Work trips can be fun. The company pays for your flight, books the hotel room, and rents you a car. But they’re not so fun for the people who have to arrange them and calculate all the costs. The company always wants the costs to be as little as possible, but the workers still need adequate accommodation and transport. The planners often find themselves between a rock and a hard place.
A few years back, the Redditor u/ayako-chan shared her story of planning a work trip for her company’s technicians. As it was a last-minute trip, the initial costs were around $35,000. However, the financial department thought the sum was too high and demanded changes. Read on and see how much the author’s malicious compliance ended up costing the company.
Business trips can be costly for companies, so it’s no surprise some of them tend to skimp on the expenses
Image credits: JESHOOTS.COM (not the actual photo)
This company came to regret their decision to ask for reduced work trip costs
Image credits: Tima Miroshnichenko (not the actual photo)
Image source: ayako-chan
People who plan work trips have to take many things into consideration
Image credits: Gustavo Fring (not the actual photo)
The final cost of the trip in this story is without a doubt quite large. Even $35,000 seems a lot, but as the OP clarified already in the comments, it was a last-minute trip, so there weren’t many options to choose from.
What is the average sum for a business trip in the U.S.? According to Itilite, domestic trips can cost around $990, while international work trips might even end up costing somewhere around $2,525. The World Bank reports that the U.S. spent $322.42 billion on business travel expenses in 2021.
The OP already mentioned the main expenses for the trip: accommodation, plane tickets, and ground transportation. However, there are several other things that trip planners have to take into consideration. There are meals, insurance, and incidental expenses.
Some companies also take into account ‘bleisure.’ That’s a term that combines “business” and “leisure.” Sometimes, employees opt to extend their work trips to spend some time sightseeing, relaxing, or engaging in recreational activities. The company policy for this differs as well. Some companies cover expenses related only to business.
The last category is miscellaneous expenses. Sounds quite vague, doesn’t it? Well, it’s things like baggage fees, charges for internet and communication, parking fees, laundry and dry cleaning, office supplies, and business-related printing and copying.
What companies shouldn’t do when trying to reduce business trip expenses
Image credits: AlphaTradeZone (not the actual photo)
Brussels-based business travel expense solutions company MobileXpence lists the two things OP’s company did in this case as their don’ts. Avoiding last-minute bookings and forcing people to share a hotel room are a big no-no, according to them.
While booking flights and accommodation last minute might’ve been inevitable in this case, booking hotel rooms that the employees will have to share is far from ideal. “After a long day of travel, everyone deserves some privacy and space to unwind. Plus, it’s important to prioritize your employees’ comfort and well-being over cost savings,” MobileXpence writes.
These next don’ts were not mentioned by the OP, but experts advise business trip managers to be aware of them. One of them is relying solely on corporate deals. Sure, sometimes it’s really beneficial to have contracts with travel providers. But professionals say that cheaper options might come from other suppliers, especially for longer trips.
Public or shared transportation (like the two cars instead of three in this story) is also an option. CMAC Group writes that the same goes for accommodation as well. Consider alternatives to traditional hotels, like Airbnb or serviced apartments.
Some netizens wanted to know more about the situation, and the OP was happy to answer questions
Commenters blamed the company and shared similar unpleasant experiences
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The only thing i have an issue with here is all the people saying that sharing rooms to save money is unacceptable. In 2023 I was on the road for business 8 times, and every time I shared a room, and most places I know do the same thing, you share rooms unless it is mixed gender, in which case you have separate rooms.
If I cannot have my privacy away from my co-workers after my workday is complete, I must still be working and on the clock. Otherwise, if my employer is taking away my free time to be at home with my family or out doing whatever I want where I live without pay, then they can damned sure cover the cost of my room at the very least. If you were getting some sort of travel pay (separate from per diem for meals), then perhaps you can make an argument for doubling up.
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For the record, at least in the mid-nineties, this is exactly the opposite of the way the US government worked. The first of the (less than half a dozen in a 30-year work career) trips I ever took was on Department of Labor's dime. I was scrupulously honest on my expense report. Someone from finance called me the afternoon I turned it in and coached me through the fine art of Taking Them for Every Dollar. I ended up making like $26 on that trip (two and a half free days of parking, basically).
You | Poem ------ Once upon a time, I thought I knew you. It's just amazing the new you. Life has been good and on your side to keep you. Who are you to me love? I've been going down, way down, and when I look up to see your hands stretching out for me, how is it I don't recognize you. You stopped by disgrace to see if you could find yourself within me. No, it's only you, all about you, from you, because of you outlying the standard. You never know about your own unless you fall asleep and then wake up beside nobody else to comfort you and your mind, how you can do so high, and have the whole wide world to be paralyzed by the thought of you, you're Omni anarchy, it's just like you are taking over the Stars, the moon, the places that be, and the state we're in, but everyone is not afraid of you, but envy you. You have left a stain, yet everyday the universe will know your name as a Reigning King, so if you are real, come save me from the edge of a sword. Save me from the barrel of a firearm, and show me that you are in control. Stop the blood from oozing over my spirit, and maybe make it like it was you. Unlikely, like you to work and want to be known as nameless Jay. Are you too a blue Jay of the mornings glory? Singing sweet Melodies of memories about the heaven, for heavens sake, why don't you respond to the empty room for me, I might catch the echo and rhythm vibrate through the ears of the night wind before your knowing. You. You. Only you. Authorship by Mr. Dashaun Rashod Snipes ©Mr. Dashaun Rashod Snipes ® You
The only thing i have an issue with here is all the people saying that sharing rooms to save money is unacceptable. In 2023 I was on the road for business 8 times, and every time I shared a room, and most places I know do the same thing, you share rooms unless it is mixed gender, in which case you have separate rooms.
If I cannot have my privacy away from my co-workers after my workday is complete, I must still be working and on the clock. Otherwise, if my employer is taking away my free time to be at home with my family or out doing whatever I want where I live without pay, then they can damned sure cover the cost of my room at the very least. If you were getting some sort of travel pay (separate from per diem for meals), then perhaps you can make an argument for doubling up.
Load More Replies... For the record, at least in the mid-nineties, this is exactly the opposite of the way the US government worked. The first of the (less than half a dozen in a 30-year work career) trips I ever took was on Department of Labor's dime. I was scrupulously honest on my expense report. Someone from finance called me the afternoon I turned it in and coached me through the fine art of Taking Them for Every Dollar. I ended up making like $26 on that trip (two and a half free days of parking, basically).
You | Poem ------ Once upon a time, I thought I knew you. It's just amazing the new you. Life has been good and on your side to keep you. Who are you to me love? I've been going down, way down, and when I look up to see your hands stretching out for me, how is it I don't recognize you. You stopped by disgrace to see if you could find yourself within me. No, it's only you, all about you, from you, because of you outlying the standard. You never know about your own unless you fall asleep and then wake up beside nobody else to comfort you and your mind, how you can do so high, and have the whole wide world to be paralyzed by the thought of you, you're Omni anarchy, it's just like you are taking over the Stars, the moon, the places that be, and the state we're in, but everyone is not afraid of you, but envy you. You have left a stain, yet everyday the universe will know your name as a Reigning King, so if you are real, come save me from the edge of a sword. Save me from the barrel of a firearm, and show me that you are in control. Stop the blood from oozing over my spirit, and maybe make it like it was you. Unlikely, like you to work and want to be known as nameless Jay. Are you too a blue Jay of the mornings glory? Singing sweet Melodies of memories about the heaven, for heavens sake, why don't you respond to the empty room for me, I might catch the echo and rhythm vibrate through the ears of the night wind before your knowing. You. You. Only you. Authorship by Mr. Dashaun Rashod Snipes ©Mr. Dashaun Rashod Snipes ® You
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