to ask for my own hotel room on business trip?

[Notmollybutdolly]

Hi. Work for a huge corporate company with a conference taking place in a few weeks.
travel will be the day before, by train, and staying over for training the following day travelling back that night.
work expects us to share a room with someone, and 90% sure it’ll be someone I’ve never met before. Even if it was a colleague, I still would refuse.
AIBU to have emailed them to request them to book me a separate room?
I didn’t give an excuse, only because I feel like I don’t need an excuse for my own room?

I run a company and would never sanction this.

Every employee is entitled to privacy and downtime. As an employer, we have a duty of care and wellbeing and this would contravene it.

Not a chance in hell. I’d flat out refuse to go. If they can’t afford for everyone to have their own room, they can’t afford the event.

I had exactly this situation, I said I wasn't sharing. Got given a single room

One company I worked for did the same. It was a massive global corporation that clearly made money by offering employees the legal minimum. I hated this company so wasn’t quiet in my “are they fucking kidding?” “I’ll get a taxi or not go” response within the office. No one said anything to me but management did hear and we did get our own rooms which apparently had never happened before. I would like to think that my outspoken nature made management realise that it was an unreasonable ask and we weren’t kids on holiday. Hopefully you will inspire your management team.

That’s dreadful. I used to travel with work this was never mentioned. They are already taking all your downtime evenings etc as it is! Bloody cheek.

Following as I had this predicament quite recently. I was asked (after a family room had been booked) to share it with a junior member of staff who i had never met before. I was not impressed! Of course all the men had their own rooms. Once this was disclosed to me I gently said to another member of staff what had happened and she spoke to the owner and he gave me my own room, in a hotel 4 miles away from everyone else, it was a dump and I wasn’t granted expenses for taxis etc. I also have quite a severe medical condition that impacts me daily that they are aware off, they didn’t care.

It’s a small company with a big reputation in the local community but my goodness the owner is a nightmare.

Not sure where you stand with this one op, maybe a HR person could help out.!

Not unreasonable to ask / refuse to go. I’m away next week with a colleague that’s also a really good friend and we wouldn’t typically mind sharing but since I’ve had toddler DS I really value a bit of my own space wherever I can get it so we have separate rooms, the company are fine with it either way.

Never been asked to share on a work trip and I wouldn’t agree. No-one would want to share with me as I wake up at the crack of dawn.

I went away on a school residential once and it was expected that me and the other female shared.

she went to the organiser and explained she was uncomfortable with it as she was gay (this is not a lie, I’m married and we were good friends, but really didn’t want to share a room, I’m also autistic) and they immediately issued a second room

I actually have a conference coming up this month and I explicitly asked the organisers if I were expected to share a room as I would refuse to attend if I were. It would be with a stranger in the same field as me. No way.

Nooooooooooooo.

Although, my friend's son works at a budget hotel, and they regularly get workmen in from building sites, and just anywhere that is having renovations. They are from out of the area, and they sometimes stay for several weeks. Even 2 or 3 months sometimes. They share 3 to a room. Men in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s. LOL fuck that shit. 😆

I was asked one time (when I used to go to Church,) if I wanted to go on this residential course type thing about well-being and Jesus etc...... I was like 'ummmm........' (I didn't want to go but didn't want to be rude!) It was 5 days long (4 nights.)

She said 'well do let me know by Friday, as I need to know numbers for the food, and if you have any diet restrictions. Also, I need to book the rooms by then. You will very likely be sharing with Pauline and Joan.'

I think I had flu or covid or herpes or something. Couldn't make it. Shame. 😢

.

Yep, fuck that. Completely unacceptable.

That's a aexual harassment case waiting to happen. Is your management on glue?

regularly get workmen in from building sites, and just anywhere that is having renovations, and they share 3 to a room

My brother does this, but he is self employed, so the hotel room comes out of his profits, most of the lads on site are, so they don't mind sharing. That's different to a company expecting you to share as they have a choice.

Yes, of course. I get that, and from what I can deduce, they don't seem to care/mind, and some are just grateful for the work. And they know the score - that they have to share. (And if they don't want to they can pay for a separate room!)

And I 100% agree with the OP and everyone on here. No WAY would I share with anyone. (Only my adult DC, and DH.) Even my 2 BFF I would want separate rooms with, unless it was just 1 night....

.

I agree. This is really inappropriate of your workplace and leaves so much scope for HR liabilities.

Don't be ridiculous.
Your employer cannot demand you share a room with a stranger.

Fuck that shit. Own room. Goodness.

Used to work for a company (retail head office) that suffered hugely financially after Covid closures and even close to bankrupt they never made any staff on sourcing trips share hotel rooms. It wasn’t even considered

I would not ask, I would insist. Not negotiable, no own room, no business trip.

Even if you have no reason why it would be difficult, there could be someone else who has a hidden disability which they have chosen not to share with their employer. Or possibly religious reasons why it would be difficult, or they are a snorer, or they like an open window (or you do) and they or you don't.

Absolutely refuse. If they query it I would state medical issues and not go in to further details.

No one should be expected to share but it’s probably companies try to save money when they say you have to.

Years ago I participated in a cycling charity event for my work which I had trained for months for, and as the event was a few hours drive away we were put up in a hotel for two nights - except we had to not only share a room with a colleague, we had to share a double bed too.

I shared with a colleague I had never seen before at work and it was intensely uncomfortable. No one else seemed to mind but I’d certainly never do it again. Quite appalling when I look back now!

Years ago , I would definitely get a single room, the men would often share, but there weren't many women in my industry then. These days I don't know.

Yanbu. I'd ask not to go. You an adult not a child.

I have not been asked to share a room on a work trip before. Nor has DH. I may not mind if it was someone I knew and got on with, but wouldn't feel comfortable sharing with a total stranger.