Expectation that colleagues should share a hotel room?

[CGaus]

Just that really, AIBU to think that professionals on business trips should not be expected to share hotel rooms to cut costs?

For context, I am a professional in the public sector. I live in Australia, and work in a large government department. It is not an entry level position, and both colleagues are female. The business trip is to carry out essential work (not optional training) and we would be staying in a hotel for just one night. We will be driving for several hours interstate to a regional town.

The colleague I’ve been asked to share with is lovely, but I haven’t known her very long and don’t feel comfortable sharing a room with her. A senior manager booked the room for both of us, I only realised he requested funding approval for one twin share room when I saw the email.

Thankfully I noticed this before we left, and was able to have a quick chat with my direct manager. I compromised by booking a family suite, so a small lounge area with two connecting but separate bedrooms and a shared bathroom at a small additional cost. My manager had not made the booking herself, and approved of the additional cost without hesitation.

Honestly I think it was the expectation that we should share that annoyed me the most. If I was asked “Do you mind sharing”, rather than this manager requesting a twin share room without any consultation at all I wouldn’t have been the least bit annoyed (though I would have still politely refused to share, even if the hotel bill is ultimately funded by the taxpayer).

My colleague said that she didn’t think we had a choice about sharing, and didn’t feel comfortable asking our manager herself. Honestly I hope I didn’t offend her by making it clear that I didn’t want to share, but I’m about to spend 10 hours in a car with her and even though we get on well I think we will need some personal space at the end of the day.

I’m surprised that there was an expectation of sharing in the first place, it’s not easy to keep professional boundaries when you are sleeping a metre away from a colleague. And if one of us had some sort of medical condition that may be revealed by sharing a hotel room (sleep apnea, medications, IBS etc.) that we didn’t feel comfortable sharing with work colleagues it could become even more difficult from a People & Culture perspective.

I travel a lot with work and no way would I ever be expected to share and would certainly refuse if it was suggested (not that I think it ever would be).

Me and one of my colleagues got sent on an overnight course and we were told that they would only cover the cost of the room if we shared. Management said if we weren't prepared to share a room then we would be responsible for our own room costs.

My colleague said she'd be fine to share a room with me whereas I wasn't happy to do it at all.

We ended up having separate rooms and I felt quite guilty as it meant my colleague had to pay out for hers when she hadn't really wanted to cover that expense.

I was really annoyed though that we were expected to share. It wasn't like we were friends or anything, we just happened to work alongside each other 1-2 days a week.

I would never have even considered sharing with her.

I work in a hotel and we often have three men sharing a family room for work. Often for five nights or more. Personally I think it’s completely unacceptable but it’s very common.

I wouldn't be concerned about what your colleague thinks about you insisting on a private room. Your reasons for wanting one are none of her business. If she chooses to take it personally, that's on her.

No way. I snore so would be embarrassed to share a room and would try not to fall asleep. I would absolutely refuse.

I work in public sector and this happened a lot in past, but really only to female staff. We were quite a female heavy dept and got used to it, and got on well enough. It was still a bit weird and this whole public sector sob story tax thing was played. Then a couple of blokes joined and we discovered (whilst away) that they had been booked separate rooms, whilst we were all still sharing. They were more junior than us too. Frustratingly the blokes were never even asked to share, just assumed and booked that they wouldn’t. We challenged it and finance team who approve immediately backed down, and for last 5 years have happily gone away without sharing :)

Absolutely not. i did it once on the insistence of a colleague. She never asked again as I snore like a hog.

I think it’s extremely common in not for profits, so would government fall under that?

That's very unusual. I can't imagine being asked to share. And I wouldn't do it if I was asked. Very out of order.

I don't even like hotels much, and usually go for an air bnb if I can get away with it on expenses, rather than booking through the company travel agent.

Luckily I have an understanding manager who does the same thing! :)

I’ve just been on a course which was a 2.5 hr drive away from home and started at 8am. The other 2 I went with decided with me that we would book a hotel room at our own cost, we paid for the fuel at our own expense and we then got deducted an hour holiday pay as the course was 8-5 and our working day is 8-6!
2 of us shared a bed too.
Now that sucks!

I don't think your senior position in the company is relevant at all, it's not appropriate regardless of role.

When I did travel with business even at a very Junior level I always had my own room in a decent hotel, I was only 20 thought it was the bee's knees lol

ime it depends on the sector. In the building sector, male colleagues often share rooms. In the charity sector, in very remote locations, it occasionally happens because there just aren't enough rooms available.However, in most other cases, it would be usual to have your own room.

I wouldn’t share. I’d rather pay for my room out of my own pocket!

Over my dead body

It’s in our contract that we can refuse overtime if it would negatively impact on personal circumstances, including family responsibilities.
This trip will certainly include overtime (paid at a higher rate). So we both have the option of refusing to travel, and if no one else at our level volunteered to go then my managers would have to go (and I doubt they would be willing to share a room!)

If I’m being asked to spend a night away from my family and my home then I expect to at least be comfortable, and a part of that means having my own bedroom to sleep in even if it means additional public expenditure.

Nope. No sharing ever.

Absolutely never ever would I even consider sharing a bedroom with a colleague.

I fart and snore.

I sometimes talk in my sleep. Usually swearing apparently.

I often wake up discovering that the movement rolling around in the night has allowed my night clothes to ride up and expose more flesh than is reasonable.

No colleague should ever be exposed to that and I shouldn't have to admit to it either.

Absolutely no way.

I stay in a hotel for work weekly and have only ever been asked to do this once, 18 years ago. I said no.

I travel for work a lot and it is policy that we have our own room. We have quite a comprehensive (and generous to be fair) travel and expenses policy to follow.

I did, however, work for a company when I was much younger who not only made us share, but assigned us random roommates! The managers got shirty when we all switched to be with someone we had at least met

No on! Even our most junior colleagues get their own room on trips. That opens the company up to all sorts of risk having near strangers sharing rooms!

Nope. I wouldn't share.

I travel a lot with work and there is no way that I would share with a colleague and it shouldn't be expected by the employer.

Apart from the fact that I snore and fart and am therefore a very unattractive roommate I believe that everyone is entitled to some privacy and time away from work.

I've known of a couple of occasions where we have a block booking for rooms, a couple of extra colleagues are asked to join the meeting and the hotel cannot accommodate any more that people are asked whether they might consider sharing but it would never be expected.

In your situation I would refuse to go.

I would definitely not want to share. they would soon reconsider after hearing my snoring
Many years ago when on a training course for work I had to share a room, it was a B & B for a whole three weeks!!!! I would have been early twenties then