The Value of Incentive Trips

Since becoming a Travel Counsellors and being able to offer M.I.C.E. (meetings, incentives, conferences & exhibitions), it has become apparent how different organisations view the subject of incentive trips. Two opposing camps seeing either “outdated, expensive freebies – not really appreciated by the staff”, or “vital, energising opportunities to reinforce core values with your most valued assets, whilst making sure they know how much they mean to you”.

If you work for, or even run, companies that take the former view then my humble opinion is that you need to turn a fresh page and change your approach. Consider just how the most successful, dynamic companies are seeing these trips as an investment in the future.

Whilst in the business of helping you put together the perfect incentive trip for you and your team, I am in the privileged position of just having enjoyed the benefits for myself on the Travel Counsellors Gold Weekend in Marbella. I saw just how powerful and invigorating it was, and how you too could see great returns on such an investment.

Getting some of the busiest workaholics in your fold to stop and take the time is the first challenge. I am wired that way myself and along with colleagues the first question that came up was “can I afford the time out to go on this trip?” If the trip is run effectively, the rhetorical question on my return was “How could I afford NOT to go on such a trip?”

The logistics and organisation can be complex – but that is where why you enlist the help of someone like Travel Counsellors to ensure that you get it right. Our quasi-wedding coordinator role ensures that you miss nothing vital, and frees you up to concentrate on ensuring that you get the right messages and themes.

You will need to consider:

· How long you go for, and when to go? If you have parents in the team, think about the challenges of child-care / school holidays.

· Where you go? This also impacts the “how long” question. A trip close to home can be a single overnight. Flying half-way round the world might require a few nights to justify and recover from the travel. Look for the "wow" factor - but remember, it can be close to home.

· How many people to take? Both from a cost and an intimacy perspective. You want to reward the champions in your team, but don’t want to make it too exclusive or inaccessible to others. Equally, a group of 60 will bond maybe less effectively than 12.

· How are you going to fund it? Important – yes… but don’t mistake this as being the key to everything. Ask important partners to sponsor you and maybe even come with you. Getting to know your team in “down time” on a personal level will often be worth their investment.

· How to get people to mix? Think of the right balance of breaking up usual departmental and friendship groups by having set dining places from time to time, but then also let them do their own thing at other times.

· Free time? A vital ingredient. Nobody wants to feel like they are being frog-marched from one compulsory event to another. For it to feel like a reward, you must build in free time.

· Organised activities and excursions? These are fantastic bonding events – potentially the “Instagram” moments of the trip. Get them out of their comfort zones on a zip-wire, treat them to a dinner cruise, take them on a wine-tasting trip. Whatever it may be – this treat brings the trip together.

The list goes on… there are so many variations, but they come later.

First, you need to understand and decide that an incentive trip is right for you. The last 4 days shared with top performing colleagues and directors from Travel Counsellors have been invaluable because…

I feel RECHARGED after taking some time out of the office

I CELEBRATED as we were recognised for our business successes in the last 12 months

I felt PRIVILEGED to be part of TC Gold, and motivated to earn a place on the next trip

I felt VALUED because senior directors took the time to share with us and talk over dinner

I made NEW FRIENDS and met other TCs who were only names to me before the weekend

I felt TREATED as we were treated to outstanding food, drink and hospitality in top venues

I felt PROUD to be a Gold TC, and LUCKY to share it all with my wife as partners were invited too.

If you already understand the value of incentive trips, let me know if I can help you make your next one the best one yet. If you haven’t yet thought it would be right for you, I urge you to reconsider.