How to Turn a Business Trip Into an Employee Incentive

For years, business travel is looked down upon by executives and high-ranking officials in a company. They see it as a break from their monotonous office life, but they also deem it as more work since they have to meet with clients, partners, and shareholders. Over time, this misconception about business travel has changed. Employees soon realize that flying for free to another state or country is still an incentive they’d want to have for themselves.

As employers created incentive programs to boost the productivity of their workers, they also have to take a look at turning business trips into a vacation. Why not? You paid for the airline ticket and the accommodation, so why not give your staff a couple of days of leisure time to go around this new city?

Establish a Points System

The idea of doing a leisurely stroll around the Eiffel Tower during a business trip was previously taboo. A business trip, in the past, should be professional and none of the touristy activities have a place in such a trip. But reality soon bites and with it comes the realization that since you’ve sent your employees to such nice cities, why not allow them to have a few days to visit tourist sites?

The point of an incentive is to reach it via milestones. Establish a reward system in your organization wherein an employee or employees are given points every time they close a deal, get new investors, or finish projects with flying colors. The more points they collect, the higher their chances of clinching the travel incentive.

Book Luxury Accommodations

Your employees will barely have the resources to stay in five-star boutique hotels. This is your chance to give them a thank-you reward for all the hard work they’ve done for the organization. Find a hotel that’s been designed by trusted companies such as Oakleigh Manor because the nature-inspired designs are all the rage today. Besides, your employees have been through so much stress in the past years that it’s time to give them a respite from the everyday grind of city life.

An all-expense-paid trip is the best reward for your employees. Remember that the workforce is generally comprised of Millennials and Generations Y and Z. These people are looking for more than monetary compensation. They want a way to destress. They seek a work-life balance.

Offer Competitive Compensation Packages

Do not think that just because you have a rewards program for travel, you do not need to offer a competitive salary anymore. The rewards program is the cherry on top of the ice cream. The ice cream itself is the compensation package that includes, among others, competitive wages, health benefits, life insurance policies, and many more.

Open the Opportunity to Everyone

Everyone in the office should have an equal opportunity to access the travel incentive program. Even your rank-and-file employees should have their own version of a business/leisure trip fully sponsored by the company. This morale booster is a game-changer for everyone—from the lowly staff in the office to the high-ranking officials.

Design the Program With Employee Input

Do not forget that the most important step in designing the incentive program is getting your employees’ input. They are the stakeholders. It is only right that they get to have a say about the travel rewards program. Where do they want to go? Do they want the reward program to be convertible to money (for some who do not like to travel)? Hear their concerns before rolling out the program.

Why Business Trips and Not Solely Leisure Trips

The reason why you need to incorporate business transactions in the incentive program is to make this a win-win situation for everyone. Your workers need to fulfill their duties whether they get incentivized for them or not. However, since you want to show your appreciation to them, you will develop a rewards program that will provide them an opportunity to relax and let loose for doing what’s in their contracts.

You can send them to training, conferences, workshops, and seminars where they can gain more knowledge about their responsibilities. They can hone their skills or learn new ones that they can apply in your organization. At the same time, you need not micromanage them during these trips. Allow them to have fun. Book a tour for them at night. Give them a shopping allowance.

Incentivizing workers is one of the best ways to boost their morale. It will also improve their productivity levels. When they are reaching specific goals in the organization, they are more likely to work harder. Because of the pandemic, traveling will be a luxury again that few can afford. If your organization has resources to send employees abroad or even just out-of-state, do it. There’s nothing more than your employees want these days than the chance to experience new places.