More than three in four female business travelers have suffered harassment while traveling, and more than one in two change their plans because of safety concerns, according to a survey from SAP Concur, the travel expense and invoice management provider. Both men and women  expressed concerns about personal safety while on the road and frustration that some companies seem to put self-interest ahead of employee needs. Among the responding 7,850 male and female business travelers in 19 global markets, 58% say they have changed travel arrangements because they felt unsafe; over half believe safety is not their companies’ top priority.


Also, the vast majority (95%) of LGBTQ travelers have hidden their sexual orientation while on a business trip, usually to protect their safety. Mike Koetting, chief product strategy officer for SAP Concur, said that while companies try to maximize traveler satisfaction, the reality is that employees “want more empathy, guidance and better technology as they run into both common frustrations and unique individual concerns.”