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Incentive activities to maximise memorability

According to the national employee research survey, over 90% of employees stated that recognition at work is important to them.

Insights like this are one of the primary reasons incentive travel schemes have become increasingly popular in recent years. Companies that seek to reward and retain their employees frequently use incentives, which can be designed to suit a wide range of demographics amongst a workforce.

As modern businesses become convinced of the effectiveness of incentive travel activities in motivating employees, such events are becoming increasingly common. The question is, what can you do to make your incentive events stand out?

We’ve put together a list of suggestions to help you make your incentive trip a little more meaningful and much more memorable:

Start the planning process early

Define your event objective.

Is it to boost morale? Reward employees? Celebrate a new product launch? Having a clearly defined goal will help direct the event planning process. It’ll also give you a little more time to add customised and unique elements to your incentive.

Put a communications plan in place

Generate excitement in the lead-up to the incentive event.

There are a wide range of communication tools available to ensure that you’re able to engage and excite employees prior to your event. From e-communications and staff intranet portals, to bespoke microsites and social media channels - you are more than equipped to effectively share your message with your intended audience.

This kind of engagement will also likely have an positive effect on the working environment, giving employees something to look forward to and bond over.

Create a knock-out incentive travel itinerary

Choose an event destination that provides a stark contrast to your office environment. This way, employees can truly get away from any workplace stresses, and return feeling refreshed and rested.

Now you’ve selected a fantastic destination and accommodation, all that’s left to do is to create a program that exceeds all expectations.

Plan an activity which will help your employees forge strong connections outside the workplace. There are plenty of incentive activities that can help with team building, whether a treasure hunt, ‘Dragon’s Den’ style task, or event something as simple as team sports. Veer away from the traditional and get in touch with First Event to plan a more unusual and memorable itinerary.

Offer an immersive experience

Give your attendees the chance to partake in something that is unique to your chosen location.

For instance, if your activity is planned in a vineyard, then a wine tasting experience would be the best way to get them involved. If incentive travel takes you and your employees further afield, find an activity that can immerse the group into the local culture. For example, a pasta making course in Italy, or a live Whirling Dervish show in Istanbul.

This kind of localised activity offers a unique experience that encourages team building, enabling employees to learn or experience something new together.

Mix up teams:

Encourage new working relationships by mixing up teams that would not normally spend time together.

Plan activities where groups are mixed up in order to push people out of their comfort zone and give them a gentle nudge to build new connections. The possibility of new friendships will make the entire experience a lot more meaningful, and people will get the opportunity to engage with colleagues that they may never have even spoken to.

Add an element of giving back

According to a survey by Nielsen, 67% of respondents prefer to work for socially inclined companies. Another survey by Deloitte revealed that 70% of millennials surveyed stated that their company’s commitment to giving back influenced their decision to work there.

Clearly, working for a socially responsible company is a key priority for employees, and adding a meaningful activity to your incentive events offers them the chance to give back. Not only is this likely to make them regard the company in a more positive light, but it can also strengthen bonds as they work towards the same cause together.

This could include something as simple as visits to charitable organisations in a local community. You could also add a volunteering element to your larger incentive travel programme, which could result in an additional layer of meaning to your next event.

To engage employees prior to the event, you could run an office-wide poll where employees can vote on which cause they’d like to support. This way, you are also giving employees a voice and an influence over the event itself.

Incorporate health and wellbeing

According to a 2016 survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Directors (CIPD), the number of people suffering from mental health problems at work has risen from a quarter to a third in the space of just a few years.

The good news is that there is now an increased focus on health and wellbeing in the workplace to combat such issues. Employers are offering yoga classes, gym memberships and flexible working conditions to ease stress and encourage a better work-life balance.

Adding an element of this to your incentive trips could give individuals the chance to get a little more active and reconnect with themselves. Not only will this keep attendees alert for the duration of the trip, but it’s more likely that they’ll come back to work feeling energised and revived.

There’s a huge variety of health and wellness activities that you could incorporate into the itinerary. For instance, morning hikes and evening yoga sessions could go down a treat. However, be sure to make these activities optional, as they may not be everyone’s cup of tea.

The activity could be related to the area that you’re in. Is there a great hiking path nearby? Will you be near a Buddhist temple that offers meditation classes? Create a unique experience by integrating an activity that may not be readily available elsewhere.