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June 2005 - Business travel  
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Sound Off!
PAs tell it like it really is

Sound Off! Our issue this month is all about business travel, and we have heard from several PAs with their thoughts on this vital part of their role. Some enjoy organising trips and travel, some of you hate it with a passion, and your emails made interesting reading. But I chose the PA below because she wrote about a very serious topic on which I felt it would be very interesting to gather your views. For obvious reasons, she is choosing to remain anonymous. We'll call her Susan.




I work for four directors very closely. They all work very differently, and I've had to adapt to each one's working style. But one in particular has put a big problem on my plate, only he doesn't see it as a problem. He's probably the manager I get along with best of the four, which in some ways makes this even more difficult.

He travels a lot in the UK, and I process his expenses for him after each trip. Thing is, I'm pretty certain he's fiddling his expenses to the tune of several hundred pounds a year. Quite often I've found bits of paper with scribbles on, and when I ask him he will say, 'Oh, yes, that was a taxi — just put it down as £25.' Or, he will ask me to process lots of costs for which he has no receipts. And I'm pretty sure that a lot of mileage in his company car is done by his wife, but he still claims for it all, as business expenses.

I really don't know what to do about this - it worries me a lot, but I don't know how to confront him. We get on really well, but I'm worried it will spoil our working relationship if I 'shop' him.

Very tricky situation, wouldn't you agree? What do you think Susan should do about it? Let us have your votes now!

The best way to handle it is to confidentially let another senior director know and to let them to investigate. That takes her out of the loop, but salves her conscience.

I think she should ask him about it in private, but if he says it's OK, she should take his word for it.

She'd be mad to confront him! It's not her responsibility to police his expenses. There's nothing she can do.

We look forward to hearing your views!


Here's what you thought of Mystery Voice's gripes in the last issue!

In the May issue of DeskDemon Express our Mystery Voice got quite hot under the collar about her boss's behaviour, particularly when she over-heard him blaming his IT problem on her. We asked you to give us your views, and here's what you thought:

Your Vote A:

She needs to sort that out with her boss right away, as his comments could affect her career!

83%

Your Vote B:

There's no point causing a fuss. That's what supporting directors behind the scenes is all about.

15%

Your Vote C:

It's her own fault for letting herself get into that position. She'll have to live with it.

2%

And to send your Sound Off! to us, just email to express@deskdemon.com. Send us no more than 300 words, your name and firm (or remain anonymous) and we'll pick the best to publish.

Next issue the theme is all about career topics — a subject close to the heart of every PA. Send us your views and we'll publish the best one!

Look forward to hearing from you before 30 July!





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