief Medical Officer at On Call International stated “Stress can lead to headaches, gastrointestinal distress and chest pain. It can exacerbate nearly every pre-existing condition and can lead to the development or worsening of anxiety, depression, skin rashes, asthma, cardiovascular disease and more. As our survey results indicate, stress can also lead to sleep deprivation. Sleep is essential for maintaining cognitive processes, and when deprived of it, a business traveler greatly compromises their attention, alertness, concentration and critical decision-making abilities. These results are concerning, and it is up to both business travelers and their employers to turn the trend around,” added Dr. Siegart. “Organizations have a duty of care to ensure the health and safety of their traveling employees and should focus on mitigating the dangers of their travelers falling into unhealthy habits on the road. I would recommend hosting pre-travel health workshops to reinforce healthy travel behaviors such as eating right, finding time for quick, simple exercises that can be executed anywhere, and working to identify and manage their most frequent causes of stress. These best practices can also have a positive impact on travelers’ overall, long-term health.”
Re: HR Daily Advisor (December 19, 2017). New Survey Reveals the Unhealthy Side Effects of Business Travel
