7 hour round trip in a day - is that reasonable?

[TakeItFromMe]

Hi All,
I recently requested a relocation, for personal reasons, which was granted. I'm moving to a site 3.5 hours away from where my manager and the rest of my team will be.

As part of the relocation my manager and I had to agree terms such as how we will keep in touch etc. He wants me to travel at least once a month to attend team meetings - which is fine - but he wants me to do it within a day.

So I would be driving 3.5 hours, attending the meeting (about 5 hours), then 3.5 hours home. I don't think this is very reasonable and I would prefer to travel in the morning, attend the meeting, stay over, then have the next day at my manager's site to discuss any projects I am working on, and then travel home that evening.

He wants to avoid me spending too much on T&S (i.e. hotel stay) but I'm not sure I could cope with such a long day and 7 hours of driving. I don't want to kick up too much of a fuss though because it was after all my choice to relocate.

I've looked at company policy which is that you shouldn't drive more than 9 hours at a time, so I can't quote that as a reason why my proposition would be preferable.

Would welcome any advice here!

I travel for work and won't do it by car in a day if more than 3hrs each way.
I do trains of 4.5 each way. Can you take the train?

You might have to pay the overnight yourself if the relocation is entirely on your personal wishes.
If it's where you used to live have you friends you can stay with?

I don't want to kick up too much of a fuss though because it was after all my choice to relocate

There's your answer^

Just pay yourself for a travelodge?

I wouldn't say that a single 12 hr day once a month is excessive. Can your excess time be counted at time off in lieu?

Your situation sounds vulnerable (eg selection for redundancy) since no one else works in your new location. Unless there are health/safety reasons for you not to drive to/from a long meeting it might be sensible for you to stump up for a room.

Hi yes I am thinking I will offer to pay the overnight myself. It is not just the travelling in itself, but also that my way means I would get more time at my manager's site which I think I will need since I'm working remotely. So the benefits are two-fold.

I will look into trains - good idea! But I think once I add in taxi to and from station to manager's site, and exhorbitant train costs, it might end up cheaper to drive/hotel it.

I don't have any friends I feel I could ask to stay with - that's the main reason I'm moving away!!

I think as the issue is of your making you need to suck it up or pay for your own accommodation if you want to stay over .

I'm not vulnerable to redundancy - if I was then I think they'd have just let me go rather than agreeing to me relocating.

I definitely don't mind working a 12 hour day, it's the amount of driving that bothers me. If it was 12+ hours at a desk then no problem.

Think I'll stump up for a TravelLodge. Thanks for all the responses!

Most people I know who work remotely have a "2 days at hq" rule and do that at their own expense.

I do it regularly, as do lots of others in the company, but if you aren't happy to do it, then I would pay for a cheap hotel/stay with a friend instead.

3.5 is the time on google maps by the way, probably more like 4 when I add traffic in? I have no idea as I've never actually done it door to door at the times that I'd be doing it yet. But regardless I think it's too much for me in my ancient little car so I'll be paying for a hotel.

I have to do this occasionally. It's doable but i don't like it.

I relocated for 2 years and became a home based worker. The organisation I worked for asked me to work one day a month at my old location for team meetings, events, etc. We agreed to split the travel/hotel/car hire costs 50/50. I was getting something that I wanted, but so too were the company. You could consider asking if they are willing to make a contribution - if you don't ask then you definitely won't get.

Do you work from home now, or in a different office?

Could you Skype, Webex or conference call into the meetings?

I do think it's a lot of driving, but probably preferable to finishing a meeting at, say, 4pm, then bumbling round in a cheap hotel all evening.

FWIW, one of my friends lives in Suffolk, and had to attend weekly meetings in Newcastle at 9.30am. Apparently that was "ok", because she had a company car (she quit after a few months)

I did it several times a week for a couple of years before I had children and when I was younger,
However, it is among the reasons I didn't return to my job after maternity leave.
I guess as you've chosen to move you have to suck it up by either travelling or paying for a travelodge

I wouldn't drive it, but it might be worth doing on the train. However, if the overnight stay is feasible that gives you another option. I think it is up to you though, and, unfortunately at your expense if you have chosen to move so far away from your work - lets face it, most companies wouldn't support remote working for 95% of the month, so either forking out for a train or a travel lodge (or Air BnB?) once a month seems a reasonable exchange.... presumably you'll be saving on a commute all the other days a month?

I mention Air BnB as I recently found out my friend's next door neighbour has people staying in his house regularly... £30 a night, all home comforts (he stays at his girlfriend's when it is let out)..... might be nicer than avel lodge if you could find a convenient one and you'd have kitchen facilities etc., save on eating out.

I wouldn't have any issue with it at all once a month. I've done it lots of times, not great but doable

Have you looked into the train yet? If you book in advance it will be a lot cheaper. I sometimes travel for work and have paid less than £40 for trips others are charging about £200, by booking early and travelling on set trains, not open return. Might also compare well to mileage rates.

I do that about twice a month. Tiring but so do able

I think he's completely out of order. You could crash your car driving home - that really isn't worth the risk.

Do you have an HR department?

Please don't tell him you're thinking of paying for the hotel yourself. If he was going to a five hour meeting which involved eight hours of driving, he'd have a hotel.

Do you have any examples of him staying in a hotel?

Determined - have you missed the bit where the OP said she was moving away from where her Team are based, for her own personal reasons ? I'm actually pretty amazed (and impressed) that she is only required to come into where she works for a few hours once a month. Can't see that many employers being that supportive.

I work from home and although my contract says I should be in the office one day a week it's a hot-desking arrangement and I can never get in early enough to get a desk, and there's no reservation system for home-workers so I don't bother. I go in once a month for team meetings and the odd occasional other meeting or event at my own expense. I don't have to stay over though, I just have the train fare.

If I moved further away for my own personal reasons, I would pay for my own travel/accommodation. I would not drive 7 hours in a day though. If you can use the train, do that, but otherwise stay overnight. One night a month isn't that much.