By Lucy Donald, Director and Head of Mining Division at WRS – Worldwide Recruitment Solutions

The process of managing FIFO rosters is something which gives a lot of our clients a real headache, with limited automation the process is ripe for mistakes and places a real burden on internal processes and resource. I often ask them, if we are providing your candidates why not try allowing us to service your travel requirements, too?

The last couple of years in the mining industry have been tough to say the least, and many companies have been focusing in on their operational efficiencies and cost savings. Outsourcing your travel management can save you money in a variety of ways, including:

• More control over your travel spend
• Increased compliance through account management
• Consolidation of travel efficiencies
• Efficiencies of scale through bulk purchasing
• Decreased pressure and dependence of internal resources
• Access to better rates through negotiated deals and discounts
• Access to special consolidated fares
• In-depth knowledge of complex travel rosters

With 40% of bookings in the sector rescheduled at least once, a FIFO employee may have a wide range of travel options which all need to be perfectly aligned to ensure the worker is fit and ready and for work when they need to be, and is able to travel home for a well-earned rest in a way which is efficient for the worker and also cost-effective for the employer.

This means it’s not unusual for a combination of commercial airline flights, charter flights, train and/or bus journeys, hotels and even sometimes choppers are needed to get the employee safely to site, particularly if the site is one which is in an especially remote location such as Greenland where helicopter transportation is frequently used; not to mention the potential for cancellations and changes due to weather conditions.

So it’s important for your outsourced travel management company to have great relationships with a number of different parties, including airlines, car hire providers and hotels, in order to be able to offer you the most flexible and customised journey options at the best price.

WRS’ Global Mobility team operate solely within the Engineering sectors, arranging travel requirements for our clients within Oil & Gas, Mining and Maritime globally. Our experience around the world means we have unrivalled knowledge of both international and domestic / regional air routes and airlines, as well as other transport modes including rail and car hire. We are skilled in sourcing the best flight options based on directness, cost, individual booking preferences and compliance with the company travel policies, and have negotiated rates with a range of hotel providers around the world.

About WRS
WRS is a global staffing agency providing permanent and contract recruitment, global mobility and consultancy solutions to clients across the Mining, Oil & Gas, Marine, Construction, Power, Chemicals, Commodities & Trading and Manufacturing & Engineering industries around the world. WRS run global offices in the UK, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Houston, Kurdistan and South Africa.