When you gather a group of seasoned painters, the stories flow freely. These tales range from completed jobs to daring feats to handle tricky painting spots, encounters with eccentric customers, and many more colorful anecdotes.

With over two decades in the painting trade, I’ve collected my fair share of these stories. However, what surprised me was where some of the most memorable stories originated—from managing travel work.

My journey began at a residential painting company where travel work wasn’t even on our radar. However, upon transitioning to a commercial painting company, I found myself thrust into the midst of it. At one point, I was managing or assisting in managing simultaneous projects in Huntsville, Ala.; Courtland, Ala.; Tampa, Fla.; Bradenton, Fla.; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla; and Kings Bay, Ga.. This experience provided valuable insights into the dynamics of travel work.

Travel work presents a fantastic opportunity for painters. Typically, these jobs offer higher pay, longer hours (leading to more overtime pay), and per diem allowances. It’s a lucrative option for those willing to hit the road, whether for a week or a year—provided they approach it with a work mindset rather than treating it as a vacation.

One of the first stories that caught my attention was about two teams from the same company undertaking travel work in the same city. Both teams were staying at the same hotel, but their approaches differed vastly. One team worked diligently, putting in long hours to complete the job promptly.

In contrast, the other team adopted a more relaxed mindset, clocking out early and spending leisurely afternoons by the pool. Unsurprisingly, the performance gap and work hours discrepancy led to a swift resolution of the situation within a week, highlighting the importance of mindset in travel work.

Here are a few other insights I’ve gathered from firsthand experience and conversations

with fellow travelers.

Hotel Standards

Companies often face demands for hotel changes if accommodations don’t meet employees’ expectations, especially if the company covers the expenses. However, when employees receive per diem allowances, their standards for lodging tend to adjust accordingly.

For example, I’ve had midnight calls to change hotels because the room was dirty and wasn’t “up to standard.” But when that same employee was responsible for booking their own accommodations with their per diem, the hotel that they booked was easily one of the worst places I had ever seen – dirty, smelly, bugs – you name it and this place had it. But it was ok, because it was the employee’s choice so that they could save money.

Rooming Challenges

While it’s standard policy for travel employees to share rooms, this arrangement can lead to various issues—from snoring and late-night TV watching to disagreements over shower times.

Interestingly, some employees refuse out-of-town assignments if they have to share a room, yet they readily split a room when given full per diem control. The same two people who refused to be put in a room together when the company was booking arrangements were the

first two to share a room when they were responsible for arrangements with their

per diems.

Last-Minute Excuses:

Just before travel assignments, employees may cite various reasons for not being able to travel, often at the last minute. These range from sudden changes in personal plans to car troubles, despite having known about the assignment for weeks.

It’s amazing how often these “issues” come up right before someone has to travel to a job. I would venture to say that it’s statistically impossible to have that many employees have that many sick family members the day before leaving for a road work assignment.

Mid-Assignment Departures

Some employees opt to leave during travel work for various reasons, ranging from feeling homesick to encountering emergencies back home. In extreme cases, employees may vanish without a word, leaving the project hanging.

On one project, the crew leader left after one night on the job with the job in progress and just communicated that all the equipment was in the van and that he was done – never heard from that employee again.

Work Hard, Travel Harder

While these anecdotes showcase the challenges of travel work, they also underscore the importance of leadership and trust in ensuring project success.

Travel work, while challenging, can be rewarding for both employees and companies when managed effectively. It’s not without its quirks and challenges, but with the right approach and support, it can yield positive results and enriching experiences.

“It’s a lucrative option for those willing to hit the road, whether for a week or a year—provided they approach it with a work mindset rather than treating it as a vacation.“

Best Practices for Travel Work

Leadership Trust: Assign teams with trusted leaders who can set the right tone

and maintain accountability.

Accountability Measures: Implement measures like GPS tracking on vehicles,

digital clock-ins with GPS, daily check-ins, and reports.

Per Diem Flexibility: Provide full per diem allowances and let employees manage their lodging and meals, recognizing that preferences vary widely.

Earned Opportunity: Make travel work an earned opportunity based on trust and performance, fostering a sense of responsibility among employees.

Periodic Leadership Visits: Have leadership visit job sites periodically to maintain a presence, engage with the team, and show appreciation for their efforts.

Feedback and Rotation: Gather feedback after each travel job to improve processes, consider rotating employees for longer assignments to avoid burnout or issues.