You can use incentive trips to help change your team’s motivation and performance when they’re done right. A well-planned and fun getaway can create long-term memories and strengthen relationships while driving future success.
A good incentive trip can improve your sales by 20% and help increase employee retention. I’ll show you how to plan out each detail, from picking the destinations to measuring ROI. You can create an unforgettable and rewarding experience that energizes your team and delivers real business results.
Look at your team’s interests, your budget limitations, and the message you want to send about what your company stands for most.
Let’s get started!
Set Clear Goals And Objectives
Your goals help to shape every step of planning for your corporate event. You’ll need some measurable targets to track the progress and the success.
You need to find out what this trip needs to accomplish. Your sales team might just need that extra push to hit their targets. Maybe you’re finally ready to treat your top sellers who crushed their numbers (and they do deserve it).
You might also want your marketing and sales teams to start working with each other. One tech company spent $100,000 on a luxurious Hawaii trip without thinking it through because they skipped setting clear goals. Everyone had a blast lounging on the beach. However, the company had no clear way to know if the trip actually resulted in any changes for the business.
When you set goals, it helps you see what your trip has accomplished. Your sales numbers will show if that motivational retreat did its job.
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Teams finish their projects faster when the team-building activities pay off. A quick employee survey will show if people feel more excited about their work. Pick a location that fits well with what you’re trying to achieve.
Teams bond better at places like a mountain resort where everyone faces challenges together. But if you’re celebrating a big sales year, maybe that all-welcoming Caribbean resort is what your top performers deserve. Whatever you plan, you should make sure every activity is moving closer to your purposes.
Look at your short-term and long-term picture. You might need to improve next quarter’s numbers. In the long term, you’re probably thinking about keeping your best people around and making your customers happier.
Just remember to choose clear measures of success for timeframes. Your budget needs to match up with your expectations. You might need to invest more when you’re motivating sales teams to land giant deals. However, team bonding can happen just as well without spending too much.
You should find out what type of return you’re expecting from every dollar spent. You should also continue tracking those numbers after everyone is back at their desks. Check to see if you hit the original targets you set at the beginning. Send out surveys asking how the trip changed the facts at work – it’ll give you proof to show anyone who’s questioning if the trip was worth it.
Pick The Right Destination
The destination choice for your team’s incentive trip should meet the interests of everyone involved. Some of the employees might love outdoor adventures and active activities, while other team members probably want to kick back and relax with an engaging book by the pool, too. Your planning can become much easier when you take the time to see these different preferences from the start.
Your team’s age and interests should help to lead your destination choice. Young tech pros will probably jump at the chance to hit the slopes in Colorado. Your experienced sales team might like wandering through Florence’s historic art galleries and museums. Local holidays or festivals might also affect which attractions your group can visit.
You’ll create a memorable experience by picking a destination that matches what your group actually wants and needs. The success of your incentive trip depends quite a bit on seasonal timing. You don’t want your team stuck in the Caribbean during stormy weather.
A destination that works has a way of giving something to everyone in your group. Costa Rica can be a great example – excitement-seekers can zip through the rainforest canopy, while others like peaceful spa treatments at their own pace.
Each team member can find their own way to have fun with multiple activity options readily available. The top locations naturally give you these without too much extra planning or effort.
Some destinations come with fairly easy travel and lodging costs. But just watch for those sneaky extra charges like resort fees or expensive local transport options. Remember that exchange rates might affect how far your budget stretches as well.
Where you stay has the potential to turn a good trip into an unforgettable experience. Some teams might love luxurious hotels with extras, while others connect more strongly with charming local venues that show off the area’s culture. Your accommodation should match what your team expects and what will make them feel comfortable during their stay.
Previous trips can give you some plans for making better destination decisions in the future. Get honest feedback from team members who went on earlier incentive trips. Their real-life experiences will point out what didn’t work well and what worked great before.
You should think about safety when making any destination choice. Look into the latest local conditions or recent events before confirming your plans. Find out about nearby medical buildings and clinics and their quality. Always check official travel notices for any warning signs or problems.
Plan Your Trip Budget
When you plan an employee incentive trip, it doesn’t need to be stressful – you just need to break it down into some smaller tasks. Most businesses will spend anywhere from $2,000 to $8,000 for each employee who goes on these trips. The costs will change based on the location you’re heading to and how long you plan to stay.
You should start with your finished headcount, as it can affect almost everything else you plan. You’ll need to know if employees can bring guests, too – that can double your numbers pretty fast.
Most businesses find that 3 to 5 nights tends to be an easy choice for timing for these trips. Transportation and hotels will take up the biggest portions of your money. You’ll spend a bit more on flights if you’re going overseas instead of staying local. Hotels can also vary – a comfortable 4-star hotel tends to work for most trips.
Fancy luxury resorts can add about $2,000 more per person to your budget. The extra activities will add up faster than you might think. Your budget should have a bit of room for the meals, kick-off parties, and the activities you’re planning. You have to factor in the small facts, too, like welcome bags, name badges, and any branded items you want to hand out.
Unexpected costs can catch even experienced planners off guard. Insurance fees, taxes, and emergency funds will often slip through the cracks. You need to put aside about 10% of your total budget just for these surprise costs.
The timing plays a big part in what you’ll spend. You can save thousands by booking flights and hotels ahead of time. Try traveling during the shoulder season – that window is when prices will drop, but the weather is still pretty pleasant.
Most destinations will give you better deals during these times. Tax implications count more than you might expect. These incentive trips will count as taxable benefits, so your employees will see the trip’s worth show up on their W2 forms. Let everyone know about this early so nobody feels shocked when tax time arrives.
Each destination has its own costs. Stays in the continental US usually run about $6,000 per person. Caribbean trips will usually cost around $7,000, while trips to Europe often push costs to $8,000 for each person.
Customize Activities And Options
Your teams deserve to have a good time on their incentive trip, and you’ll need to plan some activities that match what each person personally enjoys.
Take a little bit of time to think about your workplace. Sarah in accounting might get very excited about skydiving, while John from marketing would probably like sipping wine on a relaxing vineyard tour. These are all valid ways to have fun.
An incentive trip works when you give your team members lots of different options to choose from. Some people on your team will want to push their limits with fun activities like rock climbing or white-water rafting. Others will feel more at home by learning local cooking techniques in a class.
I recently planned a company retreat where we split up the activities into two tracks – adventure and relaxation. One group had fun zip-lining through the rainforest. The other group sampled their way through a food tour. Everyone came back feeling very energized, and they couldn’t wait to share their stories about their experiences.
Nothing ruins an incentive trip faster than forcing everyone into the exact same activity. When you make your whole team go bungee jumping when half of them hate heights, it won’t create happy memories. It’ll just leave people feeling nervous and resentful.
Your first step should be to send out a quick survey to learn what your team wants. Ask them about their interests, what makes them comfortable (and any physical restrictions they may have). This helps you create options that people will actually look forward to.
Team bonding happens naturally through activities without feeling forced. Escape rooms get people working together to solve puzzles. When people take cooking classes, they can collaborate in a fun and casual setting. Even just an easy group dinner can spark real conversations and connections.
The right balance of different energy levels keeps everyone feeling fresh throughout the trip. Combine high-energy adventures with more laid-back activities so people can pace themselves.
Success comes from giving enough options so each person finds activities they like. Team members will build long-term memories when they can choose experiences that match their interests and throw themselves completely into the activities.
Plan Logistics Early On
You should start planning your company incentive trip at least a year ahead of time.
Start planning around 9 to 12 months before the trip – you can also snag some deals on flights and hotels. You won’t have to manage the stress of rushing around at the very last minute when everything costs way more.
Some businesses want to manage the planning on their own to cut down on costs. This might sometimes work out in certain situations. A professional event planner will make your life easier. These pros already know the right people at the hotels and can sometimes land you deals you’d never find by yourself.
The timing of your trip and the weather will shape the entire experience for everyone. Your smartest move is to book during the shoulder season, which is that period between peak and off-peak times. You’ll run into fewer tourists and spend less time waiting in lines. You’ll also pay more basic prices.
Small facts can turn into big problems if you’re not paying attention. Take some extra time to review the travel documents way before the departure date. Your team will need to know about the passport rules and visa requirements.
Transportation usually deserves more attention than most people give it. Find out how your group will travel from the airport straight to the hotel. Your team might even need transportation for other activities, too. Even a small delay might hurt your whole day’s plans.
A smooth trip will need keeping every team member up-to-date. Send your team some regular communication about the process. Let them know about things like schedules, when to pack essentials, and the fun activities you have planned for the trip. Your team will feel more excited and better prepared when they know about what’s coming.
Professional planners show their real worth when situations start to go sideways during the trip. They already know the steps to take when flights get canceled, or someone misplaces their passport.
Fair Rewards For All
Your fairness strategy should be the main focus when you’re planning an incentive trip. Nothing destroys employee motivation faster than the feeling of being cheated by an unfair process. You can dodge this problem with clear and open communication.
You should set up some easy-to-follow goals that your team can measure well. Sales numbers, happy customer ratings, and finished project stats are all good options. These targets need to line up with what your company stands for and what it wants to achieve. Your employees should know what it takes to earn their spot on the trip.
Everyone makes big contributions even if they don’t bring in those big sales numbers. You might want to create different award categories so everyone gets a clear chance at winning recognition.
Your team’s thoughts on what makes the process fair can help. Their early feedback helps you stay away from any negative feelings later on. You’ll show that you actually care about creating a system that works for your whole team. Keep records of your entire process.
When you write everything down and keep tabs on progress to share regular communication with your team, it makes a real difference. Your employees will trust the final picks more when they can look at the numbers for themselves. A points system lets your team members build up credit toward the trip over time. This setup feels more like a fun challenge than a competitive race.
Your employees can watch their own progress throughout the year, which keeps them involved. Remember to spread the recognition past your usual top performers. These stars deserve their spotlight.
But mixing up who gets picked keeps your whole team fired up. It helps you create an area where everyone believes that they have a fair shot at winning.
Measure ROI And Evaluate Results
When you need to track your return on investment for corporate trips, the hard data and the employee stories do matter. You should start by comparing performance metrics before and after the team-building experience. Basic numbers like sales figures and customer satisfaction scores should be the first focus.
The employees who went on the trip showed about 15% better performance than the people who didn’t participate. Employee retention rates usually get better, too – since people often stay longer when they feel liked and included. Real feedback from the team can sometimes tell you even more than the numbers alone might show.
Your employees will probably share how much more connected they feel with their coworkers after sharing these memorable experiences. Team leaders get excited about the normally quiet team members finally speaking up more. They notice people joining into group projects after bonding with colleagues during fun outings.
The cost-tracking process might start easily but can become tough sometimes. Past the obvious travel costs like flights and hotels – you’ll need to calculate how much productivity dips while your team is away. Businesses may also track the marketing benefits they receive when their employees share their adventures on social media channels.
The right questions might give you some feedback. Businesses check in with participants right after they return while everything still feels fresh in their minds. Then, they’ll follow up again after a few months to see if those strong changes lasted.
Your company might see benefits you weren’t even expecting. Maybe sales didn’t jump as fast as you had hoped. But your customer satisfaction scores went up because everyone came back to work feeling refreshed. Sometimes, the biggest wins can happen when previously disconnected team members work together after sharing those adventures.
The data and the stories will help to give you the full picture. While your spreadsheets may show better numbers, the real magic seems to be stronger workplace relationships and renewed excitement about coming to work again. Follow-up analysis will show how your investment pays off in different ways.
Level Up Your Incentives and Rewards
You should try to inspire your team with an unforgettable and real experience that beats the usual kind of beach trip. A local adventure can actually stick with them for way longer than just another common vacation.
Your incentive program needs to match what your team loves and what you want to achieve as a company. You could spend time studying Costa Rica’s rainforests, unwind at a peaceful retreat in Bali, or even create your own private parade. The right reward brings your team closer together and shows them just how much you like their work.
Level 6 knows how to take your business to new heights with reward programs that deliver real results. Your sales team will hit their targets. Your employees will feel more connected and excited about their work than they did before. We have everything you need right here (from custom-branded debit cards to employee recognition programs that matter to your people), plus sales incentives that get the best results. We’ll help to create a custom program that’s a good fit for your company.
We can give you an idea about how we help other successful businesses increase their sales and maximize their return on investment. Let’s set up a free demo so we can give you an idea about what we’re able to do for you!
Claudine is the Chief Relationship Officer at Level 6. She holds a master’s degree in industrial/organizational psychology. Her experience includes working as a certified conflict mediator for the United States Postal Service, a human performance analyst for Accenture, an Academic Dean, and a College Director. She is currently an adjunct Professor of Psychology at Southern New Hampshire University. With over 20 years of experience, she joined Level 6 to guide clients seeking effective ways to change behavior and, ultimately, their bottom line.