Is Unnecessary International Onsite Travel Pressure Normal for Senior ICs in Tech?
I’m an MTS-level electrical engineer IC with 20 YOE. I’ve spent ~5 years systematically training our India team remotely. At this point, that training is complete, everything is documented, and any intern-level engineer could be trained remotely using the foundation already built over those five years. They have been carrying out the process for years now without issues.
Despite this, upper leadership (3+ levels above me) has repeatedly suggested me spending 1-2 weeks in India. Now the India team’s new manager is pushing it as well.
The justification is always some variation of: “We really think face-to-face can have benefits.” That is it, nothing else. No specific training topic. No technical problem. No defined deliverable that requires me to physically be there.
I was tempted to asking the new India manager to quantify the expected ROI of flying an MTS engineer across the globe for 1-2 weeks, including the definitive schedule impact. I ultimately decided to just nod and move on.
The irony is that having me gone for 1-2 weeks would directly impact major project schedules here. My new focus is pathfinding and automation proof of concept, which requires me here locally.
I also have family obligations that make extended international travel a nonstarter anyway.
My direct manager is vocal about keeping me local, but they only have so much say.
Is this kind of pressure normal at other large tech companies for senior ICs when nobody can articulate an objective business need beyond “face-to-face can have benefits”?