Lucille Wu, country manager, Manpower China
Manpower, one of
the world's leading human resources service providers, has offices in seven
Chinese cities. Wu divides her time between the seven cities and Manpower's US
headquarters. She also regularly flies to different European locations to serve
clients there.
Travel tips
I prefer to wear light-coloured clothes made in cotton. Light-coloured
clothes light up my appearance and give me cheerful feelings. It especially
works for ladies on board. I also bring a cashmere shawl to protect my neck from
the cold and dry in-flight climate.
I like a pair of loose shoes that make me feel more comfortable on a
long-haul flight. If I go directly to a business meeting after the flight, I
wear formal business but loose shoes.
Work essentials on board: A universal power adapter, a pocket notebook,
laptop computer, a pen, business cards, and a dual-time-zone watch.
Fruits are a must. I also bring a pack of mint candy to refresh myself. A
glass of wine will be perfect for me on a long-haul flight. It also works
perfectly with my favourite light cheese. I avoid heavy food on board.
I always use a hand-carry bag to put my laptop and important paper documents
in, which ensures that they are always within my reach. For a formal business
occasion, I might bring a luggage bag containing a formal set of clothes and
other grooming and toiletry things.
For short flights, I prefer to arrive before noontime, so I can go to work in
the afternoon. If it is a long-haul flight, I prefer to arrive at the
destination before 8 pm, which can guarantee me a fresh morning in the coming
day.
Striking the right balance
Mary Kay Ash once said: "People
are definitely a company's greatest asset. It doesn't make any difference
whether the product is cars or cosmetics. A company is only as good as the
people it keeps."
In practice, this means attracting, developing and retaining the best talent
to be part of your organization's team. Travel managers play an active role in
putting this concept into action by being responsible for ensuring 'road
warriors,' often the most valued corporate assets, are looked after in a way
that supports their ability to do their job. However, the travel manager must
also ensure travellers do not take liberties and abuse their position by
incurring unreasonable costs.
So how does an organization strike a balance between what is reasonable to
the traveller and what is deemed fair by the organization? How does a travel
manager ensure the organization is managing travel in a cost-effective, safe and
efficient manner?
(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)