Inc.com columnist Alison Green solutions questions on office and administration points—every thing from how to deal with a micromanaging boss to find out how to discuss to somebody in your group about body odor.
A reader asks:
I handle a group of 4. One in all my employees members, Jeff, requested to go to a convention that was a couple of five-hour drive away. I permitted the request because the convention could be good for his skilled improvement. Three different employees members from our intently linked groups have been additionally going.
Jeff registered for the convention. A few weeks later, he requested me about reserving a flight to it. I used to be stunned by this, because the convention was an inexpensive driving distance. I defined that the division would lease a van and the attendees would drive there collectively. (Our division needs to attenuate bills when cheap, so that is regular except it doesn’t make sense logistically or financially.)
He pushed again with a few causes that he wished to fly, comparable to it could save time and he didn’t really feel snug driving. I stated that flying wouldn’t save time because the airport is at the least an hour away, you want a time buffer to undergo safety, and so forth., and the flight is 2 hours. I additionally knew the others going have been snug being the drivers.
He then stated that he didn’t wish to be in a automotive for lengthy intervals of time since he generally has digestive points. I empathized however instructed he make up a purpose he would possibly want extra relaxation stops than traditional and provides the others a heads-up in the beginning of the trip. One thing like, “Generally I get woozy once I’m within the automotive for some time, so I must take extra relaxation stops than traditional.” This was not acceptable to Jeff, and he finally determined to not attend the convention. It wasn’t an enormous challenge, however he was salty about it for some time and complained to some different folks.
Is it cheap to anticipate staff to drive to conferences? Are there conditions aside from distance and value the place we should always make an exception to our norm?
Inexperienced responds:
I believe a five-hour drive one-way is a extremely lengthy drive, and I’m not stunned he anticipated to fly.
Some companies, particularly these with extra restricted assets, do use a five-hour rule on business trips—the place if the drive is lower than 5 hours, folks drive as a substitute of fly. Personally, it strikes me as too lengthy. Sure, flying can take almost as lengthy while you account for safety, delays, and so forth., however you may work on planes and in airports; it’s a lot more durable to work in a automotive.
However this additionally varies by subject and, in some instances, by skilled stage. I did five-hour drives with out blinking as a 20-something working at a nonprofit. I’d not do it now.
However even when that is the norm in your subject, I’d nonetheless make an exception for Jeff due to his digestive points. Telling him to make up a narrative about why he’d want frequent stops wasn’t cheap. Lavatory points are personal ones, and asking him to provide you with a canopy story whereas inconveniencing and presumably annoying his colleagues—and thus making that journey quite a bit longer than 5 hours—wasn’t truthful to him. Plus, digestive points will be pressing in a method that doesn’t all the time depart time to attend for a freeway exit, pull off the interstate, discover a place with a toilet, park, and so forth. It’s very potential Jeff can solely journey confidently if he stays inside a couple of minutes a WC.
Personally, I’d be fairly sad if I advised a supervisor I had a medical situation that made lengthy automotive journeys prohibitive and was advised, primarily, “too dangerous.”
I’m questioning if, at some stage, you didn’t totally imagine Jeff and thought he was exaggerating to keep away from having to do the drive. As a supervisor, you really want to default to believing folks about their very own well being except you’ve gotten a particular purpose to not. In any other case, you may find yourself doing issues which can be actually, actually problematic—like denying folks lodging they really want, or making them really feel they should disclose particulars that they need to be capable to hold personal, or making them really feel discriminated in opposition to. That’s to not say you may’t ever ask for more information or suggest a distinct lodging (you may, and there are methods to try this legally), however on the whole, your default must be to imagine and attempt to accommodate a great worker with a well being challenge.
Wish to submit a query of your personal? Ship it to alison@askamanager.org.
—By Alison Inexperienced
This text originally appeared on Quick Firm’s sister web site, Inc.com.
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