Hi all! Given the large amount of travel you have to manage at MBB, do consultants really have to work during these times? Like, on planes? I can hardly imagine this being efficient, let alone confidentiality issues. Any insights?
Is travel time really working time?
Overview of answers
Upvotes
Best answer
Hi! That's indeed a bit tricky!
The truth is that, formally, McKinsey and BCG strongly discourage (if not prohibit) working on flights, due to confidentiality. But the truth is also that the majority of consultants actually work on flights, just to cope with the workload.
So different aspects need to balanced against each other here. I for example have frequently worked on very sensitive topics (stock market relevant), so I did not work on flights and I also gave directive to my teams on such projects that working on the plane is an absolute no-go. When working on less sensitive stuff, it was more about applying good judgement.
Hope this helps!
Cheers, Sidi
Was this answer helpful?
Hello!
Condidentiality is not an issue, since you have screen protectors that do the job -and you will 95% of the time work with your PC-.
Regarding the point of it being a must/not must: none forces you to, but when you have a huge amount of work and limited time to get it done, you are the one who is giong to decide to work while traveling to gain sleep time. This said, for sure it will depend of how "crunched" u are in each engagement.
Hope it helps!
Cheers,
Clara
Was this answer helpful?
Hello,
The official answer would be "only if it's stricly necessary", but in reality it's quite common that you are asked to work during your travel time.
They will provide you with privacy screens for your phone and laptop, so that you won't have any excuse to miss a deadline ;)
Best,
Luca
Was this answer helpful?
There is no 'requirement' to work while travel, but if you don't work when you can it could cost you precious hours in times when you don't want to (e.g., weekends or late nights)
Confidentiality is overcome using a privacy screen and efficiency is definitely an issue but as with everything else, you get better at it over time
Was this answer helpful?
At Bain, it was very common for junior consultants to work on planes. This is driven mainy by the fact that they don't want to lose the working time and have a high workload and deadlines. Confidentiality is always a critical concern, so consultants will typically work in airplane mode (which disguises the client or consulting firm's powerpoint templates) or focus more on Excel tasks. All consultants are also issued with privacy filters which stops people either side of you on the aircarft seeing clearly what you are working on.
As a Manager, I would typically not be working on slides on flights but rather take the time to review materials (again in aircraft mode) or catch up on emails. I would use the Privacy filter or use my phone to maintain confidentiality.
The reality of the work is that an hour of productivity lost during the day typically means an hour less sleep!
Hope this helps!
Adam
Was this answer helpful?
Hi,
they will provide you with privacy screens and 100Gb sim plans in order to leave you easily work during your travels and yes, you will need to do it almost everytime :)
Best,
Antonello
Was this answer helpful?
Related Cases
Company case by Bain & Company
Style:
Topics:
LubricantsCo, a very successful Asian premium producer of lubricants in their native region, would like to further increase their revenue and profit. The product range ranges from lubricants in the automotive sector (e.g. motor and gear oil) to industrial applications (e.g. fats, heavy-duty oils).
... (Open whole case)
178.5k
Times solved
Beginner
Difficulty
Company case by Bain & Company
Style:
Topics:
You have inherited the “Old Winery” from your grandfather, a winery that has been family-owned for five generations and can be dated back to the 16th century.
Half of the eleven hectares are used to grow white grapes, the other half to grow red grapes. They are grown in a conventional
... (Open whole case)
78.4k
Times solved
Intermediate
Difficulty
Expert case by Francesco
Topics:
Our client is SmartBridge, a nonprofit educational institution offering face-to-face tutoring services. The client operates in the US.
The mission of SmartBridge is to help as many students as possible to complete studies and prevent that they drop from the school system, in particular in disadva
... (Open whole case)
21.2k
Times solved
Advanced
Difficulty
Expert case by Luca
Topics:
Espresso Whatelse is an Italian company that produces coffee and espresso machines since 1908. It is the Italian market leader and has a strong presence overall in Europe. In 2019, Espresso Whatelse has increased its revenues but it has seen declining profit margin.
Your client wants to unders
... (Open whole case)
13.1k
Times solved
Advanced
Difficulty
Expert case by Bernard
The COVID-19 pandemic has killed millions of people worldwide and led to devastating economic impact. A vaccine is one of the biggest hopes for stopping the pandemic.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with multiple stakeholders to ensure groups at higher risk of becoming i
... (Open whole case)
11.4k
Times solved
Advanced
Difficulty
Related Products
BCG Online Case Secrets by Francesco
Imbellus Solve Combo: Guide + Videos by Francesco
Imbellus Test at McKinsey – Guide by Luca
McKinsey Imbellus Solve Game Secrets by Francesco
The Secret McKinsey PEI Cheat Sheet by Robert
Integrated FIT Guide for MBB by Clara
BCG Potential Test #2 by Gaurav
BCG Potential Test #1 by Francesco
Prep Guide for McKinsey PST by PrepLounge
McKinsey PST #3 by Riccardo
McKinsey PST #2 by Gaurav
