Can we let you in on a secret? Every single time a client of ours has had a company trip, there’s been a story to tell when they get back. And it’s not usually a good story.
Company trips and conferences can be helpful for your business. They can offer valuable training and teambuilding opportunities, but they also create risk for your company. The same applies to social events that happen locally. Here’s what you need to know.
Be aware of the risk
If you’re taking employees on a company trip of any kind, you need to go in with full awareness of the risks. People don’t always think of a work conference like they’re representing the company the entire time, but they are.
As a business owner, you can’t bury your head in the sand on something like this. If people associated with your company are at the hotel bar by themselves, they still have to conduct themselves as a representative of the company. And so should you as the owner of the company.
Evaluate necessity
Do you actually need the trip you’re planning? If you’re going for a training opportunity, is there an option locally for similar training? What about the social event? Is there a different way to approach team building and culture that could be just as (or more) successful?
What about the people going? How many people actually need to go? Reducing the number of people who go can lessen the budget impact and lower the risk overall.
Plan ahead
It’s shocking how many companies don’t have a conversation with their employees to set expectations prior to business trips. If you tell them up front what’s expected of them, you’ll have a record of what their conduct should be. They’ll know that they are representing the company during the entire trip, even if they’re not actively in a conference or a meeting.
You have to be clear about your employees’ responsibilities up front. If company trips happen regularly, include expectations in your written policies so it’s clear to everyone.
Whatever it takes, you need to do everything possible to mitigate the risk. This isn’t a family vacation or a weekend getaway to Vegas. This is a business trip, and if you’re aware of the risk, evaluate the necessity, and plan ahead, you can reduce the risk for your employees and your company.