Do you work for a company that rewards or motivates employees by taking them on a trip? And being the head of the HR Department, you are responsible for organising the trip and ensuring it meets the employees and management’s expectations. However, planning an incentive trip is not easy. A successful incentive trip requires effort and careful planning. To help you with this, here are five ways to plan an incentive travel getaway.
1. Find what Motivates Your Employees
One of the main reasons behind incentive trips is to motivate employees. Therefore, when organising the trip, the first step is to find out what motivates them. Find out what appeals most to them, it could be Ningaloo Reef whale shark tours or a desert road trip adventure. You can send in surveys or interview them. Their answers should give you an idea of the best places to take them for the incentive trip.
When asking employees, find out what’s on their bucket list and see if you can cross these off. For instance, if seeing the Northern Lights has long been on their bucket list, you can plan an incentive trip to places where they can see these, such as Norway, and include a glacier tour in Iceland to enhance the experience. Of course, you should schedule the trip during those months when the Northern Lights show up. If your budget allows, you can ask the employees to take a family member or their significant other on their trip.
Fulfilling an employee’s dream holiday is one way to motivate them. The goal is to make them feel valued and special, inspiring them to give their best at work. Remember, the employees are the company’s best assets. Without them, the company won’t be able to thrive, so they deserve to be rewarded for their hard work.
2. Organise the Trip Carefully
Make sure to organise the incentive travel trip carefully to avoid spoiling the experience. Remember, the goal is to motivate. The last thing you want is to demotivate your employees because the trip was a disaster. So, plan everything meticulously, from booking the flight tickets to accommodations and activities.
After determining the destinations for the incentive trip, the next step is to set the budget. Knowing your budget will be a factor in determining how long the trip should last, the type of hotel to book, and many other aspects of the trip. The ideal duration for an incentive holiday is three nights and four days, although it will mainly depend on the budget.
Next, look for a reliable tour company that can manage the trip. While you can organise the trip yourself, it’s easier and hassle-free if you hire a tour company. When looking for a company to hire, choose those that specialise in corporate incentive travel or those with experience organising these trips.
Once you have the right tour company, discuss the trip details and ensure they can provide the incentive trip you want. Don’t miss out on even the tiniest details. Discuss the travel itinerary and the type of accommodations. It should have some free time slots for them to relax between exploring.
3. Choose a Good Location
The location will be a factor in the overall success of the inventive trip. There are many factors to consider for this. If you will send a group of employees, consider a destination allowing plenty of interactions, activities, and immersion. If you are rewarding or recognising a top performer, a luxury destination specialising in VIP treatment might be a great choice.
Accessibility is crucial when looking for the best destination for incentive travel. Ensuring everyone can make it to the trip is essential. Conduct a comprehensive analysis when weighing destination options. For instance, if you are sending them to faraway locations, they may have to take long-haul flights or spend a layover in some airports. You also have to consider the time it takes to travel to their hotel from the airport.
When deciding on the location, consider the time of the year. For instance, Greece in summer can be crowded with tourists, something they might not appreciate. Also, flight tickets and accommodations can be expensive during the peak tourist season, so that’s another thing to consider.
4. Plan Interesting Activities
Don’t forget to plan the activities for the incentive trip. If hiring a tour company, you should discuss these with them. These companies have pre-planned itineraries for corporate trips, so check these out and see if these will work best for you. Otherwise, suggest the activities you want and see if they can include that on your trip. A great option is to partake in a Krav Maga class, this is a unique experience and one that interest plenty of people.
The itinerary should have a perfect balance, allowing the employees to enjoy some luxuries while participating in recreational and adventure activities. Also, discuss the activities with the participants and see if they are okay with them. Again, ensure they get enough time to relax while enjoying the activities included in the incentive trip.
It’s a good idea to choose activities that offer learning experiences to the participants. So, talk to the employees going on the trip and discuss the type of support and learnings they would appreciate learning while on the trip. If they are into culture and history, you can include exclusive visits to museums and art galleries, allowing them to learn about the places they visit.
5. Get Feedback
At the end of the trip, gather feedback from the participants. Note their responses and use that as your basis when planning the next one. Remember, you spent hours planning the trip, so you certainly want to know whether it was successful.
The best way to measure the true success of the trip is to send post-event surveys to those who participated to gather their feedback. Send it out no later than 48 hours after they return. That way, the event is still fresh on their mind when answering your questions.
Consider gathering feedback about the location and activities. It is also helpful to know if they learned something from the activities included in the trip. After completing the post-event surveys, use the feedback to plan future incentive trips. Their answers allow you to be more strategic and focused on what the participants want and need from the trip.
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