What's your company policy on rooming with coworkers during business trips? Common? Uncommon? Cheap? Cruel? Or is this the norm?
Topic came up during dinner with a client and they were talking about how their company (Fortune 500) has a new policy this year where if two of them are travelling together, they share accommodations. If there is a 3rd, then the more senior has the option of having their own room.
In my own company, this is would cause an employee uprising. It's not uncommon for people who are on assignment for a long time to get a house and bunch of guys bank their per diem. However, that's entirely up to them as to how they spend their allowance. If you're on a business trip you would always have your own room.
archiwutm8
Jul 25, 16 9:53 am
Own room.
Non Sequitur
Jul 25, 16 10:06 am
own room.
geezertect
Jul 25, 16 10:20 am
Yes, it is cheap. Yes, it is common, if not the norm.
Walmart does it, which is not surprising, but I have also heard that other large companies like AT&T do it.
Personally, I wouldn't require it if I was the policy maker. Business travel is burdensome enough.
Donna Sink
Jul 25, 16 12:05 pm
One of the *only* things that makes business travel worth time away from family is having the luxury of a solitary hotel room for the very few hours you're not actually working. I would not be agreeable to sharing a hotel room with someone on a business trip. No way.
Bloopox
Jul 25, 16 12:17 pm
I've never had to share a hotel room on a business trip. The larger firms, with fancy lawyer- and HR-vetted manuals, have had policies specifically prohibiting that because of the potential liability for any sexual misconduct (regardless of genders of those sharing rooms). The last time I had to share a hotel room was on a trip for a studio in grad school.
chigurh
Jul 25, 16 12:37 pm
added bonus - having to take a shit in the same toilet/adjoining bathroom as your coworker - better light a match.
nicholass817
Jul 25, 16 1:13 pm
No way!! I'd really have to love you to sleep in the same room....other people are gross.
Zbig
Jul 25, 16 1:46 pm
Our policy is own room. The only time I had to share was when the hotel was full with only one room available. Even so, we got a suite. One of us slept in the bedroom and the other one in the parlor.
chris-chitect
Jul 25, 16 1:56 pm
I've got a friend who works for a large global corporation that says not only do they have to share rooms, but beds as well during business trips. Nothing like having to share with 3 others and wait on a shower first thing in the morning.
The company I work for always provides a private room and we aren't expected to share much other than a taxi to the meeting or job site. In some circumstances if two or more people are on site for a long period of time they will rent an apartment.
Which companies still fly business class? Premium economy is our max, even on 13 hour flights to Hong Kong.
geezertect
Jul 25, 16 2:22 pm
I've got a friend who works for a large global corporation that says not only do they have to share rooms, but beds as well during business trips
That's appalling. Care to name the firm? Foreign or USA/First world? I can't imagine how a firm could get away with that we are talking about non-third world employees.
chris-chitect
Jul 25, 16 2:44 pm
It's not in architecture, and I better not name it. But this company has money and does very well.
I typically chose my own hotel as I can find a better deal than what the company travel agent provides. I once accidentally booked a two bed, two bath villa all for myself, but it was still cheaper than typical hotel rooms in the area. I was a bit embarrassed at check in, but it was all they had.
LITS4FormZ
Jul 26, 16 4:48 am
I was travelling with two engineers from Malaysia recently and I booked us 3 rooms. When it was time to check in they were shocked that I didn't ask them to share a room. When we got back from the trip, one of them said it's better if they share a room in the future because that's what they're accustomed to. Lesson learned, different cultures.
Business class can be tricky. Our own company guidelines specify that any flight over 7 hours is eligible for business class. However, it's frowned upon and seen as "not taking one for the team." We are always flying people from our main office on the east coast to our regional offices in Southeast Asia. With the rise of Chinese airlines and code-sharing with the major american carriers, you can sometimes get business class seats cheaper than premium economy on american carriers. A couple airlines will even sell you the entire row if buy the aisle and window seat, middle is free. Chinese airlines certainly have their pros and cons but it still beats coach for 23+ hours of flight time.
sameolddoctor
Jul 26, 16 2:25 pm
In our practice we have business class as well as single accommodations. However we are trying to institute a policy wherein employees can choose to go economy/premium economy and they get a certain "bonus" for doing so. For example, for a flight to dubai, the difference between Business and Economy is easily $10k - so the employee could get a stipend of $2k.
The problem is that we factor in travel as a separate line item in our contracts, so not sure how clients would look at this....
chris-chitect
Jul 26, 16 3:12 pm
I'm not sure I really agree with the "taking one for the team" philoshopy. The business travel itself is the taking one for the team, the downgrade to economy goes beyond that. If its vacation or personal by all means, but this is part of work. Cramming you into a tiny seat over night and expecting you at a meeting the next day goes beyond anything anyone back in the office has to go through. That being said the bonus idea isn't that bad of an idea.
I recently came back on a work trip with Lufthansa and while I was booked in premium economy, they bumped me up at the last minute due to an oversold plane. In business class I was far more productive in getting work done, and as I was rested, I returned to work the very next day with minimal jet lag.
sameolddoctor
Jul 26, 16 6:12 pm
chris, i do understand the value of biz class if the meeting is, in say a few hours of landing there. Otherwise its a lot of money to spend. I would take the 2k anyday, but then Im underpaid.
chris-chitect
Jul 26, 16 7:30 pm
Admittedly I would probably take the money as well. That being said I'd rather be forced to fly in comfort.
Otherwise take the money and see if you can do a last minute upgrade at a discounted rate.
3tk
Jul 29, 16 5:04 pm
Sharing rooms is never a good practice for any firm in the US - liability risk with overlapping personal time and work is a disaster.
What's your company policy on rooming with coworkers during business trips? Common? Uncommon? Cheap? Cruel? Or is this the norm?
Topic came up during dinner with a client and they were talking about how their company (Fortune 500) has a new policy this year where if two of them are travelling together, they share accommodations. If there is a 3rd, then the more senior has the option of having their own room.
In my own company, this is would cause an employee uprising. It's not uncommon for people who are on assignment for a long time to get a house and bunch of guys bank their per diem. However, that's entirely up to them as to how they spend their allowance. If you're on a business trip you would always have your own room.
Own room.
own room.
Yes, it is cheap. Yes, it is common, if not the norm.
Walmart does it, which is not surprising, but I have also heard that other large companies like AT&T do it.
Personally, I wouldn't require it if I was the policy maker. Business travel is burdensome enough.
One of the *only* things that makes business travel worth time away from family is having the luxury of a solitary hotel room for the very few hours you're not actually working. I would not be agreeable to sharing a hotel room with someone on a business trip. No way.
I've never had to share a hotel room on a business trip. The larger firms, with fancy lawyer- and HR-vetted manuals, have had policies specifically prohibiting that because of the potential liability for any sexual misconduct (regardless of genders of those sharing rooms). The last time I had to share a hotel room was on a trip for a studio in grad school.
added bonus - having to take a shit in the same toilet/adjoining bathroom as your coworker - better light a match.
No way!! I'd really have to love you to sleep in the same room....other people are gross.
Our policy is own room. The only time I had to share was when the hotel was full with only one room available. Even so, we got a suite. One of us slept in the bedroom and the other one in the parlor.
I've got a friend who works for a large global corporation that says not only do they have to share rooms, but beds as well during business trips. Nothing like having to share with 3 others and wait on a shower first thing in the morning.
The company I work for always provides a private room and we aren't expected to share much other than a taxi to the meeting or job site. In some circumstances if two or more people are on site for a long period of time they will rent an apartment.
Which companies still fly business class? Premium economy is our max, even on 13 hour flights to Hong Kong.
I've got a friend who works for a large global corporation that says not only do they have to share rooms, but beds as well during business trips
That's appalling. Care to name the firm? Foreign or USA/First world? I can't imagine how a firm could get away with that we are talking about non-third world employees.
It's not in architecture, and I better not name it. But this company has money and does very well.
I typically chose my own hotel as I can find a better deal than what the company travel agent provides. I once accidentally booked a two bed, two bath villa all for myself, but it was still cheaper than typical hotel rooms in the area. I was a bit embarrassed at check in, but it was all they had.
I was travelling with two engineers from Malaysia recently and I booked us 3 rooms. When it was time to check in they were shocked that I didn't ask them to share a room. When we got back from the trip, one of them said it's better if they share a room in the future because that's what they're accustomed to. Lesson learned, different cultures.
Business class can be tricky. Our own company guidelines specify that any flight over 7 hours is eligible for business class. However, it's frowned upon and seen as "not taking one for the team." We are always flying people from our main office on the east coast to our regional offices in Southeast Asia. With the rise of Chinese airlines and code-sharing with the major american carriers, you can sometimes get business class seats cheaper than premium economy on american carriers. A couple airlines will even sell you the entire row if buy the aisle and window seat, middle is free. Chinese airlines certainly have their pros and cons but it still beats coach for 23+ hours of flight time.
In our practice we have business class as well as single accommodations. However we are trying to institute a policy wherein employees can choose to go economy/premium economy and they get a certain "bonus" for doing so. For example, for a flight to dubai, the difference between Business and Economy is easily $10k - so the employee could get a stipend of $2k.
The problem is that we factor in travel as a separate line item in our contracts, so not sure how clients would look at this....
I'm not sure I really agree with the "taking one for the team" philoshopy. The business travel itself is the taking one for the team, the downgrade to economy goes beyond that. If its vacation or personal by all means, but this is part of work. Cramming you into a tiny seat over night and expecting you at a meeting the next day goes beyond anything anyone back in the office has to go through. That being said the bonus idea isn't that bad of an idea.
I recently came back on a work trip with Lufthansa and while I was booked in premium economy, they bumped me up at the last minute due to an oversold plane. In business class I was far more productive in getting work done, and as I was rested, I returned to work the very next day with minimal jet lag.
chris, i do understand the value of biz class if the meeting is, in say a few hours of landing there. Otherwise its a lot of money to spend. I would take the 2k anyday, but then Im underpaid.
Admittedly I would probably take the money as well. That being said I'd rather be forced to fly in comfort.
Otherwise take the money and see if you can do a last minute upgrade at a discounted rate.
Sharing rooms is never a good practice for any firm in the US - liability risk with overlapping personal time and work is a disaster.