Less than 10% of all business trips cover a distance of more than 1,000 miles. In fact, most business trips cover a distance of fewer than 100 miles. They’re so close that most people choose to drive to them.
However, whether you’re on an international trip or an intrastate one, it’s important that you plan for it. Part of planning correctly is packing correctly. You don’t want to get there and realize that your presentation is on a flash drive that you left at home.
What do you pack for a business trip, though? What items should be on a business travel checklist?
We’ll offer some advice on that in this article.
1. Preparations for Overseas Travel
Most of us aren’t going to be traveling overseas, but if you’re among the lucky few who are, then you’ll need to be prepared. This can include a number of different steps, from keeping your passport up to date to getting any necessary vaccines.
You’ll also need to book your transportation, exchange currency, and find a hotel if the company hasn’t already provided that. If you need any help on the transportation front, we might be able to help.
If you’re in or near Houston, we recommend looking into GET Global Executive Transportation. It’s a service that can take you to and from the airport, making travel that much easier.
We’d also suggest learning a bit of the local language. While your coworkers may all speak English, other people you run into won’t.
Even if you don’t plan on doing that much, you’ll need to know how to speak a little. Think about all the things you do in a day. You eat, use the restroom, you probably take a cab if you’re traveling through a large city and a whole host of other things.
You’ll need to talk to someone at some point, so you’ll need to be prepared.
2. Clothes
The next key item on any business travel checklist should be clothes. Business meetings tend to get awkward when somebody shows up naked. Everybody gets really quiet, the boss starts yelling, HR shows up, and it’s a bad time for everybody.
However, not just any clothes will do. Assuming your business is at least semi-formal, you’ll need to pack business-appropriate clothes. If not a suit and tie, then at least a nice shirt and dress pants or a skirt.
To a certain extent, the weather is going to decide your wardrobe. Perhaps your business isn’t that formal but the trip is in Minnesota. Now, you might want to wear a blazer or suit jacket because it’s warmer.
You’ll also need to think about what you’re going to do when business hours are over. In 2016, it was found that 79% of hotels had some sort of swimming pool. This number had dropped an astonishing 11% from 2014.
If you have the good fortune of staying in a hotel with a pool, you’ll need a bathing suit. It almost seems like there’s a primitive instinct in our brain that tells us we need to swim in every pool we encounter at least once.
Finally, you’ll need a set of pajamas, or whatever it is you sleep in. If you’re going to be gone for more than two or three days, pack two.
3. Toiletries
Consider bringing toiletries along with you, as well. If you’re staying in a hotel, they’re likely to have some basic supplies, such as soap and shampoo. You might be out of luck when it comes to toothbrushes and toothpaste.
If you do decide to bring your own soaps and shampoos, make sure to pack them in a place where they aren’t likely to spill. A plastic bag can help ensure that your products don’t spill on anything valuable.
A comb and a razor should also be on your list. While a few days without shaving probably won’t be a big deal, it’s still something many of us insist on doing every day.
Even if you don’t shave, you will need a comb. Hair doesn’t grow that quickly, but it can get messed up easily. Worse yet is that people will notice if you didn’t comb your hair this morning.
If you’re going to be shaving, you’ll also need shaving cream. The only thing worse than being unshaven is being poorly shaven.
Women may also want to bring tampons and other sanitary products. Assuming the trip lasts a week, and most trips are shorter, you have roughly a one-quarter chance of needing them. Still, it’s always better safe than sorry.
4. Vital Electronics
When we talk about vital electronics, we’re referring to any you’d need for work even if you aren’t traveling. This includes cell phones, laptops, tablets, and whatever else you use.
You’ll also need to bring certain accessories, such as chargers, a mouse, and outlet adapters if you need them. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t need outlet adapters unless you’re in another country. Usually, they’re standardized by country.
The Business Travel Checklist: Everything You Need for a Business Trip
Before any business trip, it’s important to prepare a business travel checklist. Think of all the things you’re likely to need on the trip, and things you’ll need just to make the trip happen.
We’ve talked about some necessities in this article, but everybody is a little different and most jobs are different as well. You may want to do more research to be sure you’ve got what you need.
