Sometimes it is in a company’s best interests to take the more expensive option.

Being in charge of your own expenses at work can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it shows that the company trusts you enough to make your own decisions when it comes to things like work supplies or business trips. On the other hand, there is plenty of opportunity for them to penalize you if you do not conform to their expectations to the letter.

For those employees who have to submit expenses, there is often a lot of pressure to cut costs as much as you possibly can. They do not want anybody having too much of a good time on the company dime. However, the fact remains that certain cheaper options may cost the workplace in the long run. Even if this does not transpire financially, it could affect things like timekeeping, convenience, and the ability to do the job properly.

Unfortunately, plenty of workplaces are not interested in this long range point of view. They are more concerned with making sure that their employees save as much money as possible, and that they do not take liberties with the privilege of the company credit card.