Sharing Hotel Rooms with Co-Workers?

Apparently it is very common for academic professionals (both students and professors) to room together at conferences in order to save costs.  In fact, it's considered bad form to pay extra for your own room because then you are denying a poor student with less resources the opportunity to share expenses with you. 

Whoa! 

This is a bit of a shocker to me after nearly 20 years in the corporate world where I have always had my own hotel room when I traveled on business.  In talking with some of my colleagues I have learned that more and more companies are asking employees (at least lower grade level employees) to share rooms in order to reduce costs associated with business travel. 

Again I say, Whoa!

I am against sharing rooms with colleagues for the following reasons:

1. People are vulnerable when they sleep.  They may talk in their sleep, they may walk in their sleep, they may drool or do other unpleasant things that they don't want co-workers to know about.  Shared sleeping space (with someone other than an intimate) increases the normal vulnerability associated with sleep-time.
2. Employees who share a hotel room with a colleague are always "on."  They never get the downtime that is so essential to being a productive worker for an 8- or 10- or 12-hour day.
3. There is no way to effectively manage a roommate selection process. If employees are allowed to choose, invariably someone will feel "left out" (sound like high school instead of the workplace?).  If the company assigns roommates, a few bad pairings are inevitable (see #1 above about vulnerability).

To my way of thinking, the costs simply do not outweigh the downsides of asking co-workers to share hotel rooms. 

What do you think?  Am I neurotic?  A Prude?  Or just a Sensible HR Lady? (ooh - a new blog identity, perhaps!!) ;-)

Comments

[Almostgotit]

I'm with you, but the pressures to conform here are pretty enormous. You didn't even mention the complications that may arrive when no really good reasons remain that prevent making mixed-sex room assignments, as well.

(Far-fetched? Remember when mixed-sex dorms, or even mixed-sex dorm FLOORS, were unheard of?)

Welcome to the academy :0)

[HR Wench]

I would rather stay at a super cheap (but clean and safe...) motel and have my own room than share a mid-priced one with a coworker.

[MMG]

I'm with you-people need their own rooms because everyone's tolerance to stimuli is different! Years ago as a graduate student on a week long study abroad excursion in Mexico I roomed with 3 other students. I only could unwind (briefly) when everyone else went out to party later at night. Then I had the hassle of waking up when they returned (at various times!) And as you mention, different aspects of one's personal life and habits are exposed that one wouldn't necessarily want shared (perhaps especially with the people with whom they have to share the room). The lesson was learned and the next year I was willing to pay the difference to have my own hotel room when I presented at a conference for the first time.
This world is already on information and stimulation overload--let people have a break!

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I am against sharing rooms with colleagues.

[Software Company India]

I do not like to share my room with my colleagues so i am against it.

[Account Deleted]

Actually a lot of corporates are doing that. Even during medical doctors conventions, they share rooms. This is how it is, yes...... savings.

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It lessens the expenses plus they can save for emergency purposes.

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I personally prefer it so that expenses will be cut down and there won't be any excess spending.

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i like this part of the blog:"There is no way to effectively manage a roommate selection process. If employees are allowed to choose, invariably someone will feel "left out" (sound like high school instead of the workplace?). If the company assigns roommates, a few bad pairings are inevitable (see #1 above about vulnerability)." is very good

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I am also against sharing my room, my privacy.

[Kim DePat]

I totally agree. I am suppose to go on a trip with my co-workers and stay in the same room. I am very uncomfortable sleeping in the same room with them. I am a very private person and need my down time. Plus, I can see them making fun of people if they snore etc...

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There is no way to effectively manage a roommate selection process. If employees are allowed to choose, invariably someone will feel left out sounds like high school instead of work.

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