ON a business trip to Milan last month, Elle Can had two roommates  the chief executive and a vice president of Taylor Creative, the furniture rental company for which she works.

Rather than book three separate rooms, the trio agreed to share a two-bedroom suite and cut costs. The company officers, both of them men, had separate beds in one room, while Ms. Can, director of sales, had a bedroom of her own. They shared the modest-size bathroom and used the spacious living quarters as a makeshift office.

“The setup wasn’t as luxurious as having my own room, but I certainly didn’t mind staying with people from work,” Ms. Can said. “We were all there to do the same job, so why not do it together?”

Across the country, corporate entities including small businesses and divisions of big companies like Pfizer, Bristol Meyers-Squibb and Microsoft are requiring employees to share hotel rooms.