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I was asked by my manager to go in a tour at a vendor. I was asked today for Oct 14-17th. It’s a 5 hour drive where I have to drive with someone I don’t know. I don’t want to go but will it look bad if I decline? I said my husband might be out of town (which isn’t true) so I need to be home for the dog but I’d let him know ASAP. Ugh. I feel so upset about this.
Yes, it will look bad if you decline.
Your will likely not be considered for future travel.
You will be overlooked for future promotion because business today is conducted on the road to meet with clients and solicit new contracts.
Can't you go on this (sounds required to me) work trip - but insist you drive yourself?
I don't like 5 hour drives with other people either; I want my own car and independence, plus I don't know if the other person is a good driver, nor do I want to be responsible for them in some cases.
Can't you go on this (sounds required to me) work trip - but insist you drive yourself?
I don't like 5 hour drives with other people either; I want my own car and independence, plus I don't know if the other person is a good driver, nor do I want to be responsible for them in some cases.
I was going to suggest this too. I would hate being in a car with someone for 5 hours and be forced to talk and stuff, so just say yes but that you'd like to drive yourself alone.
Yes it looks bad. The only valid reason would be child care concerns if your husband was out of town and you had no one you could call in or a preplanned sugery, vacation or wedding. Dogs can be boarded or watched by a vet tech who can give them meds.
I travel for work all the time and you're usually only asked to further your own career. Notfoig may shoot yourself in the foot and could even lead to termination. As someone with anxiety myself get a good therapist who can assist with coping mechanisms and/or medication to help when you feel it coming up.
I was asked by my manager to go in a tour at a vendor. I was asked today for Oct 14-17th. It’s a 5 hour drive where I have to drive with someone I don’t know. I don’t want to go but will it look bad if I decline? I said my husband might be out of town (which isn’t true) so I need to be home for the dog but I’d let him know ASAP. Ugh. I feel so upset about this.
As your boss I do not give pffffffffft for your mutt, and if you want to drive the five hours yourself fine. If you are not up to this, I'd put a red X next to your name for future reference. The next refusal for anything and out you go. Dead meat.
It seems the OP has left this thread, but I have questions.
It sounds like the "travel" request was to prepare to groom you to move up in the heirarchy of the company - and not really required of the job you now hold? There's really no shame at all in saying that you don't like to travel, and that you want to do a very good job in the job you were hired to do but you don't want to move up into a higher position.
If occasional travel is necessary to do the job, and you kind of knew that going in but now realize you don't want to do it, tell your boss that. You can be let go, or if you're excellent at what you are doing right now, they can redistribute the traveling portion to someone who enjoys it and is good at it.
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It's not going to look good, but then how "bad" it looks depends on the boss.We have an annual conference that I attend and invite my people to go, most decline and I don't mind because they would not get as much benefit from it as I do, and it saves budget training/travel money. On the other hand, I could order them to go, and refusal would be considered insubordination. I have strongly encouraged each person to go once, and they all have, but after that it's totally voluntary.
I will not go. There isn’t anyone who can watch our dogs and also one is in several meds for arthritis. I have terrible social anxiety and couldn’t handle it. But I can’t tell them that.
Yes you can and should.
Aside from the fact they gave you less than two weeks notice, unless travel is directly in your job description, you can get out of going.
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