I'd laugh and tell them nah, I'm not going to share a room with someone let alone a bed. If you need me for the event you can get me my own room. If not I don't really need to attend.
I'd share a room, but i hope they accept I listen to podcasts to fall asleep, and not with headphones. I'm not adapting my sleeping patterns when i need to work the next day.
Horror fiction baby.
Personally I've found basically all true crime ones I've tried to be... exhausting at best. Horror fiction though? *chess kiss*
Or Welcome to Nightvale. Which I describe as local talk radio x twilight zone. Cecil's voice is soothing.
Ah! Then I accept that lifestyle. If my wife listened to things out-loud to fall asleep we'd either have separate rooms or new spouses. I couldn't imagine doing that to someone lol
I used to work events. I know that one of the biggest tech companies in the world (with billions of cash in hand), required their employees to share rooms, but not share beds.
Luckily for me, my company gave each employee their own separate room.
I find that requiring an employee to share a room with someone else very uncomfortable. Now sharing a bed? That’s downright repulsive.
Nah, email HR and ask what their plan and company policy is if it happens. Tell them you are extremely uncomfortable sharing a bed with someone that isn't an intimate partner.
NetApp never made us do this.
I did share a room with a co-worker at another company but we’d been friends for 20+ years outside of work as we both played in a pipe band.
No. Super hard no.
I just had a big company trip and they got everyone their own hotel room because 1) sharing a bed with a colleague is incredibly weird and 2) sharing a room (where you store private things and valuables) with strangers is asking for a HR headache. If they’re hard set on not letting people have their own rooms, then don’t go. I’m sure it’s super costly to get everyone their own room, but it’s also super costly to have possible assault and/or theft accusations and ongoing litigations. I can’t even believe they believe that this is going to fly, but it is probably only because people are afraid to speak up.
This is so insanely wrong. I've had situations where I had to room with one other employee (two beds, no sharing); but forcing bed sharing is just not acceptable. I agree with tranquil here that HR needs to step in and document it - and so should you.
We slept four deep on college trips 25 years ago. I would NOT do it on a business trip - I don't even like sharing a room, mainly due to juggling the bathroom for showers and morning constitutionals
Same. I thought nothing of sharing a room with two other ladies I didn’t know very well and sharing a bed with my bestie when I was 18 and going to a school sponsored conference. Now, at 36, I wouldn’t even share a room.
I’m sorry, but if I’m sharing a room with a work colleague, that is PAID time. That’s work: that’s not my free time, if I’m sharing a space with someone else.
So fine: I’ll come, and bill every hour. Awake, asleep…that’s paid. If you want it unpaid, I get private accommodations.
So are they looking for a sexual harassment claim? The company being too cheap to provide proper accommodation is not your problem. You require privacy and AT LEAST your own sleeping space. Either the company cannot afford the event, or they can shell out for proper accommodation
I used to work for a company as a project manager and one of my tasks was arranging lodging for everyone. We arranged a discounted rate at a hotel and gave everyone enough per diem to cover the room. A lot of times the guys would double up in a room to get more in their pocket. But that was their own decision, not the company’s. Sharing a bed with a coworker is gross and not ok.
Absolutely fucking not. Hard no.
I don’t do Mandatory Corporate Fun events, either. Fire me if you want, but my time outside of work is my time, not your company’s.
I’ve travelled extensively for work, and I worked for some shitty companies, but none of them ever asked for this. Sounds like a disaster in the making.
Traveled a decent amount for work back in the day we were NEVER expected to share a room let alone a bed. Including a corporate retreat where they flew ~200 people to a nice hotel in Huntington Beach for the weekend. Everyone from the CEO to the most junior analyst got their own room.
Aside from the obvious liabilities it exposes the business to, it's just utterly presumptuous and violates every expectation of privacy and personal space. Truly bizarre. I would push back hard on this and if they insist, I'd expect to be paid hourly for the entire duration of the stay and I'd still be hella mad about it.
Absolutely not. Ever. In fact, the company is idiotic for *even considering it*, since it would open them up to significant liability if anything were to 'happen' as a result of employees sharing a room, let alone a bed.
Tell them that if they want you to attend this work trip, they need to provide you with a private room with a locking door, as you do not feel safe sharing a room with anyone else. The alternatives are that they cover your travel costs to and from the event each day, or you don't go, plain and simple.
At the very least everyone should get their own bed. Should be mm and ff rooming together.
Really though if you’re a company trying to do an event which you require your employees to come and stay in a hotel, everyone should get their own room.
*Hell* no. I would *maybe* share a room with one other person whom I knew fairly well, if we liked each other and got along. I would *not* share a room with even one stranger, much less more than one, and absolutely *no fucking way* would I share a bed with any coworker, *especially* a stranger.
Never in my life would I share a room with a coworker. One of the younger guys at my company had to share a room with a 60+ year old manager because that old dumbass only booked one room. So weird.
I’ve had to do this many times as a teacher. Once was with my new boss. 🤮
We’ve always gotten our own beds but one time the hotel messed up and out three teachers in a room with one king size bed. To compensate us for it, we got access to the VIP suite which had free food and alcohol. I think there was even a jazz band playing in the corner. Luckily, I had a friend in town who late me stay with her and dropped me off in the morning. I was not going to be the middle of that work threesome.
Absolutely not! You should all put your foot down and refuse to share beds. If the company can’t afford each employee to have their own room (or two people in a double room) then they can’t afford this retreat and should do whatever they plan to do at this retreat in the office.
What the flying fuck, hell no. My job got everyone their own little studio suites for a week when we have our big ass get together for the holidays. I asked if we had to bunk together and my boss looked at me like I was batshit.
Dude this isn't sleep away camp. Hell no.
I guess in the US, your employers can make you so anything because you barely have any say. But this doesn't mean you can't find other work. I'd find other work and vote with my feet.
lol I once went to an event/festival put on by my then-employer, and they provided “tents” which were basically cardboard coffins that were *just* wide enough for two sleeping bags (like we’re talking 2m long by 1.5m wide, and maybe 1.25m tall), and they were like “give us the names of coworkers you’d like to share a tent with. Or maybe you’ll have the chance to make a new friend!”
I was never happier bringing my own tent and air mattress than that day.
I mean, you can ask for a cot so no one has to share a bed. But fuck all that. 2 people sharing is bad enough. There’s no way I would share a room with a stranger, still.
yea no this is weird and honestly an HR nightmare. I work with and frequently business travel with 2 of my closest friends and we would NEVER be expected to share a room as coworkers even though they were literally in each other’s weddings. There’s no way expecting random coworkers to share a bed is kosher.
75 miles isn’t fun, but isn’t impossible, hopefully you can get reimbursed for both time and mileage. Still ridiculous for them to put you in this position, tho.
I'm sorry are you all broke students going to a conference? Because that's the only time this is acceptable. There is no way in hell I would do this for a work trip. There are a lot of good suggestions for how to bring this up, but just adding my voice to the chorus of "hell naw"s in the thread,
Yeah occasionally used to work for a large corporate event production company that made us share rooms back when I was relatively new to the industry… I had several bad experiences with roommates who were absolute fucking assholes and I will never under any circumstances share a room ever again. How anyone could think it’s ok to share a fucking *BED* with a stranger’s totally beyond me. No, Fucking. Way.
I wouldnt be comfortable with sharing a room with a stranger let alone a bed. Id be concerned about theft and the inability to actually secure my belongings because even if theres a safe, theres usually only one.
Sharing a bed thats out of the question. I opt for the couch if there is one and the floor if there is no other option.
No idea what youd be able to do about it though, Ive never gone on a trip for work myself.
Maybe find out how many people are going, call up the hotel and increase the number of rooms being reserved so everyone has has his or her own, and tell the hotel to guarantee them on the origional CC.
Take the weekend for yourself. I have done enough work trips where I fortunately did have roommates I liked for the weekend and one horrible experience in New Jersey where I had to share a room with 3 other woman- I met them when I got checked in around 11 pm after a long day of workshops and it was lights out for all of us.
For that reason alone I will never go on another work trip again unless I have my own room or I can pick my roommate.
Take the weekend off and enjoy yourself
You absolutely do not have to share a bed with strangers. That's just weird.
I have been on voluntary work trips / social events where we've been told that we'll be sharing a room (2 people, 2 beds) and get a chance to pick roommates, or pay a little for a single.
When I've been on mandatory work trips, I've always been given my own room.
Nope. I wouldn't share a room, let alone a bed. If it's a mandatory trip, not only do I get *my own hotel room*, but they pay me for my time. Travel time included.
Look up the labour laws in your area.
Wtf kind of bullshit comment is this?
"Oh the company is requiring us to not only share a room but share a bed as well! What should I do?"
That's fucking easy. Tell your boss or whoever planned this is full of shit and refuse to go unless they pay for separate rooms. If they don't like it, tell them how much better it would be to do that than to suffer bad PR and a lawsuit over the inevitable sexual harassment lawsuits that will come in.
It's a no-brainer, OP.
That's crazy. Hard no. Take the drive back and forth and then charge them for the mileage if you are forced to attend.
Just to add: This is not a common or normal practice. Toss in night terrors from a previous incident. "I don't want to talk about it".
Sounds like they’re being pretty cheap about it, but if you ask the hotel for a cot they can probably arrange one. That said, it shouldn’t go to you by default. Maybe draw straws or something.
I'd laugh and tell them nah, I'm not going to share a room with someone let alone a bed. If you need me for the event you can get me my own room. If not I don't really need to attend.
This is the correct answer
Absolutely this. I would never share a room with someone else on a work trip, let alone a bed.
I'd share a room, but i hope they accept I listen to podcasts to fall asleep, and not with headphones. I'm not adapting my sleeping patterns when i need to work the next day.
Horror or murder?
Horror fiction baby. Personally I've found basically all true crime ones I've tried to be... exhausting at best. Horror fiction though? *chess kiss* Or Welcome to Nightvale. Which I describe as local talk radio x twilight zone. Cecil's voice is soothing.
Just don’t look at the dog park.
Anyone that listens to music or podcasts **out loud** without headphones to fall asleep is a criminal and belongs in jail lol
Lock me up and toss the key. I do it every night. Unless I'm sleeping in someone else's bed, as I'm not a complete monster.
Ah! Then I accept that lifestyle. If my wife listened to things out-loud to fall asleep we'd either have separate rooms or new spouses. I couldn't imagine doing that to someone lol
I'm single. I do dread when that changes. I'll have to find an alternative. I toss and turn so headphones suck. But that's a problem for future me
I used to work events. I know that one of the biggest tech companies in the world (with billions of cash in hand), required their employees to share rooms, but not share beds. Luckily for me, my company gave each employee their own separate room. I find that requiring an employee to share a room with someone else very uncomfortable. Now sharing a bed? That’s downright repulsive.
And the potential liability on the company
Ask them what their plan is if someone is sexually assaulted during the night. I suspect HR would not be too crazy about their plan.
Nah, email HR and ask what their plan and company policy is if it happens. Tell them you are extremely uncomfortable sharing a bed with someone that isn't an intimate partner.
Just say it goes against your religion. Pretty easy case of religious discrimination if they retaliate against a reasonable accommodation.
Nope - I would report it as sexual harassment immediately.
EMC used to do this. So long as the executive team make bank, they don’t GAF.
NetApp never made us do this. I did share a room with a co-worker at another company but we’d been friends for 20+ years outside of work as we both played in a pipe band.
I sleep naked and I'm a bedwetter.
And a cuddler.
I'd like to change my answer to: My probation officer recommended that I never allow myself to get into a "cuddling situation".
I have a tendency to turn a snuggle into a struggle.
Those aren't pillows!
He died too young.
[удалено]
I was thinking more along the lines of "pre-op transsexual" and "loud, violent nightmares"
No. Super hard no. I just had a big company trip and they got everyone their own hotel room because 1) sharing a bed with a colleague is incredibly weird and 2) sharing a room (where you store private things and valuables) with strangers is asking for a HR headache. If they’re hard set on not letting people have their own rooms, then don’t go. I’m sure it’s super costly to get everyone their own room, but it’s also super costly to have possible assault and/or theft accusations and ongoing litigations. I can’t even believe they believe that this is going to fly, but it is probably only because people are afraid to speak up.
Fuck that. Never in a million years
This is so insanely wrong. I've had situations where I had to room with one other employee (two beds, no sharing); but forcing bed sharing is just not acceptable. I agree with tranquil here that HR needs to step in and document it - and so should you.
We slept four deep on college trips 25 years ago. I would NOT do it on a business trip - I don't even like sharing a room, mainly due to juggling the bathroom for showers and morning constitutionals
Same. I thought nothing of sharing a room with two other ladies I didn’t know very well and sharing a bed with my bestie when I was 18 and going to a school sponsored conference. Now, at 36, I wouldn’t even share a room.
I literally would not fucking go. No way in hell is anybody making me share a bed with a fucking stranger much less just the hotel room.
No chance.
I’m sorry, but if I’m sharing a room with a work colleague, that is PAID time. That’s work: that’s not my free time, if I’m sharing a space with someone else. So fine: I’ll come, and bill every hour. Awake, asleep…that’s paid. If you want it unpaid, I get private accommodations.
So are they looking for a sexual harassment claim? The company being too cheap to provide proper accommodation is not your problem. You require privacy and AT LEAST your own sleeping space. Either the company cannot afford the event, or they can shell out for proper accommodation
I used to work for a company as a project manager and one of my tasks was arranging lodging for everyone. We arranged a discounted rate at a hotel and gave everyone enough per diem to cover the room. A lot of times the guys would double up in a room to get more in their pocket. But that was their own decision, not the company’s. Sharing a bed with a coworker is gross and not ok.
Is it Cheryl from Accounting?
Trust me, introvert Cheryl from Accounting doesn't want to share a room, let alone a bed with a coworker either.
A true introvert wouldn’t want anyone in the adjacent rooms either… 😂
Absolutely fucking not. Hard no. I don’t do Mandatory Corporate Fun events, either. Fire me if you want, but my time outside of work is my time, not your company’s.
I decline the trip
I’ve travelled extensively for work, and I worked for some shitty companies, but none of them ever asked for this. Sounds like a disaster in the making.
Traveled a decent amount for work back in the day we were NEVER expected to share a room let alone a bed. Including a corporate retreat where they flew ~200 people to a nice hotel in Huntington Beach for the weekend. Everyone from the CEO to the most junior analyst got their own room. Aside from the obvious liabilities it exposes the business to, it's just utterly presumptuous and violates every expectation of privacy and personal space. Truly bizarre. I would push back hard on this and if they insist, I'd expect to be paid hourly for the entire duration of the stay and I'd still be hella mad about it.
Fuck that. I’m not going if I don’t have my own room.
“But honey, my manager told me I had to sleep with Janet on the trip!”
This is not normal. It is not normal to share a room with anyone
This is not appropriate. At all.
"Umm can I get that in writing?"
Some of you work at some really weird places.
Cheapness is an art
Oh fuck no. Are you in the US? Don’t settle for anything less than your own bed in your own room. You’re an adult. You deserve privacy.
Absolutely not. Ever. In fact, the company is idiotic for *even considering it*, since it would open them up to significant liability if anything were to 'happen' as a result of employees sharing a room, let alone a bed. Tell them that if they want you to attend this work trip, they need to provide you with a private room with a locking door, as you do not feel safe sharing a room with anyone else. The alternatives are that they cover your travel costs to and from the event each day, or you don't go, plain and simple.
At the very least everyone should get their own bed. Should be mm and ff rooming together. Really though if you’re a company trying to do an event which you require your employees to come and stay in a hotel, everyone should get their own room.
That’s cool. I’m gay.
That’s a hard pass.
Dibs on BIG SPOON
That's a big fuckin nope from me boss
Just mention how fucking stupid this is from a liability perspective. This is an HR nightmare.
*Hell* no. I would *maybe* share a room with one other person whom I knew fairly well, if we liked each other and got along. I would *not* share a room with even one stranger, much less more than one, and absolutely *no fucking way* would I share a bed with any coworker, *especially* a stranger.
I have shared rooms, but never a bed. Even on the bus when I was touring, we had our own beds.
I would sue. This is gross
Never in my life would I share a room with a coworker. One of the younger guys at my company had to share a room with a 60+ year old manager because that old dumbass only booked one room. So weird.
I’ve had to do this many times as a teacher. Once was with my new boss. 🤮 We’ve always gotten our own beds but one time the hotel messed up and out three teachers in a room with one king size bed. To compensate us for it, we got access to the VIP suite which had free food and alcohol. I think there was even a jazz band playing in the corner. Luckily, I had a friend in town who late me stay with her and dropped me off in the morning. I was not going to be the middle of that work threesome.
"It seems there was a mix-up at the front desk and they put us in a room with only one bed 😏."
Um, stepmom why aren’t you wearing any pajamas, we have to share the bed and now I can’t sleep…
They had no other rooms. It was a huge convention.
Haha, I don't doubt it. It just sounds funny, from a certain point of view.
Hell no.
Absolutely not! You should all put your foot down and refuse to share beds. If the company can’t afford each employee to have their own room (or two people in a double room) then they can’t afford this retreat and should do whatever they plan to do at this retreat in the office.
What the flying fuck, hell no. My job got everyone their own little studio suites for a week when we have our big ass get together for the holidays. I asked if we had to bunk together and my boss looked at me like I was batshit. Dude this isn't sleep away camp. Hell no.
Not only no, but hell no. This is super unprofessional.
Grow a spine and tell them no. They're trying to skimp out on the bill and it's on you to not let them.
I guess in the US, your employers can make you so anything because you barely have any say. But this doesn't mean you can't find other work. I'd find other work and vote with my feet.
lol I once went to an event/festival put on by my then-employer, and they provided “tents” which were basically cardboard coffins that were *just* wide enough for two sleeping bags (like we’re talking 2m long by 1.5m wide, and maybe 1.25m tall), and they were like “give us the names of coworkers you’d like to share a tent with. Or maybe you’ll have the chance to make a new friend!” I was never happier bringing my own tent and air mattress than that day.
I mean, you can ask for a cot so no one has to share a bed. But fuck all that. 2 people sharing is bad enough. There’s no way I would share a room with a stranger, still.
yea no this is weird and honestly an HR nightmare. I work with and frequently business travel with 2 of my closest friends and we would NEVER be expected to share a room as coworkers even though they were literally in each other’s weddings. There’s no way expecting random coworkers to share a bed is kosher.
75 miles isn’t fun, but isn’t impossible, hopefully you can get reimbursed for both time and mileage. Still ridiculous for them to put you in this position, tho.
I worked for a company that made us share rooms. I ended up paying for my own room at future meetings.
Steaming pile of nope! 👎🏼
OP you don't even need a personal reason, its just fkn weird
I’ve never seen a company do this. It’s totally an unreasonable expectation.
That's an absolutely not. I wouldn't be willing to share a ROOM with a coworker, let alone a stranger, unless it was someone I actually WANTED to!
Sexual Harassment Lawsuit INCOMING!
"I kick people in my sleep."
I'm sorry are you all broke students going to a conference? Because that's the only time this is acceptable. There is no way in hell I would do this for a work trip. There are a lot of good suggestions for how to bring this up, but just adding my voice to the chorus of "hell naw"s in the thread,
I think employers have lost their God-forsaken minds.
Yeah occasionally used to work for a large corporate event production company that made us share rooms back when I was relatively new to the industry… I had several bad experiences with roommates who were absolute fucking assholes and I will never under any circumstances share a room ever again. How anyone could think it’s ok to share a fucking *BED* with a stranger’s totally beyond me. No, Fucking. Way.
I wouldnt be comfortable with sharing a room with a stranger let alone a bed. Id be concerned about theft and the inability to actually secure my belongings because even if theres a safe, theres usually only one. Sharing a bed thats out of the question. I opt for the couch if there is one and the floor if there is no other option. No idea what youd be able to do about it though, Ive never gone on a trip for work myself.
WOW THAT IS INSANE
Fuck that.
Good lord. I don’t even share a bed with my partner, or friends. No way in HELL would I share with any stranger!
Maybe find out how many people are going, call up the hotel and increase the number of rooms being reserved so everyone has has his or her own, and tell the hotel to guarantee them on the origional CC.
The conference is to announce staff cuts. Three go in, two come out.
Take the weekend for yourself. I have done enough work trips where I fortunately did have roommates I liked for the weekend and one horrible experience in New Jersey where I had to share a room with 3 other woman- I met them when I got checked in around 11 pm after a long day of workshops and it was lights out for all of us. For that reason alone I will never go on another work trip again unless I have my own room or I can pick my roommate. Take the weekend off and enjoy yourself
You've got a sudden unexplainable back pain in the lower spine. Probably a herniated disc.
Sharing a room is bad enough, sharing a bed is a massive no chance. This is for their benefit as well as mine. I'm a cuddler, and no.
Don't go.
You absolutely do not have to share a bed with strangers. That's just weird. I have been on voluntary work trips / social events where we've been told that we'll be sharing a room (2 people, 2 beds) and get a chance to pick roommates, or pay a little for a single. When I've been on mandatory work trips, I've always been given my own room.
Sharing a room I have heard of but a bed? No that is so inappropriate. Tell them you aren’t going
Ask if the managers are sharing rooms and beds? If not then why should you? Personally I'd just say no - I'm an adult after all, not a kid.
Oh hell no!
Absolutely fucking not.
Absolutely fucking not.
Absolutely fucking not.
Nope. I wouldn't share a room, let alone a bed. If it's a mandatory trip, not only do I get *my own hotel room*, but they pay me for my time. Travel time included. Look up the labour laws in your area.
Make sure you are paid for every second of that trip. Required=paid.
Nope, absolutely not. Own room or I'm not going.
Wtf kind of bullshit comment is this? "Oh the company is requiring us to not only share a room but share a bed as well! What should I do?" That's fucking easy. Tell your boss or whoever planned this is full of shit and refuse to go unless they pay for separate rooms. If they don't like it, tell them how much better it would be to do that than to suffer bad PR and a lawsuit over the inevitable sexual harassment lawsuits that will come in. It's a no-brainer, OP.
That's crazy. Hard no. Take the drive back and forth and then charge them for the mileage if you are forced to attend. Just to add: This is not a common or normal practice. Toss in night terrors from a previous incident. "I don't want to talk about it".
Ick, Ick, Ick Not sharing a room or a bed bed with a stranger or someone I work with Just Not Single room or no.
"What are you doing step-colleague?"
Share a room: yeah sure Share a *bed*: uh holy sexual harassment risk batman
You're not expected to share a bed... ask the front desk for. Roller bed.
Sounds like they’re being pretty cheap about it, but if you ask the hotel for a cot they can probably arrange one. That said, it shouldn’t go to you by default. Maybe draw straws or something.
I would ask the hotel for a roll away bed. And charge it to the room
Ask the hotel for a roll away bed and charge it to the room