Husband’s female colleague’s issue being taken very seriously.

Work trips are for work, anything else should use one’s annual leave. And it’s not misogynistic to say any of what I said - that poster claimed she wanted to tick things off her bucket list, making it clear it wouldn’t have happened without tagging along on her spouse’s work trip.

Well then that’ll be good news for OP, who can resume tagging along with the other wives despite the new rule.

Companies' right to make rules about such things is severely limited by the courts. They can't stop you from sleeping with someone unless it creates a conflict of interest. They certainly can't stop you from sleeping with your spouse.

Okay you’re taking this to ridiculous levels so I’m out.

Because if an employee does it then the company has some recourse? How are people not understanding this? The company has a duty of care towards their employee and the employee has expected standards of behaviour dictated by their company. There is a contract between employee and employer that does not extend to spouses.

No it isn't. The courts have been clear that employees have a right to a private life and companies can't dictate who they do or don't sleep with unless there is a conflict of interest or similar risk to the employee's integrity at work.

It's very similar, yes. You are doing your job, just in a different location. There is no reason your priorities need to drastically change or that you suddenly need to start "pandering" to when your spouse wants to have breakfast.

OMG of course it does or companies wouldn’t have rules about such things - which the company in the OP has decided to impose.

My spouse has only ever tagged along with me once in my career to date of plenty of trips at home and abroad because I was 8 months pregnant. It was with the client paying for the trip’s permission.

I enjoying the time with colleagues in the evening as most work remotely these days it’s a nice chance to catch up and socialise. I don’t want be going off with my spouse to a pub just the two of us.

Maybe I’m weird like that.

If it was just me and Creepy John I’d fake a headache and order room service.

It has something to do with it if the company has literally paid for the bed for that night though. I mean, maybe if the OP and her husband paid for the hotel room themselves then sure, it would be nobody’s business but theirs.

In these terms, why wouldn't it be?

You seem to be assuming that people who make sure they are prepped for work, do their jobs properly and support their spouses in doing their jobs, will suddenly change tack and undermine their careers because they aren't in their own home.

Which is just bizarre.

I definitely don’t interact with my husband like that?!
A more common occurrence is him back in hotel room messaging me saying where are you.
He shares his itinerary. I crack on and do what I fancy. If he has free time we spend it together. If plans change and he gets invited to something so be it.
I’m used to travelling and very happy with my own company.
In OP’s case if there had been some work emergency and he couldn’t meet her at pub for dinner then I’m sure she would have managed to get her own meal. Start time suddenly shifts to 7am, she can have a lie in and breakfast on her own. It’s not rocket science.

Well, no, why would it? But a handful of PPs are incredibly committed to the idea of spouses as intrusive, demanding killjoys - and of colleagues, by contrast, as lovingly compassionate, stimulating company. The two must never meet.

I daren't think why!

Work trips are for workduring the day. Who the employees sleep next to at night has absolutely nothing to do with work.

Are you really saying being non a work trip is the same as being at home? 🙄

You said she should get a job that involved visiting the same destinations for herself.

I think your argument's specious but, in any case, this conversation's now re-treading the same ground for the umpteenth time.

I really don't understand this.

I and my DH decide what time to have breakfast based on when we need to be at work. We come home at the end of the day and then have dinner. This is the norm for everyone, surely.

There is no reason why it would be any different on a work trip.

How do they not have those risks for anything an employee might do while away from home for work without banning all non-company socialising while away? An employee could chat up someone in the bar, or hire an escort. Could have an old friend who lives in the area come stay over or go stay with them. Etc. And those people could all do illegal things in the room that the company pays for (not sure what you mean by on the company's time).

I'm having a hard time seeing how there could be any liability on the company from the spouse or anyone else who happens to be in an employee's company when they are no longer actually working. Could you explain that one?

Yes. I agree.

OP says it in her OP “we had a really nice lifestyle there” - tagging along on work trips - which became the workplace culture. I don’t think this is healthy or very professional. It’s exclusionary and old boys club vibes.

I am not sure whether the OP will be returning to this thread.

The outcome of the change in policy may depend on what sort of trips they are. Is going on a work trip for this company considered interesting and prestigious? Or is it something that the employees could do without but do because it isn’t too bad if they can bring their spouses?

If it is the second, they may find that they get a bit of pushback when they decide that they need three of the team to go to Leeds for a week to review a client’s computer files (say).

All the better if you can combine them. I spent a lovely six weeks in a beautiful European city with DH last year and we thoroughly enjoyed his days off together, and no-one died.

Maybe she has, the 2 are not mutually exclusive.
I had a very well paid job of my own and did plenty of travelling . But when you are the one doing the working you get to see the airport, the hotel, wherever you are working and usually not much more. And having children at home often precludes staying on for sightseeing afterwards. I am now happily (early) retired and our children are all adults so if my DH is going somewhere that is of interest to me I will happily join him if it's possible. I could go on my own and indeed I do go on solo trips and travel with other people but shock, horror, DH and I quite like each other and enjoy each other's company. Now we don't have children at home we sometimes book a couple of days more at our own expense and explore places together once his business is over. After all, we are always being told we should be minimising air travel so surely it makes more sense that if he's working in Paris or Berlin we tack a short break on to the end than make a separate trip to visit those places at a different time?
It's pretty mysoginistic to assume that the only reason a woman might travel with her spouse is because she doesn't have the wherewithal to do it independently.

Haha yeah you’re probably right - I’m just baffled by this thread to be honest. There’s a lot of strange behaviour in some companies that’s for sure!

Rubbish you do realise there referring to time in the evening which is there own personal time NOT company time where they are free to do what ever they want want

Same. Yes we can all stick rigidly to the 9-5 rule when on a work trip but I’ve found work trips are the best time to talk to colleagues, build camaraderie and enhance group dynamics. A bit difficult to do that when spouses are present.