On a recent trip with coworkers, my inner HR shined.
While going on trips with coworkers can be fun, some important distinctions exist between work friends and real friends. Crossing the line can ultimately hurt your career.
Here are my five commandments for traveling with colleagues:
- Stay in budget! The thrill of swiping a credit card and not paying is a fun rush, but it can get you in financial trouble if you go too far. Stay within your company’s per-day allowance or your own budget (if you’re self-employed).
- Alcohol is okay, but not to excess! I’m a happy hour lover and have had great memories with my colleagues across the globe experiencing local breweries, hidden speakeasies, or exciting rooftop bars. Discovering new places and cocktails as a team can be fun. But know your limits and respect your sober colleagues. When you loosen up you may say or do things you don’t want the entire company to know the following week. Find a fun bar, such as Minus 5 in Las Vegas, or a spot with great food or interactive activities so drinking is an option, not an expectation.
- Include everyone — even that coworker who talks non-stop about work or doesn’t quite fit in back at the office. A business trip is a great opportunity to connect with those you may not regularly work with and put effort into building relationships. If you’re traveling with management, make an effort to share more about you. But heed #2! Need more inclusion tips? Check out these 7.
- Business first, leisure later. I know the frustration of being somewhere fun and exciting (or warm and sunny) but stuck in a conference room. Extend your trip if you can. Even an early check-in or late check-out can give you some personal time. Remember too that you can always go back to a location you love — just for leisure.
- Be patient and get enough rest. Hotel sleep can be restorative. But you and your colleagues may be tired, jet-lagged, homesick, or stressed about home pressures. Be understanding, patient, and extra kind to those colleagues, especially those who are new to business travel.
Bonus tip: Single and suddenly feeling chemistry with your colleague? (Or, not single, but vibing with someone after a few days away?) Consider the consequences upon return. Many companies still have policies against inter-office hook-ups and you wouldn’t want one night of fun to ruin years of career-building or become rumor mill fodder.
For more about traveling with colleagues, check out what Booking.com has to say about it.
And remember, you want your business trips with others to be remembered for great work accomplishments and fun after-work experiences, not that awkward thing you might have done or said after the third martini!
