A lot of research studies have been done to find out what employees want from their jobs. As the research has shown, recognition for a well done job is among the key employee desires.
People wish to be successful and belong to a successful team. Therefore, they need to clearly understand their role in reaching the success. Thus, many organizations have developed strategies that reward most deserving employees and encourage performance that leads to desired results.
In a 2005 survey carried out by the National Association for Employee Recognition (NAER) and WorldatWork (a non-profit association dedicated to knowledge leadership in compensation, benefits, and human resources), 89% of the companies participating in the survey noted that they use recognition programmes as part of their human resources strategy and 95% of those feel that it links directly to their overall goals as an organization.
The benefits of recognition are numerous; thus, companies use recognition programmes for various objectives: creating a positive work environment; motivating high performance; reinforcing desired behaviours; creating a culture of recognition; increasing morale; supporting organizational mission/values; and increasing staff retention.
A growing number of companies are rewarding their key contributors with exceptional events and experiences offered by travel. Incentive travel allows for an opportunity to recognize special performance and do it by giving a tangible reward.
The reason why travel incentives are a desired reward among employees and willingly given by employers is that travel experience has several significant advantages. If an employee got a cash bonus, they would probably use it to pay everyday types of expenses; meanwhile travel creates a buzz and excitement in the organization before the travel and memories that last a lifetime after it (which cannot be said about many other types of incentives).
Group incentive travel is a way to energize and improve communication. Getting top performers together is the perfect occasion for people to talk among themselves, share information, and get to know one another better. Large companies regularly give travel incentives to every important audience, from employees to top shareholders. Getting away together to a foreign country or any off-site location can create bonds that don’t normally occur in work environment.
Travel offers a period of relaxation for both body and mind. It affords a wonderful opportunity for hard-working employees to refuel batteries, see and do things that sparkle imagination and infuse new ideas into their minds, enjoy active recreation, visit cultural destinations, etc.
Travel also appeals to people’s psychological needs. It helps to shake off everyday stress and retain perspective. Moreover, travel incentives have a trophy value: incentive winners can impress their neighbours by talking about where they are going and where they have been.
Finally, according to the 2003 Incentive Travel Facts survey published in Incentive Magazine, travel incentives increase sales by an average of 15%. Furthermore, half of the respondents said that travel incentives meet 75% to 99% of their objectives.
More articles about team building and incentive travel: |
