In today’s high-tech world, it’s easier than ever to work from anywhere in the world. Many employees now work remotely, accessing important company documents over the internet from the comfort of their own homes and using teleconferencing programs like Skype to chat with their coworkers, clients, and partners from afar. But even with all of this technology, most companies still have employees work in offices – and, at times, it’s necessary for employees to work in other offices besides their “home” offices, sometimes for extended periods of time.

Maybe an employee needs to train a counterpart at a new office, or maybe the company is running an office exchange program so that different areas can exchange tips and best practices. Whatever the reason, sending an employee to another office is a big deal for the employee – and the best corporations make sure that the employee is well taken care of during his or her time at the other office.

Baby, you can drive my car

Heading across the country or around the world isn’t cheap, and it’s up to the company to foot the bill. Employees working in distant offices for a time can (and should) expect their company to pay for their flight or train ride (or reimburse the employee for gas, if he or she uses his or her own car). A car service from the airport to the employee’s temporary home is a common perk, unless the company is footing the bill for a rental car, in which case the employee may pick that car up at the airport. In some places (such as New York City), the company may cover public transit costs rather than offer a rental car. But whatever the situation, today’s top corporations are making sure that their employees never pay out-of-pocket for trips to and from work while they’re working at a faraway office.

Nice digs

Extended time working at a distant office means an extended stay in a strange city or town, so corporations will have to cover the bill for a hotel or apartment. Depending on the length of the stay, today’s top companies may try to avoid putting their employees up on traditional hotels – no matter how luxurious these hotels may be, they can be exhausting on long trips, and offer limited ways for residents to prepare their own meals. Instead, companies may opt to put their employees up at “extended stay” hotels, which, as the name suggests, are specifically designed for longer stays. Extended stay hotels have kitchens and other essentials that hotel rooms lack, making them a better option for long-term residents.

Companies that regularly send employees back and forth between offices may even invest in their own apartments. Companies may maintain corporate apartments, which – rather than being owned or rented by individuals – are owned by the company itself and are used to put up employees and executives as they shuttle from city to city.

In some cases, corporate housing isn’t owned by the corporation. Some rental companies offer shorter-term rentals and fully furnished apartments, much like a higher-end version of the extended stay hotels. Corporate house is big business these days, with entire companies operating in this specific subset of real estate. Take this Cincinnati corporate housing company, for instance, which offers furnished apartments and guest houses for corporate employees.

Regardless of who owns the residence, it’s the company that ultimately pays – not the employee. Traveling for work can be a hassle, but today’s top corporations make it easier by footing the bill for transportation, housing, and other perks.