As we embark on a new year, many organisations may be considering a staff incentive program for 2017 with the end reward being a trip to a beautiful destination. Sound enticing!
A staff incentive program is simply a formal way to keep your employees motivated and focused on achieving certain results within a specific time period.
Most employees are excited by travel and enjoy the features of an exotic, fun or relaxing destination, which makes a trip away a great reward.
So how can you select a destination for your staff incentive program?
Choosing the right destination to spoil your staff is important both to cater for your staff’s interests and also the interests of your own business.
In this article, I provide five questions to ask yourself to set the parameters for the destination and then five tips for selecting the best one for you in 2017.
Question 1: What is your budget?
This will help determine factors such as length of stay, style of accommodation, activity budget and quality of catering.
Question 2: How long will you be there?
Some determining factors may be the operational impact on your business and how long your staff wish to be away from home.
Question 3: What is the profile of your staff?
Their age, gender, interests and abilities may help decide whether you choose a pamper trip or perhaps a weekend of adrenaline activities.
Question 4: What is your objective?
Whether it’s to rejuvenate, reward or perhaps mark the start of something, this can help determine some of the inclusions and activities.
Question 5: What type of destination do you envisage?
All of your answers to the above will contribute to the type of destination such as coastal, forest, ski, island, country or metropolitan.
Now you know what you can and can’t do, here are five tips to help narrow down your choices.
1. What are the destination basics?
Do thorough research including what visas and travel documents may be required; when is the best time of year to visit; what are the local customs and cultural differences; what is the language and currency; and, what does the local cuisine feature?
2. How accessible is the destination?
A lot of wow factor destinations are not very easy to get to. Be sure to weigh up the impact of the destination versus the difficulty in getting your group and supplies there. A whole day of travel is not always the best way to start a trip unless you are there to enjoy the destination for long enough.
3. What is the venue availability?
Does the destination provide a variety of venue options that suit your budget and objectives? You may like to squeeze in a day of conferencing or perhaps your schedule relies on a venue with a day spa. When it comes to an incentive trip, my advice is to choose a venue that is unique and offers an experience to talk about.
4. What can you include in an itinerary?
The length of time you are planning to be there and your objectives will help you work out how much or little you can fit into an itinerary. Have a look at the activities that the venue offers and what features of that destination are a ‘must’ to include. For example, an island-hopping day around a beautiful cluster of tropical islands or a shopping trip to one of the country’s best shopping centres.
5. What does feedback say?
Incentive trips are usually more like a vacation than a business trip so speak to a travel agent, event planner or perhaps a destination management company for advice on all of the above. I use Trip Advisor as it provides reviews and feedback from a wide range of travellers with different expectations and experiences. A professional can help you with a checklist to ensure you choose a destination your group will be talking about for years to come.
Here at Corporate Challenge Events we are focused on creating positive fun team cultures, both our own and for our clients. And a staff incentive program can be a great way to contribute to a positive fun team culture.
Rachael Ziccone, Conference & Events Manager, Corporate Challenge Events
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