On work trip abroad. Colleague gone crazy

[Eastie77]

Just that really. I'm abroad for work, 2 days in a major European city with a client meeting tomorrow morning. I've travelled with a female colleague who, like me, has 2 young DC. When we found out about this trip she messaged me to say she was desperately looking forward to it as she needs a break from the DC and is run ragged juggling everything. I said I totally sympathised and she replied that we should use this trip as an opportunity to get rat arsed on the company's money. I just laughed.

Arrived at the airport this morning for our early flight to find she had already had downed 2 pints but was at least sober. She kicked up a fuss on the plane as there was no alcohol on sale - not massively but enough to embarrass me. Landed and she bought more alcohol and has generally been increasingly drunk, hyper and shrill since saying this is 'her time'. We arrived at the hotel at 3pm and were meant to go over our presentation for tomorrow but I've had zero input from her. I need her to contribute a bunch of slides and practice a demo of the technical solution we are meant to be presenting to the client but she is not playing ball and has just been propping up the bar. I'm stressed. It looks as if I will have to do her slides and I don't have enough knowledge so emailing colleagues back home. I don't want to speak to my manager about this. She is normally quite conscientious

I hope she turns up and smashes her part in the presentation today and you don't get the opportunity to throw her under the bus. You've given commentary on her every move since the moment you've arrived, definitely an agenda there.

Wow good luck today and as others have said make sure you cover your back.

You need to email manager this morning as it is better that he hears from you than the other colleague back home who’s helped you out. Things like this don’t stay quiet, it will be early morning office gossip The first thing she’ll say when she gets there this morning is ‘omg marigold got completely rat arsed last night, Eastie is panicking and put the presentation together herself’

Much better manager hears from you, just factual this happened I’ve done xyz will see how she is this morning and make a decision as to whether to present alone.

Good luck.

Want to wish you luck for today. I can only hope colleague has been up for hours working on the slides but not sure she’d be capable!

Good luck today op

I’m curious to see how she wakes up today!

Best of luck!

Good luck today op. I'm another who thinks a quick email laying down the facts to your manager is required. Assure him as much as you can that you are as prepared as you can be for this though.

I don't think it's unreasonable to leave some prep to the night before. If you were holding this meeting at home you would be getting together to finalise and practice the day before so what is the difference when you are abroad? You could get genuinely sick at home too. How far in advance should someone be prepared for a meeting? Days? Weeks? She could be prepared ready to go the week before and still get sick the morning of. Don't worry op, I don't think your manager has anything to complain about how you handled yourself.

Good luck

Good luck!

Jesus, you sound unbelievably square.

For a mate, in this situation, I would cover. Do the work - email the team back home and say that the other person isn't feeling well if necessary to get the info - take on the presentation.

And before someone says "It's all very well for you to say that, hypothetically". I'm an academic. I go to conferences, which are basically the biggest piss-ups ever, and have been in the OP's situation several times. Provided the colleague is generally decent and conscientious, I'd cover every time.

Good luck!

Off in what way?

@oldermum why off? I’ve been on more than my fair share of work trips where the alcohol has run freely and many a tail has been told afterwards. This is no difference with the exception of the importance of the mornings meeting.

It's not great, but I wouldn't tell the boss about this yet . Part of the reason you're in this situation is lack of preparation, which is the first thing your boss will say. I also don't think it's worth the long term fall out that will ensue with your colleague if you squeal to the boss before you've even seen how she is and done the presentation.

She l ows you're pissed off with her because you whatsapped her saying as much. You've managed to pull a presetation together so go ahead with that. It may well be disaster is averted and your colleague realises she's messed up and won't do it again.

Having a drink or two in the evening after a successful presentation to an important client = ok, being hungover and ill-prepared for a presentation to an important client and letting down a colleague = unprofessional.

Except this is linked to her bonus. And not just a piss up conference.

I wouldn't drop her in it either. If she was generally a piss taker maybe, but OP said she's generally good. I can't believe the number of people who think it's not normal to get hammered abroad with work! Granted, on this occasion the colleague should have held off until the work was done, but people generally do have a sesh abroad with work.

Good grief... you are in Portugal! Not exactly the place where the client will smile benevolently at a woman turning up hungover to a meeting.

If you can, let her at the hotel.

You need to protect your own job, she an adult and knows full well that her behavior is out of order. She not on a mini break she at work.

I would send the Email to your manager and I would also send one to the HR department.

I hope your presentation goes well today.

I also so hope she suffering this morning.

Think someone might have a wee sore head this morning 😂

Good luck for your presentation! Hope it goes well.

Good luck today!!

Why are you covering for her? Notify your manager ASAP. She wants to drink she can do it after the demo!

Good luck today! Hope all goes well and you get your bonus