For most organisations there is a clear line between people and technology; HR shapes culture and policy, while systems and processes are governed by IT. However, business travel overlaps both areas as it covers employee policies and technology-driven processes. This can create inefficiencies, disconnected systems, and unclear workflows that leave employees uncertain and weakens the investment in corporate travel. Getting business travel right requires HR and IT to work collaboratively, not in parallel, according to SAP Concur.

Fabian Calle, managing director, small and medium business at SAP Concur Australia and New Zealand, said, “Alignment between people and technology leaders is a commercial necessity, not a cultural aspiration. Travel touches almost every part of the organisation, and when HR, IT, and finance departments make decisions in isolation, the program cannot deliver the experience employees expect.

“The employee experience is where the consequences of misalignment are often first felt. Fragmented systems, slow approvals, and manual workarounds leave employees navigating policies that make sense in theory yet fall apart in practice. Over time, this frustration turns into disengagement, reluctance to travel, and even avoidance. No one wants to spend hours potentially fighting with procedures that don’t correlate across departments just to submit travel expenses or requests, and no leader should want their team having to forfeit that time either.”

There are three key steps organisations can take to shape better business travel practices.

Reframe travel as a cross-functional asset 

Organisations need to reframe travel as a cross-functional asset for the business, rather than an administrative process. Travel influences many components, including the employee experience, tax and expenses, data accessibility and compliance, and even sustainability and environment social governance (ESG) efforts. For collaboration to occur across these areas, business leaders first need to acknowledge that no single function owns all those outcomes.

Fabian Calle said, “Collaboration does not necessarily require a reorganisation; however, it does need leadership that takes a whole-of-business view of travel. This requires a willingness to involve the right voices early, rather than after decisions have been made. Helping employees understand this change is important. New systems and policies in business travel land better when people can see how they reduce friction in their own role, whether that is faster expense reimbursement, fewer approvals, or clearer guidance.”

Align corporate travel responsibilities 

Most organisations want travel to feel seamless for employees while remaining cost-effective and compliant. The problem arises when priorities are set independently; HR may push for flexibility and wellbeing initiatives, while IT may prioritise system standardisation and security. Add in the pressure from finance departments to focus on keeping costs lean and controlling budgets and it all can become a nightmare for employees. Organisations cannot afford disconnected decision-making when it comes to travel. While each of these department considerations are important, organisations need to ensure there is one clear set of guidelines for corporate travel that captures the requirements of all departments.

Fabian Calle said, “Collaboration becomes practical rather than theoretical when teams are measured against the same outcomes. For example, the employee experience and travel spend should be viewed together, not traded off in isolation. Duty of care is another area where alignment can deliver tangible benefits. When HR has real-time visibility into where employees are travelling, and IT works alongside this by providing the systems that support this visibility, organisations can respond faster should any disruption occur.”

Integrate platforms and procedures 

Using an integrated platform that captures HR requirements, IT policies, and finance documentation in one, easy to use area significantly reduces administration for employees. Data can flow between systems rather than being manually reconciled and approvals can be processed faster with clearer, more consistent policies.

Travel preferences and personalisation can be programmed into systems for employees, making it easier for updates, uploads, and any other entries an employee may need to make while on the move.

Fabian Calle said, “When systems work together, it directly impacts the productivity, job satisfaction, and overall outcome of corporate travel. Employees spend less time chasing approvals or reconciling expenses and more time focusing on the purpose of the trip.

“The long-term value of collaboration extends beyond today’s business travel experience. Integrated data supports better policy design, stronger compliance oversight, and more informed investment decisions. Corporate travel programs sit at the heart of how organisations support their people. However, the benefit of these for the organisation depends on the collaboration, alignment, and integration of departments, and overall, the employee experience of the program.”