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Has your employer ever forced you to share a hotel room?

Has your employer ever forced you to share a hotel room?

Old Feb 20, 2007, 11:04 am
  #151  
 
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Originally Posted by Punki
If we were major corporation and he got on the phone to HR, they would have had to tell him that the city was sold out, so he would just have to stay home.

Fortunately, we are a small corporation, made up of folks who really like each other, listen to, and talk to one another, and always try to act in the best interest of all. That works far better than HR actions. ^
I really don't think you get it here. A major corporation has policies and procedures in place for scenarios such as this. I can pull out my employee handbook and it explains the process for this sort of situation and what my company will do about it. I think it's safe to assume that you don't have an employee handbook. The fact that you are not only this gentleman's manager but also the owner of the company puts you in an even more precarious situation (both legally AND financially). You need to understand that your employees are not your "best friends" and should not be treated as such. To say that we would "talk to one another" a very naive solution. Laws such as these exist precisely because many subordinates are afraid to raise these issues with their superiors for fear of retaliation.

What would you have done if this young man had said, "I'm sorry, but I can't go along with what you are suggesting. It is unfair and inappropriate of you to impose such a condition for me to go on this trip. You will have to give me my own room." Do you really think you wouldn't have an adverse reaction to such a statement ("I can't believe he said that to me. I thought he was my friend. I guess he's not a team player")? However good you think your intentions are (and I'm not suggesting they were anything but), we are talking about someone's career and advancement opportunities here (of which YOU are in control). Keep in mind that "friends" sue each other all the time. @:-)
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Old Feb 20, 2007, 11:28 am
  #152  
 
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Originally Posted by any007
I believe this is standard policy at walmart.
even for the ceo.
Know I know why I hate walmart!
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Old Feb 20, 2007, 11:49 am
  #153  
 
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In case no one ever reads the papers, the U.S. is a litigious society. They sue at the drop of a hat. You'd think employers would want to avoid even the bogus suits when they are completely avoidable. This is such a situation.
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Old Feb 23, 2007, 1:04 am
  #154  
 
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I've just been asked to share a room once. I had only been in the company for months, I was 20-something, my room mate was a nice guy of my age and it was my first business trip abroad, so sharing was not a problem. The other person travelling with us was our employer and owner of the company, about 40 years older than us. I would have hated to share the room with him, for sure.

Even before that, while I was still at the University, I got a fab scholarship from a bank in Spain. For 6 weeks, a guy from another town and me got a job at their branch in Miami. All expenses paid, including a rented car and an appartment in Miami Beach. However, it also meant meeting a guy at MAD Airport, and sharing the next weeks with him; not only did we work together, but even shared the same bedroom (2 beds, of course!). It was really, really hard at times and after a week it was like hell, but we eventually found the way to bear each other and 14 years later we are still friends.

But sure, I'd hate to share a room now. No matter how lonely I feel while travelling abroad sometimes, at night I DO want to be on my own.
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Old Feb 23, 2007, 1:58 am
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Doing it next week for a few nights; had to change my reservation from one king to two queens. Usually I'm on my own, but every once in a while the company sends another person with me. I don't mind it much. But they never make people of the opposite sex share a room.
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Old Feb 23, 2007, 9:15 am
  #156  
 
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Here's an idea...

This is something that some of us technical sales guys were joking about at one our meetings. Should the company really be paying for hotel rooms for the "pure" sales guys? After all, do we really want them selling for us if they can't even wrangle a place to sleep at a local singles bar?
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Old Feb 24, 2007, 8:13 am
  #157  
 
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Yikes. Like many others in this thread, it never once occurred to me anyone could even be required to share for a business trip. As a very very light sleeper and occasional insomniac there is simply not way this would be acceptable. (Holidays/martial arts camps are different, I have shared and would share on those occasions, although when I went on an organized hiking tour last year I shelled out for single surcharge instead). In a business setting, not only would I have a hard time getting any sleep at all myself, I also sometimes get up and have a late-night shower when I can't get to sleep - just great for the other person. This is especially true at conferences when you are sitting around cramped all day and networking in between panels. I always make sure to hit the pool/fitness room just to unwind, and then room sharing? How about getting a doctor's letter to get out of this type of thing?
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Old Feb 24, 2007, 8:55 am
  #158  
 
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Originally Posted by mattkorey
In case no one ever reads the papers, the U.S. is a litigious society. They sue at the drop of a hat. You'd think employers would want to avoid even the bogus suits when they are completely avoidable. This is such a situation.
Litigation aside, if the company is requesting I travel, they are responsible to an extent to keep me safe. I don't expect them to send bodyguards with me, and if I choose to do something risky like rollerblading drunk through Midtown Manhattan traffic, that's on me. But putting me in such close quarters with someone I do not know very well puts my safety at risk. Drunk roommate brings home Mr. Stranger Danger from the bar and we both wake up to find we've been robbed. Drunk roommate forgets to lock the door and we wake up to find Mr. Stranger Danger in our room uninvited. Careless Smoker roommate falls asleep with cigarette and burns down the room with me in it. Kooky roommate goes off her meds and decides to kidnap me. Sure, they're ALL long shots but I don't think any company should take such a huge risk just to save a couple hundred dollars. By pairing up people, the company is to some degree vouching for the other party's character and while picking your roommie might help, there's still some assumption that the other person is OK just because they work with you.

I think if your company can't afford for everyone to have a room of their own, they should move the conference/meeting/whatever to a less expensive city, reduce the invitee list, cut it a day short, whatever it takes to come in within budget.
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Old Feb 24, 2007, 1:13 pm
  #159  
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When I worked for Control Data in the early 80's, I received an award that allowed me to attend international marketing's 100% Club -- 700 people in the Bahamas for 5 days of free food, free booze, free activities and a few "business" meetings.

We were all in double rooms, same sex, usually with someone from your own group (e.g. another recipient of the same award in my case).

The hotel arrangements were no big deal.
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Old Feb 24, 2007, 9:58 pm
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Interesting discussion. What would you think about having the option to share a room, and if you took that option you'd get the dollar cost of the room halved between you as a bonus (or similar)?
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Old Feb 24, 2007, 10:10 pm
  #161  
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Originally Posted by Louie_LI
In my experience, many government per diem meal rates are based on the philosophy that you'd be paying for food anyway, and the allowance is just to top up what you'd spend anyway. It's only meant to be partial compensation.
Sorry, but I expense everything when I travel, even a cup of Starbucks in the afternoon. I guess it's good I don't work for the gubmint.
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Old Feb 24, 2007, 10:13 pm
  #162  
 
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Originally Posted by martinald
Interesting discussion. What would you think about having the option to share a room, and if you took that option you'd get the dollar cost of the room halved between you as a bonus (or similar)?
I think some of the people who are against it would take the offer, but I think from a company standpoint it is still a bad idea. I think there's just too much chance for things to go wrong. The most innocent kind of disaster--- one person seriously runs up the room charge, or someone is so inconsiderate as to make the other miserable--- you end up with co-workers who no longer work well together, and for the more serious disasters (sexual harassment, physical violence, etc), I don't think the company would be any less "sue-able" just because the employee opted for the room-share and bonus.

Plus, then everyone would be fist-fighting over the points!
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Old Feb 24, 2007, 10:43 pm
  #163  
 
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LoL. It was one of my preemployment questions....Do we share rooms....

Ahh the King bed to myself
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Old Feb 25, 2007, 7:00 pm
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I snore so I get a room to myself
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Old Feb 26, 2007, 9:06 am
  #165  
 
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I typically won't share a room, but I'll be flexible depending upon the situation.

I was with my previous company for about 8 years, and it required extensive travel...however, I was usually by myself (engineering field work) for whatever project I was on. I think I shared a room 3 times in that whole period -- once was when I was being trained and was visiting some jobsites in the first month of employment with a sr. engineer. He was handling all the arrangements, and it was an overnight trip. When it came time find a hotel, he booked us a double/double in something like a Days Inn -- not fleabag roach motel, but COME ON. My (silent) reaction was, "WTH kind of company have I signed up with?"

Turns out it wasn't a company requirement or even SOP; he was just trying to keep costs down for that particular trip. I actually did the same thing some years later when training new engineers or techs...except I'd book a two-bedroom suite. Room-sharing was typically a function of project budgets; that company had a lot of small (<$25K) projects where lodging was budgeted around $100/night, and usually only required 5 or 6 nights total over the length of the project. I typically had total control over project costs, so I could stay wherever I wanted...but if I blew the budget it was my rear end in a sling.

The only other time I shared a hotel room was on a project in Miami; it was a month-long project that required two engineers for the duration. The project manager went down with us to kick off the project, and rather than just stay in hotel rooms, we looked for something that would be more suitable for a long-term. We ended up getting a 3-bedroom 2-bath suite at a brand new development in South Beach - WITHIN the project budget (it was off-season).

Didn't mind sharing that one. In fact, at the time, I was four months out of school and sleeping on the couch of a 2-bedroom apt with 2 good friends of mine until one of the guys got married that summer and moved out. The original project plan had been to rotate engineers in and out every 2 weeks so no one had to spend more that 14 days away from home; however, after about 4 days I called the manager up and said, "I think it would be better for continuity if you just kept me on this project for it's duration. It's no problem. REALLY."

I was the envy of all my recent-graduate friends.
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