New job - important meeting. When to travel?

[TravelDilemma]

I start a new job in a couple of weeks. On day 2 I have to travel to London from 2.5-3 hours away and have a couple of options.

Travel on the day. Will mean getting up at 5am and risk of train/tube delays. Don’t really want to be a hot and sweaty flustered mess the first time I meet all the people I am managing.

Or I can pay for a hotel the night before. Will cost me at least £75 and my employer £50 less. Means travelling at the end of my first day in the new job so likely be knackered but possibly better for the first impression the next day.

What would you do?

@gogohm

I would suggest asking them, point out the cheaper combined cost for the hotel and fare travelling the night before rather than the 6am start

It’s not cheaper. I think I’m just going to shoulder the cost this time.

You do your make up on the train! Saved you 20 mins.

@TravelDilemma I think that's the right thing to do. I'm slightly bemused by the posters who think that the company would pay for a hotel - if only they knew what time you were getting up at - whereas I suspect your gut instinct is spot on.
Thankfully I don't do much travel any more but when I did, it wasn't unexpected to be up at 3.30/4 to get the red eye flight.

20 mins doing make-up??!! Ouch! That's a long time OP. Cut it down to 10 mins and you'll make the 6.50am train.

I used to travel a lot for work and getting up at 5am (or earlier) for a train / flight was considered pretty standard. If you weren't due in the office until 9.30am, no way would my employer cover the cost of a hotel the night before. If you were needed in the office at 8am or earlier, then it was a different story.

Frankly you aren't acting like a senior person to be in the organisation at all! If you are going to be that important and senior its as important for the company as you to be there and therefore expenses like these should be covered without a second thought apart from knowing the allowances. But you obviously don't report to the ceo so obviously not on the top layer of the org

Shower night before and you won't miss your train 😉

An hour from getting up to leaving in the car when you are up at 5am is bonkers.

If I was up at that time for an early flight it was minimal morning activities, shower, coffee, clothes laid out ready to go, handbag and bag packed and just out the door asap. Anything that could be done when in transit was kept for then

Breakfast on the train
Make up on the train

Will buy you half an hour it seems...

I wouldn't be doing my makeup on the train but I would be doing my hair the night before and having breakfast on the train/on way to office.

What time do you arrive into London on the 6.50am train and whereabouts do you have to be by 9.30?

If you're that senior can't you suck up the £75 hotel on this occasion (poss until you work out whether you can expense it).

You must know whether london HQ or somewhere else is your contracted place of work?

Being your second day I'd just swallow it. If they want you in rarely I'd just suck it up.

@HundredMilesAnHour

20 mins doing make-up??!! Ouch! That's a long time OP. Cut it down to 10 mins and you'll make the 6.50am train.

I used to travel a lot for work and getting up at 5am (or earlier) for a train / flight was considered pretty standard. If you weren't due in the office until 9.30am, no way would my employer cover the cost of a hotel the night before. If you were needed in the office at 8am or earlier, then it was a different story.

15 mins. Takes 20 to do my hair. There’s a lot of it.

I’m an owl. Asking me to get up at 5am is probably like asking you to be working at midnight.

@Banshee29

Frankly you aren't acting like a senior person to be in the organisation at all! If you are going to be that important and senior its as important for the company as you to be there and therefore expenses like these should be covered without a second thought apart from knowing the allowances. But you obviously don't report to the ceo so obviously not on the top layer of the org

One layer down from that.

@Palavah

I wouldn't be doing my makeup on the train but I would be doing my hair the night before and having breakfast on the train/on way to office.

What time do you arrive into London on the 6.50am train and whereabouts do you have to be by 9.30?

If you're that senior can't you suck up the £75 hotel on this occasion (poss until you work out whether you can expense it).

You must know whether london HQ or somewhere else is your contracted place of work?

Train gets in at 9am. Need to get from Paddington to Old Street. I lived in London for 15 years. I know how long it takes to get places.

I’ve already said that my contracted office is an hour’s drive from me in the thread. 🤷🏻‍♀️

And that I’ll be covering the hotel cost.

@Smorgasborb

An hour from getting up to leaving in the car when you are up at 5am is bonkers.

If I was up at that time for an early flight it was minimal morning activities, shower, coffee, clothes laid out ready to go, handbag and bag packed and just out the door asap. Anything that could be done when in transit was kept for then

Breakfast on the train
Make up on the train

Will buy you half an hour it seems...

Do people really apply make up on rush hour trains? I’m not even sure I’ll have a seat!

Peri menopause has me having night sweats. So can’t shower the night before and not in the morning. My hair gets so sweaty I’d have to wash it in the morning to look half decent. Again, first impressions matter.

I'd reply and say that's fine, you're happy to cover the hotel cost yourself as it means you'll be better prepared but does that mean they're still able to sort the train tickets for that night

First impressions definitely matter @TravelDilemma - but also so does your own behaviour. If you've been recruited to be senior, you need to behave as a senior. At the moment, it comes across a little bit like you're whining about the early start and making excuses.

Yes, getting up at 4 or 5am is bloody awful. But lots of people in business have to do that - and sometimes a lot more regularly than it sounds like you will have to!

Given the night sweats and the very lengthy hair and make-up, I agree that you'd be better off in a hotel the night before. 30 mins from Paddington (assuming your train arrives on time) to Old St is cutting it a bit fine. I wouldn't want to be dependent on the Circle/H&C line on Day 2 of a new job and at that time of day, the roads will be gridlocked so you won't really have a back-up plan (unless it's a Boris bike) so it could be a very stressful start to your day.

Hmm I used to have to get into London and NGL I think it's probably feasible to keep those timings shorter.

When I went in I made a packed breakfast the night before, showered the night before etc.

It took me 20 mins to get to the station and the machines aren't busy at that time, so I left 30 mins for a 20 min journey and buying a ticket.

I used to get up at 6 to get a 6:52 train, I reckon you could push your start time to 5:30 pretty safely but maybe I'm too relaxed.

I agree I would rather stay the night before. If you're going in only a layer or two below the CEO I wouldn't be surprised if they can agree something for future meetings but obviously harder when you aren't there yet.

OP if you’re going to have a lot of early starts you need to slim down that morning routine!

Definitely no breakfast at home! That can wait for the train.

But in your position I’d stump up for a night in London. I’ve paid my own travel before when it’s been out of policy and I’ve wanted a more relaxed morning. Why cause all that stress if you can afford it? It’s worth it to make a good start and you can figure out other trips from there.

Good luck with the new job!

Thank you.

I shouldn’t need to do many early starts, luckily.

@BIWI but OP is not whining about the early start, that's why she has posted here rather than making a big deal about it at her job. I suck at early starts as well, so would be going through the same dilemma as OP < although I'm quite tight and probably as well paid, so I'd just get up early and grumble>.

@WeAreTheHeroes

Ring your new boss or HR and tell them you plan to travel the night before and ask will they organise the hotel for you or should you and claim it back via expenses. If asked can you not travel on the day just say that as this is an important first meeting with the team you would prefer not to run the risk of any travel issues impacting your journey and making you late. You could even suggest dinner with a key person the evening beforehand. Be professional about this!

This is great advice and notice the tone too. You’re not asking for a favour or something undeserved, you’re being organised and professional.

Aw shucks thanks @Etinoxaurus - unfortunately I think OP has danced around things and now knows she is expected to travel on the day so can't do this.

As already covered, my boss is off. I have no HR contact, just the boss’ PA.

There won’t be any key people around the night before if they’re all travelling on the day of the meeting.

I’ve said I’d like to travel down the night before and will sort my own hotel. It’s saving them money (this time) and will ensure I’m at my best on the day for relatively small cost. And I can travel back later allowing time for a celebratory drink with a former colleague. 🥂

I’d definitely travel the evening before and happily pay my own hotel if needed.
Can’t beat the peace of mind that comes with being in the right place!