Giving a gratuity while on the road is rising up the corporate travel agenda, but managing the expenses incurred remains a grey area for companies....so we have provided your travellers with some advice on tipping on business.
• Tipping by employees while travelling on company businesses is fraught with potential problems – such as whether tips are allowed, how they are paid and if they will be reimbursed as part of normal expenses.
• Companies should include in their written travel policy exactly which gratuities can be included and those that will not be reimbursed, especially if paid in cash.
• Be aware of the tipping customs and cultures in different countries: gratuities in Japan, for example, are not the norm, while they are widely expected in the US.
• Best practice is to ensure expense submissions break out the various elements of a claim, including tips, to ensure companies have full visibility of where expenditure is going.
• Embrace mobile technology to allow employees to keep on top of managing expenses while on the road: most expense solutions offer a gratuities function, no matter what the platform.
• Encourage tips to be paid by corporate card, as they can be tracked and reconciled more easily; but if cash is used, make it clear what is needed to back up the claim.
Read the full article on tipping and expense management
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