Although technology can sometimes make travel unnecessary, physical presence is often desirable, if not essential, even in foreign countries. As an employer, how can you ensure that your employees are well prepared for business trips and that the risks to their health are minimised?
Business travel is making a comeback. After a sharp decline during the Covid-19 pandemic, when virtual meetings became the norm, the number of trips now exceeds 2019 levels.
Even private travellers have every interest in preparing their trip well and seeking advice. But in their case, each individual decides for themselves what preventive measures to take and what residual risks they are prepared to accept. For an employee travelling abroad for work, the situation is somewhat different. The employer has a responsibility. As with workplaces in Belgium, they must assess the risks and propose appropriate protective measures. In this context, occupational physicians with expertise in travel medicine are the preferred advisors.
How can you prepare?
Medical preparation for business trips abroad is a specific field where occupational medicine and travel medicine intersect. The main objective is to provide information on recommended preventive measures: what are the health risks associated with long flights, staying in the destination country and specific working conditions? How can jet lag be managed? What should be done in the event of illness during the trip? Should medication be taken as a preventive measure? Which vaccinations are necessary or recommended?
In addition to providing information, a pre-travel health check may also be arranged. In some countries, this check and the presentation of a medical certificate are essential for obtaining a work permit. During this consultation, the individual's fitness to fly and fitness to work abroad are assessed. The required vaccinations are administered, and all aspects of maintaining good health during the stay abroad are reviewed. In addition, a travel kit can be provided, including first aid supplies and a travel pharmacy.
How can you anticipate health risks?
Mensura has been active in this field for over 15 years and has recently developed an online training course dedicated to this topic. Pre-travel health advice involves conveying a large amount of information and requires a significant investment of time. Thanks to e-learning, travellers receive advice at the right time, without having to leave the office or their home. If a medical examination follows, they arrive at the doctor's office better informed and can ask more specific questions.
Specific courses are offered for expats and frequent travellers. The approach differs slightly between these two groups, as it is often difficult to identify precisely the risks to which frequent travellers may be exposed. For expats, the exact destination is known, which allows for perfectly tailored preventive measures before departure. For others, more general preparation is provided, supplemented if necessary by a few additional steps just before departure, depending on the destination.
The world is changing rapidly. New health risks, such as dengue fever in Southern Europe or the Oropouche virus in Central and South America, require vigilance and preparation. Thanks to this online training, you, as an employer, will be ready to meet these challenges and enable your employees to travel safely.
By Geert Laire, Occupational physician, also active in travel medicine since many years - Mensura
To find out more, attend our seminar on 17 November 2025: Business travel without medical worries