Hello all,I just recently got hired in as a consultant for IBM starting in March. The position requires 80% travel (Monday - Thursday). However, besides that, I do not know much about IBM's travel policy. If someone could brief me on this a little that'd be appreciated. Also, I know many firms allow weekend travel from project city to anywhere with equivalent flight prices or some allow you to fly someone out to visit for the weekend at project city.. any thoughts on this?Thanks,Ryan

It's all about common sense. I know people in IBM and the policy seems a lot more liberal than others.If you proposing to travel to another city than your base/home, and it's cheaper/the same cost than your usual to/from project location trip then it should be fine, as long as you keep your expense approver informed and in the loop. If he/she see's lots of different locations then they will get suspicious and everything you do is scrutinised/audited...and in any firm that's not a nice place to be.If it's more expensive then you need to gauge whether you can expense up to your usual costs and incur the extra personally...again that's the call of the expense approver.One word of advice in any firm and project, expense approvers should be managed as a key stakeholder alongside clients/your management. I'm not sure about visitor policy but I assume that would be applicable to projects where you are required to stay on projects more than 1 week..I very much doubt they will fly out friends/family during a normal BAU week. They expect you to be working 16 hours a day after all!

Sounds like a grim lifestyle. Working 16 hour days and living out of a suitcase, then drifting from city to city like a nomad at the weekends just because the company will pay for the flight?

BEP - for old hands like you and me, completely agree. For young bloods (as I once was many years ago) it's a sexy, go-getting lifestyle...Ryan.Filler - just be aware that flying you to a holiday destination on a weekend might technically be classed as a taxable benefit. It will be probably be recorded in a specific category in your T+E reports and you'll end up paying up to 40% of the cost out of your wages. It's never something for nothing in this world I'm afraid...

Can I be a sexy go-getter that goes home at weekends?

[quote]Can I be a sexy go-getter that goes home at weekends?[/quote]Don't be ridiculous.Go-Getters don't go home, they get out there and get... Stuff???

Get backache from spending too much time sitting in aeroplanes, probably

Used to be that you could stay in a hotel if the travel time was greater then 1.5 hours each way.Also they adhered to the HMRC triangulation rule about home - base - client site so you could only claim the additional travel over your normal commute.Corporate hotel booking, car, rail and plane service on your corporate AMEX. Std class all the way for you worker bee.How often you have to travel is totally dependent on the project you get on. 2 years in DWP Blackpool was common, or any other large scale outsource project for a council / gov department / large corporate. International travel is low as they are big, and blue, with bodies all over the world. If you have a niche skill then you may be required to travel internationally but otherwise not a lot.You used ot be bale to book travel time in the timesheet system to use as a lever to get a project closer to home at a later date. Dunno if that still exists. Also as a grad they used to allow booking all worked hours and it was up to the assignment manager to ensure a profit was made. Again dunno if that survived the PWC/Monday takeover.

Zoomin' up + down the motorway to Blackpool

I am currently working my notice with IBM due to the frustrations of traveling all over UK to go wherever the work is. To be honest I think it's a single persons job. If I was single I think it would be a blast to go and work away, stay in hotels and socialise with people on the project. However, I'm not single I'm married and this lifestyle drives me insane. My advice would be, if you don't have any commitments in the week outside of work and you are single then it is potentially a good life and make the most of it while you can. If you actually want a proper work-life balance and want to be able to go home to your actual home at the end of a working day then stay the hell away from GBS and also consultancy in general. I for one will never step into consultancy again - ever! I am happy to go back to development and get my life back.

ryan if you are concerned about travel commitments see if you can get an offer at PA. I hear the travel requirements have been relaxed as no one has anywhere to go.

Welcome to IBM (I've Been Moved) LOL