New research by American Express Global Business Travel shows that it’s important for companies to make sure their travel policies are up to date -- but fewer than a third have updated their policies in the past year.

The American Express research shows that companies can strengthen their programs by focusing on their travel and expense policies early this year. Analyzing nearly 100 travel policies of global, multinational, and mid-sized companies, the research shows less than one third of these companies overall have updated their travel policies within the last year. This oversight can leave companies exposed to losing hard-earned corporate negotiated rates, and more importantly, may put travelers at unnecessary risk.

“Like many improvement resolutions, reviewing and revising travel policy tends to get neglected,” said Christa Degnan Manning, director of Expert Insights research, American Express Global Business Travel. “Yet a healthy travel policy can help companies achieve long-term success. Policies can support business-critical goals such as risk mitigation and employee engagement, as they touch on issues from traveler safety and security to corporate social responsibility.”

This new Best Practice Roadmap report on Travel Policy, produced by Expert Insights, shows many organizations still need to close the gap between their policy content and emerging industry trends.

Only 12 percent addressed traveler security despite it being a critical issue for companies to consider as more and more employees embark on worldwide business travel today. Eighty percent did not address reimbursement of ancillary fees such as checked bags, reservation change fees, or other for-purchase services offered at hotels and car rentals.

Only 35 percent of smaller companies and large international organizations require an agency to book hotels, compared to 85 percent of global companies. None of the travel policies addressed the use of mobile applications or even referenced tools they may have available for travelers to use on the road or when working remotely. Seventy percent of companies do not provide specific guidelines to travelers on when it makes sense to book airfares through a non-preferred supplier if the ticket price is less expensive.

The study advised companies to provide guidance to their travelers for the range of areas associated with security, such as how to prepare for a trip, what to do during a trip, and after travel, particularly when traveling to high-risk destinations. Companies should also provide their travelers guidance during a travel emergency or disruption.

In addition, the new fees that customers have to make decisions on when they travel are a policy opportunity. Companies should make it easier for their travelers to understand what is reimbursable as well as being made aware of waived fees and other benefits associated with booking with preferred suppliers, such as free checked baggage on airlines or complimentary Wi-Fi as part of a hotel rate.

Safety and security rank at the top of the list of reasons for traveler compliance to hotel policy. Knowing the city to which a traveler is headed is only half of the equation, particularly when locating travelers in an emergency. This area also poses the greatest area of leakage in travel policy, compromising negotiated rates when booking hotels outside of policy. Companies should communicate to travelers the reasons for booking hotels at the same time as air reservations.

Mobile technology also holds opportunity for business travel management. Company-supported mobile applications can be used to facilitate communication, both emergencies and for day-to-day support, including policy and traveler benefits notifications. A successful travel policy should include rules for these resources, and help travelers find and take advantage of them to save time and increase compliance.

Companies are starting to tell their employees to find the lowest airfare, even if it’s not with a preferred supplier. The problem is that by booking cheaper fares with non-preferred airlines can jeopardize negotiated rates, unintentionally driving up overall travel costs over time. Guidelines should be established indicating when this practice should be used.

It’s important for companies to focus on communication with employees to make sure they know travel policies and know where to find it. Most employees want to do the right thing by the business, so businesses need to let employees know what is in it for the company and for them. That way the traveler can benefit from the perks of following the policy and the company can benefit from travel policy compliance.