What Organisations Need to Know Before Deploying Employees
By Sameer Abdulla, Head of Commercial & Marketing
As South African businesses continue expanding across Africa, the Middle East and other emerging markets, mobility remains critical to growth. Whether supporting mining operations in the DRC, renewable energy projects in Namibia, infrastructure developments in East Africa or oil and gas investments across the continent, organisations are increasingly deploying employees into environments that present unique operational and security challenges.
The opportunities are significant. So are the risks.
Having worked with organisations operating across Africa and other emerging markets, I’ve seen first-hand how quickly circumstances can change. A routine business trip can become significantly more complex when security incidents, infrastructure disruptions or medical emergencies arise. The organisations that manage these situations best are typically those that have planned long before the journey begins.
The question is no longer whether your business has a duty of care programme.
The question is whether it is fit for purpose in today’s risk environment.
The Risk Landscape Is Changing
Across many sectors, organisations are operating in environments shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, infrastructure limitations, climate-related disruptions and evolving security concerns.
According to McKinsey’s Global Energy Perspective 2025, geopolitical uncertainty, energy security concerns and changing policy priorities are increasingly influencing investment decisions and operational planning across global markets. The report notes that countries and businesses are placing growing emphasis on affordability, reliability and resilience when making strategic decisions.
For organisations operating in energy, mining and infrastructure sectors, this reality is particularly relevant.
Many of the world’s fastest-growing energy markets are located in regions where operational complexity is high. McKinsey projects that much of global energy demand growth to 2050 will come from Africa, India and ASEAN economies, driven by economic development and expanding industrial activity.
As activity increases, so too does the movement of employees into remote and emerging markets.
Duty of Care Before Departure
One of the biggest misconceptions organisations make is assuming duty of care begins when an employee starts travelling.
In reality, it starts much earlier.
Effective duty of care begins with risk assessment.
Before deploying personnel, organisations should evaluate:
- Security conditions
- Political stability
- Local infrastructure reliability
- Healthcare accessibility
- Environmental risks
- Transportation networks
- Communication capabilities
A traveller heading to a remote mining site in West Africa faces a very different risk profile from someone travelling to a major commercial centre such as Nairobi or Dubai.
One-size-fits-all travel policies no longer work.
Through our work with clients operating in sectors such as mining, energy, engineering and infrastructure, we regularly see how destination-specific planning can materially improve traveller safety and organisational resilience. Accurate intelligence, local knowledge and clear escalation protocols often make the difference between a minor disruption and a major incident.
Technology is improving
Technology has significantly improved how organisations monitor and support travelling employees.
Traveller tracking tools, real-time alerts, risk intelligence platforms and mobile communication solutions enable organisations to maintain greater visibility than ever before.
This is becoming increasingly important as global mobility becomes more dynamic and unpredictable.
However, technology should not be mistaken for a complete solution.
Data creates awareness. People create response.
Knowing where a traveller is located is valuable. Knowing how to assess a changing situation, communicate effectively and coordinate an appropriate response is where true duty of care capability is demonstrated.
Successful organisations combine technology with clearly defined escalation frameworks, crisis response protocols and experienced support teams.
The Human Element Remains Critical
One area that often receives insufficient attention is traveller wellbeing.
High-risk regions frequently require employees to work in demanding environments that can place pressure on both physical and mental wellbeing.
Extended travel periods, isolation from family support networks, changing security conditions and challenging operating environments all have an impact on performance.
This is particularly relevant within energy, mining and infrastructure sectors where assignments may involve remote locations or rotational schedules.
Research consistently shows that employee wellbeing influences productivity, engagement and decision-making.
When travellers feel supported, informed and protected, they perform better.
Duty of care should therefore be viewed as part of a broader employee experience strategy rather than a standalone risk programme.
As a leadership team, ask yourselves a simple question: if one of your employees experienced a serious disruption in a high-risk location tomorrow, would your organisation know exactly what to do within the first hour?
Resilience is becoming a competitive advantage
Recent years have demonstrated how quickly circumstances can change.
Extreme weather events, infrastructure disruptions, political developments and supply chain challenges have all affected business operations around the world.
The organisations that responded most effectively were not necessarily those facing fewer risks. They were the organisations that had prepared.
According to McKinsey, resilience and adaptability have become increasingly important as energy systems and global markets navigate uncertainty and evolving geopolitical dynamics. The same principle applies to workforce mobility.
A well-developed duty of care strategy helps organisations:
- Protect employees
- Reduce operational disruption
- Strengthen business continuity
- Improve decision-making
- Build trust among stakeholders
Increasingly, these capabilities represent competitive advantages rather than administrative requirements.
Looking Ahead
Africa remains one of the most exciting growth opportunities in the global economy.
Investment continues to flow into energy, mining, infrastructure and industrial development projects across the continent. McKinsey expects Africa to be one of the regions contributing most significantly to future global energy demand growth over the coming decades.
With that opportunity comes responsibility.
Organisations deploying employees into high-risk regions must ensure they are equipped with the systems, expertise and support structures required to protect their people.
Duty of care is not about reacting when something goes wrong. It is about creating the confidence that allows people to perform at their best, even in challenging environments.
As organisations continue expanding across Africa and other emerging markets, those that invest in protecting their people will be better positioned to protect their operations, their reputation and their long-term growth.
Because ultimately, every successful project begins and ends with people.
Sources: McKinsey Global Energy Perspective 2025