Does anyone have a company policy or practice regarding driving after a long haul flight, for example limiting driving time to say 1 hour or enforcing the use of public transport, etc any thoughts appreciated, thanks

Thanks for quick reply, unfortunately due to current economic climate we can only fly economy hence this has raised it head, thanks

The practice of educating management at all levels about the physiology of circadian rhythms has been shown to be an economic way of addressing the issue, effectively.

As the tasks of people and business needs of organisations differ so much, restricting behaviour effectively has to take account of variations in human needs as well as in tasks, climate and time zones. n

In the UK, Simon Folkard is a good source; in the USA, the ergonomic department of Cornell University and the University of South Florida present well-researched information on their websites.

We offer (but don't mandate) a taxi to and from the airport for all staff flying long haul. The vast majority of people take it up.

Personally I always use a company-supplied taxi to the airport and public transport home, but that partly relates to my flying patterns - I'm pretty much always coming into Heathrow crack of dawn and quite enjoy the gradual re-integration into the real world that derives from the Heathrow express - early morning tube - morning trains. After being shut in the artificial constraints of an aeroplane and the obligation to conform with other peoples processes implicit in even business class air travel (or even on the one occasion I was elevated to first class), I prefer the freedom of making my own way to being immediately strapped into someone else's car.

Over 20 years ago in connection with historical/mining history research I interviewed an elderly man who for many years had owned a very successful slate quarry company in Cumbria. Among various aspects he described how the company's success and renown stemmed in part from devoting resources to publicising the company's products (sawn, shaped and polished stone as well as conventional roof slates), especially to leading architects in the hope that they would specify the products in relation to prestigious designs.

For meetings in other parts of the UK with architects or anyone else he said it was always important for him to be fresh and alert. Therefore, for longer trips away, e.g. to London, he usually travelled by train as it was more relaxing than driving, even when motorways arrived and help to make car journeys faster than before. Also, for morning meetings at distant venues, he made a point of staying the previous night near the venue. He applied the same policy for his managers and other representatives. Even though this policy involved higher travelling and accommodation costs he reckoned that it was very worthwhile in terms of wellbeing and the fact that it repaid itself many times over through the orders received by the business.

Several years after the interview I met a man who had worked for the company so I mentioned having visited his former boss. Without prompting he said that though conditions in the company's quarries and processing works were inherently harsh, the company tried to take good care of its employees, irrespective of their status and work, and mentioned the business trips policy as an example. As a result the company's overall attitude reaped significant loyalty from its people.