Mixing business with family pleasure on trips

Not everyone is comfortable with the idea of bringing family along on a trip, perhaps fearing that their supervisor will think they are slacking off.

Experienced business travellers advise checking with a manager.

Different objectives

Firms are generally fine with the idea if employees don’t charge any family expenses to their employer, and can meet all the professional requirements of the trip.

And extending the trip over a Saturday night may even decrease the airfare the company is paying.

Mixing business and personal travel requires an extra level of planning and coordination.

As travellers try to fulfil different objectives, however, tensions can rear up.

The parent who is there on the job may need to entertain clients in the evening, or catch up on e-mail after a day spent in meetings, but the family may be eager to go out.

Expectations should be set before departure, including each day’s business obligations as well as when there will be time for recreation and family time.

To reduce the stress, business travellers say they try to separate their activities as much as possible. They don’t make businesses calls from museum galleries.

They chat with their children while standing in line at a theme park instead of texting their colleagues.

Or they have their families join them at the tail end of the trip and extend their time at the destination for a few more days.

Even when they aren’t away on business, the line between work and family often blurs.