‘Employee engagement’ is somewhat of a buzzword in the business world, yet more than a quarter of employers are struggling to engage their workforce, according to recent research.
Low engagement has also resulted in poor employee performance for 62 per cent of employers.
All too often businesses find it difficult to strike a balance between customer demand and keeping staff happy and motivated. So, while business leaders talk about having the right company culture and an engaged workforce, this rarely translates to the office floor.
Commonly, when cutting costs, businesses choose to sacrifice the company away-day or office trip – but investment in staff is one of the main drivers of employee engagement. It’s an easy mistake to make, but a smart business leader will recognise that these expenses are the ones to keep, not cut.
Organising a company trip is nothing new, but often it’s the simplest things that bring the biggest benefits. Here are three reasons to make you reconsider whether an all staff trip is worth the investment:
Improving team cohesion
Geographically dispersed ‘virtual’ teams are more common than ever. But, if a business has offices spread across the country, or even the globe, it can be difficult for employees to develop and improve internal working relationships whilst sat behind a screen.
A staff trip is the perfect way for employees to physically meet and engage with one another. Not every employee will have the opportunity to travel and experience their colleagues culture, which could have the potential to cause a disconnect. To reinforce the company culture throughout the business and energise the workforce, enabling teams to meet, talk and enjoy each other’s company is crucial.
Giving everyone a voice
It’s not unusual for employees to feel disconnected from their senior leadership team, as often exposure to them can be limited and infrequent. Approaching the CEO can be a nervous prospect for junior team members, and even the best chief executives will struggle to speak to every individual in a large business on a daily/weekly basis.
Removing employees from the hustle and bustle of a busy office, to a neutral, relaxed environment can instantly change the dynamics. Letting people in different roles connect on a more personal level outside the office can lessen nerves and build relationships.
It’s also a great way to engage employees in the company’s vision and can empower them to speak up and have their say on key issues within the business.
Thanking people goes a long way
Ultimately, an all staff trip is about saying thank you. Sometimes it’s just nice to let your employees know that they’re valued and you appreciate their hard work. A gesture or treat for staff can go a long way and getting everyone together to celebrate doing a great job is always going to be good for the team morale.
2017 marks 20 years of business for Creditsafe, and to celebrate the company is taking more than 800 staff from across the business to Alcudia, Majorca for a group-wide conference.
The trip will bring employees from the UK, Sweden, France, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, USA, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands together for a long weekend of bonding, sharing and celebrating. It will be the company’s second trip in five years and employees still reminisce about the last one to this day. It doesn’t have to cost a lot or take place at an extravagant destination because fundamentally it’s all about bringing your team closer together. Having motivated, energetic staff is crucial to the future success of any company and the businesses that understand this will thrive.
Cato Syversen, CEO at Creditsafe
