Travelling With Your Colleagues? Get it right!
Whether you’re flying down for a new client meeting, conference or just as a team building activity, travelling with your office colleagues can be fun, but also a bit awkward if you can’t figure out where to draw the line of professionalism while travelling with your team members.
In an office or a workplace the relationship with colleagues is very professional and the conversations are mostly restricted to work related. However, when you travel with your colleagues, there’s more than work that is talked about and more than the office space that is experienced. So what is the correct way of behaving and engaging with your colleagues while travelling with them? Or is there no set of guidelines and once you’re out of the office, you’re friends?
Find out below some of the important do’s and don’ts of travelling with your office colleagues.
Never Forget That It Is Work Related
A work trip is exactly that, a work trip. Never forget the fact that work is work. Do not think that travelling with colleagues means a holiday with colleagues. Even if the travel is a part of your team building activity, it means it’s work and team related.
So ensure that you maintain the appropriate physical and emotional distance between yourself and your colleagues as you would in the office. There might be times when you all are engaged in fun activities or maybe go out for drinks and dinner, don’t treat that as an outing with your friends, even though you might be good friends with your colleagues, but keep the professionalism intact.
Don’t lose focus of the work and treat it as a change in office space and keep up the work as you would if you were on your desk.
Team Work
Now that you’re travelling with your team members and colleagues, the team work extends further than just paperwork or emails. You all need to be together in the little chores and tasks that present themselves when you’re travelling.
Remind each other of tasks pending, take care of each other’s luggage when another is occupied in something else, offer to help with finding something that one needs etc.
Help each other get ready for the next day’s agendas etc. If you’re sharing a room with another colleague, respect each other’s privacy, sleeping habits and other small things that are important to keep in mind when you’re travelling with your colleagues.
Dress Code
Although you’re travelling to a new place, with different weather conditions and ambience, it doesn’t mean that you should wear anything you want. While the dress code will definitely be different than that of your office, it still has to be appropriate.
It shouldn’t be exposing or objectionable. Remember you have to work with these people and everything you do is adding to your impression, so dress to impress while also being comfortable.
Top Tip : If only taking hand luggage take a decent dry shampoo to keep looking fresh for a few days
Take Charge
Leadership is always appreciated by all. Take charge of the day and lead the team to their agendas for the day. See to it that everyone is ready for breakfast on time, check on the transport arrangement, remind everyone to carry snacks and water etc.
These little things will go a long way in developing your leadership skills, showcasing your ability to handle responsibilities and also build good relationships
Finances
Don’t shy away from making everyone pitch in for the drinks you are all having or the tickets to the zoo, unless it’s paid for by the company. Remember that you are not treating your friends for dinner, unless you want to, so don’t get excited and pay for everyone.
Make everyone pitch in for all the bills and of course if you need to cover for someone for the time being, then of course, help them out.
Conclusion of travelling with colleagues
Each relationship is different. The way that you travel with your best friend will not the same as travelling with your boss for work. The purpose of both is also very different.
Travelling for leisure and work will require you to play two very different roles. This is not to say that don’t have a bit of fun with your colleagues and make full use of the casual environment to bond over, but don’t do something you wouldn’t do in an office space.
So make sure you keep that in mind and engage in conversations and put up your best, professional behaviour for your colleagues.
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