Create a Robust Travel Policy with Navan’s Free Template

Creating a well-structured corporate travel policy is essential for any company that manages frequent business travel. A clear and detailed travel policy helps control costs, maintain consistency, and help ensure employees adhere to company guidelines.

If you’re looking to establish or refine your travel policy, get started by reading our guide below and downloading a free corporate travel policy template.

Benefits of a Clear Travel Policy

A well-defined travel policy offers numerous advantages, including:

• Cost Control: By setting limits and specifying acceptable expenses, businesses can better manage travel costs, avoid unexpected charges, and control overspending.
• Consistency: A standardized policy helps ensure that all employees follow the same guidelines, reducing confusion and discrepancies.
• Efficiency: Clear procedures for bookings, approvals, and reimbursements streamline the process and save time for both employees and administrators.

Ultimately, a well-crafted travel policy enhances operational efficiency and contributes to a more organized and cost-effective travel experience for your entire organization.

Key Components of a Travel Policy

Clear policy guidelines clarify the rules and reduce confusion for employees. All corporate travel policies should include the following components.

Purpose and Scope

Define the policy’s objectives and the employees to whom it applies. This section clarifies why the policy exists and who needs to follow it.

Travel Authorization

Outline the approval process for travel requests. Include who needs to authorize travel and the necessary steps for approval.

Expense Guidelines

Set clear limits on allowable expenses. Include categories such as accommodation, meals, transportation, and other incidentals. Specify any company-approved vendors or booking channels.

Travel Booking Procedures

Detail the procedures for booking travel. Indicate whether bookings should be made through a travel management platform, company travel agents, or other methods.

Reimbursement Process

Describe the process for submitting expense reports and obtaining reimbursement. Include documentation requirements and submission deadlines.

Travel Safety and Security

Provide guidelines on maintaining safety and security while traveling. Include emergency procedures, contact information for support, and any travel advisories.

Compliance and Penalties

Explain the importance of adhering to the policy and outline any penalties for non-compliance, so all employees understand the consequences of not following the policy.

Downloadable Sample Travel Policy Template and Checklist

We’ve created a downloadable sample template and checklist with all the essential components for effective travel management.

• Travel Policy Template: This document outlines the basics and can be customized to fit your organization’s specific needs.
• Travel Policy Checklist: Use this document to ensure your policy covers all necessary aspects for effective travel management and compliance.

Feel free to use and adapt the sample travel policy template to create a clear and comprehensive travel policy for your company.

Implementing Your Travel Policy

To implement your travel policy effectively:

• Communicate Clearly: Policies should be accessible and easy to understand. Make employees aware of the policy and its details. Consider holding training sessions or distributing informational materials.
• Monitor Compliance: Regularly review travel expenses and adherence to the policy. Collect feedback to make necessary adjustments and improve the policy over time.
• Regularly Review and Update: Review and update your travel policy regularly to reflect any changes in company practices, travel trends, or cost structures.

By actively managing and refining your travel policy, you can maintain control over travel expenses, ensure adherence to guidelines, and adapt to evolving business needs.

The Problem with Static Policy Documents

Mapping out a travel policy is a great step for your business. However, static policy documents can quickly become outdated and are difficult to enforce.

Static travel policy documents are problematic for everyone involved. Here’s why.

Administrators:

• Time-Consuming Updates: Manually revising and distributing updated policy documents can be labor-intensive and inefficient.
• Enforcement Challenges: Maintaining compliance with static policies requires constant oversight and manual checks, which increases the administrative burden.
• Lack of Visibility: Limited access to real-time data makes it difficult to monitor policy adherence and identify areas for improvement.

Traveling Employees:

• Confusion and Inconsistency: Outdated documents can lead to confusion about current policies, resulting in inconsistent compliance.
• Limited Access: Static documents may not be easily accessible while traveling, making it harder for employees to reference policies on the go.
• Inflexibility: Static policies fail to accommodate unexpected changes or exceptions, creating frustration and potential non-compliance.

The solution? With real-time reporting and insights, Navan’s business travel management solution allows administrators to build your company’s policies into the software. Employees see the policy rules as they book travel, and while on the road, they can easily access expense guidelines for meals, incidentals, and more in the mobile app.

Learn more about how Navan can support your travel policy implementation at www.navan.com.