While cash is a good motivator, a travel incentive trip has far more impact. Travel-related rewards create a sense of excitement and motivate employees to strive for success.
It’s also not unusual for a travel-based reward recipient to share photos and testimonials on social media. These positive interactions help drive more sales.
Boosts Employee Morale
Travel incentives are a powerful tool to boost team morale. They’re a unique, highly visible reward that creates excitement before, social media buzz during, and a lasting glow well after the trip. It’s also a powerful way to inspire discretionary effort and motivation, even during tough times. Employees who have benefited from travel incentives often work harder to earn another trip, increasing productivity levels and boosting overall morale in the process.
Aside from boosting morale, travel incentives can also increase employee retention. In the age of the Great Resignation, it’s more important than ever to keep happy employees on board. Providing travel rewards can help you do just that while creating a strong bond between your company and its best employees.
Employee satisfaction is a major factor in loyalty, which is why many companies are turning to non-cash rewards. In fact, research has shown that companies that use experiential rewards like incentive travel have higher employee retention rates than those that don’t.
Cash bonuses and gift cards feel transactional and insincere, while travel-based rewards are a more meaningful way to show your employees how much you appreciate them. Travel rewards also tend to have a bigger impact than financial rewards since they’re more memorable and create a stronger emotional connection.
In addition to increasing morale, team-building activities on a company trip can foster better communication and understanding amongst your employees. Traveling to new destinations can get your teams out of their comfort zones and into a more creative mindset, which may lead to more innovative solutions and a higher level of problem-solving. This is especially important if you’re trying to achieve an ambitious business goal.
Boosts Productivity
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many to reevaluate their work-life balance. Even now, as the world starts to recover and employees have more control over their schedules, it’s critical that they find ways to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Travel Incentives are a powerful tool to help employees accomplish this goal. Incentives that focus on experience – whether it’s fine dining, relaxing beaches, or thrilling adventures – create excitement and provide a focal point to inspire discretionary effort. They are the “light at the end of the tunnel,” inspiring employees to keep hustling even when the pressure mounts.
Cash has poor motivational power, and it’s not easily memorable. It’s often viewed as a part of compensation or an entitlement that’s given regardless of performance, and it’s easy to lose sight of the value of a cash bonus when it’s not seen again.
In comparison, tangible noncash rewards have a much higher perceived value and are easier to track and measure. They can also generate buzz, and an incentive trip’s impact extends far beyond the event itself – as winners will share their experiences online, resulting in increased visibility for the company that sponsored the program.
The initial cost of a travel incentive may be off-putting for some businesses, but the ROI cannot be underestimated. If your business is interested in boosting employee morale and productivity, an experienced incentive travel firm can design a program that is within your budget. You will not regret investing in a quality incentive travel program, and your ROI can be felt in the long-term productivity of your team. A well-designed incentive travel program is a great way to recruit and retain top talent.
Attracts Quality New Hires
With millennials and Gen Z poised to make up half the world’s workforce, there’s little doubt that they value experiences over tangible items. This is why a well-thought-out travel incentive program is a smart recruitment tool. It can help you attract talent from across the country and even around the world.
Unlike cash bonuses or raises, which can feel impersonal and ineffective, travel incentives offer a unique way to show that you appreciate and value your employees’ work. Incentives such as this give prospective new hires a glimpse into your company’s culture, which can help them decide whether it would be a good fit for them.
What’s more, a travel reward offers something that a potential employee can brag about to their friends and peers. This is an important aspect of recruitment because many candidates will check a company’s reviews and social media presence before accepting the job. A successful program will have your staff raving about their experience and present your business as a fun workplace rather than a corporate machine.
Plus, there’s no doubt that the perks of travel are more exciting and memorable than other rewards. While a cash bonus may seem like the best option, it’s unlikely to hold up over time or inspire excitement and motivation. Plus, it’s not as valuable as a points or miles card, which can easily be redeemed for first-class flights. This gives your employees a greater sense of value and satisfaction when they redeem their rewards. In fact, research has found that employees who receive travel-related rewards are three times more likely to be loyal to their employers.
Builds Team Cohesiveness
When employees are rewarded with travel, the experience doesn’t just enhance their enjoyment and appreciation of the reward – it builds team cohesiveness. This is especially true for group trips. Unlike team retreats, where employees may be focused on addressing work-related issues during the event, a trip allows them to connect on a personal level outside of the office and build stronger relationships with colleagues.
This is important to keep in mind when designing your company’s incentive program. In a recent study, companies that prioritize employee morale are shown to be significantly more successful than those that don’t. Aside from the direct benefits of increased productivity and improved morale, these top-performing companies also enjoy a higher ROI than average-performing firms.
As a result, many of these top-performing companies are shifting their focus from rewards that emphasize exclusivity (such as high-ticket merchandise) to ones that promote reach. By offering multiple levels of reach, top-performing companies make it easier to motivate their teams to achieve goals – and even exceed them.
For instance, commission-based sales teams can earn a fully paid vacation by hitting and beating their targets over a defined timeframe. This enables them to take the same trip as their peers and gives everyone a sense of accomplishment that’s fueled by mutual success.
In addition, these programs are often branded with a consistent theme throughout all promotional material and experiences. This helps to build brand awareness among employees and strengthens the connection between the organization and its mission. This is a key factor when it comes to building loyalty in today’s competitive workplace. Millennials, in particular, value these connections as they prioritize career advancement over job stability.
Builds Employee Loyalty
When employees earn travel incentives, it’s a great feeling of accomplishment and a sense of loyalty to the company that provided the reward. When you offer your best and brightest a chance to experience a new place with their colleagues, they will want to be there again. They will share their experience with friends and coworkers, creating a buzz that is hard to compete with. In addition, they will be more likely to serve as ambassadors for your business, promoting the value of your employer brand.
The enticing prospect of a rewarding getaway can be the focus or “light at the end of the tunnel” for your employees, inspiring discretionary effort during late nights and difficult projects. And once they are there, they will savor every delicious bite, fun activity, and exotic location they visit. These memories will remain with them much longer than the monetary equivalent.
Cash rewards are often used to pay bills or buy things that can be easily forgotten, while experiential rewards will have a lasting effect. The fact that your employees will have an incredible vacation experience to show off, relive, and talk about will keep them motivated for months (or even years!) to come.
Employees will be more excited to discuss their trip with prospective hires, which will make it easier to attract and retain top talent. In a time when many employers struggle to find good talent, showing potential candidates that your company is the place to be will help them get excited about joining your team. In addition, offering a competitive rewards program will help you stand out from other companies and win over the top candidates.
