Rewarding Good Work
Why Luxury Cruise Holidays Are A Great Employee Incentive
Rewarding Good Work
Why Luxury Cruise Holidays Are A Great Employee Incentive
Rewarding employees for a job well done can go a long way in making them feel valued and acknowledged. Research from Quantum Workplace shows that workers are 2.7 times more likely to be highly engaged when they feel like they will be rewarded or recognised. Meanwhile, a survey conducted by employee recognition software company O.C. Tanner found that 37% of employees would feel motivated to work better if they received more appreciation. In fact, according to Deloitte, employee engagement, performance, and productivity are 14% higher in companies with recognition programmes.
Recognising your employees’ hard work also benefits company retention in the long term. Workers are 56% less likely to search for a new job when they feel appreciated, which allows organisations to benefit from higher productivity and engagement. Employee incentives can range from bonuses, to profit sharing or even substantial gifts such as a luxury cruise holiday. But what makes an incentive an appealing reward for your employees? Below, we look at various forms of worker recognition and why luxury cruise holidays might be a great option for motivating workers.
Employee recognition
Employee recognition can take many forms. You can reward your top-performing workers with a salary raise, bonus, or even a gift card as a pat on the back. Giving a top employee award every month allows workers’ efforts to be recognised and acknowledged by the whole company, boosting their morale and motivation to work harder. You can also reward and train your employees further with up-skilling opportunities by sending them to seminars or allowing them to represent the company at conventions. Even simple gestures like thanking or praising your workers in front of their colleagues can be great motivation.
Aside from those mentioned, incentive travel is also a very effective way to retain and reward employees. In fact, the Incentive Research Foundation found that 84% of employees consider individual incentive travel as very or extremely motivating. Allowing your hardworking employees to unwind and travel to new places motivates your top performers and all your workers to perform well when they know what’s in store for them. UK businesses can, therefore, use incentive travel to motivate and boost employee performance. What better way to do so than by sending your workers on a luxury cruise holiday?
Here’s why a luxury cruise travel experience is an excellent employee incentive:
Benefits of a luxury cruise trip
Opportunities to explore new cultures
A luxury cruise trip offers more than respite from the usual routine that workers experience daily. Many people are drawn to the idea of a cruise but may feel it is beyond them, or just something they may not book for themselves. ‘Winning’ luxury cruises through employee engagement schemes breaks down those barriers, incentivising employees to embark on what many may view as the trip of a lifetime. For example, Explora Journeys offers unparalleled journeys, including carefully curated seven-night tours to renowned destinations like the Mediterranean and Western Europe, or to lesser-known areas in places like the Caribbean and Central America.
These opportunities allow your employees to explore diverse cultures in various areas and apply new insights to their jobs, such as the importance of keen attention to detail available in Mediterranean architecture or the rich creativity of Caribbean culture. Curated excursions offered by luxury cruises are an excellent way to gain new perspectives about cultural values and how they may be applied at work. They also provide excellent opportunities to network, especially with other passengers onboard.
Elite amenities
Studies show that 52% of British workers experience stress at work, and almost four out of ten employees feel stressed when they think about work beyond working hours. Other research suggests that taking time off can boost well-being and productivity by up to 40%. Combining this knowledge with the accepted value of incentive travel, means rewarding your workers with a luxury vacation can not only make them feel valued by your company but also help them feel recharged and motivated to perform well when they get back. As with any holiday, the preparation and anticipation can be as effective in helping deal with stress as the actual trip itself. Especially when the trip promises to alleviate that stress with the amenities and service that go hand-in-hand with the luxury cruise experience. With modern cruise lines, such as Oceania Cruises, your workers can ease up with refreshing spa treatments and healing therapies offered by a spa and vitality centre. Rewarding your employees with a luxury cruise trip also provides access to several rejuvenating treatments that can help them destress, such as basalt stone massages, herbal body wrap, and reflexology, which promotes better sleep and blood circulation.
Stress-free planning
As mentioned, employees are already stressed enough due to hectic work schedules. Thankfully, one of the best parts of choosing a luxury cruise holiday as an incentive is that itineraries are already provided for passengers, so there’s no need for your workers to worry about planning their trip themselves. They won’t even have to concern themselves with creating a to-do list, as luxury cruises like Viking Cruises already provide a day-by-day itinerary that involves strolling through natural sites, visiting small villages, and exploring islands in top destinations. All they need to do is pack their bags and enjoy a luxury travel experience like no other – a huge difference from a regular incentive trip where they must
carefully plan their days.
Exciting on-board entertainment
According to Mental Health UK, one in five working adults had to take time off work in 2023 due to work-related burnout and pressure. Rewarding your employees with incentive travel allows them to recharge and makes them feel that the organisation values their well-being. What makes a luxury cruise holiday an excellent employee incentive is that aside from relaxing accommodations for laid-back activities, cruise ships also have onboard entertainment that can help your workers enjoy and let loose. For instance, Royal Caribbean Cruises has a club with a trained DJ where passengers can dance their problems away. It’s also a great way to help employees reduce stress – even for just a few nights.
Rewarding your employees’ good work through incentives is an excellent way to boost their morale, improve productivity, enhance their job performance, and encourage engagement and loyalty. A luxury cruise holiday, where they can unwind and enjoy the best of curated travel is a fuss-free, premium way for companies to incentivise good work performance.
Check out the resources below for more ideas on how to motivate your staff and create a better workplace. Starting with our free stress management tool!
Motivation resources
If you’re looking for more resources on motivation at work, we’ve bundled together these six PDF e-guides to help you put motivation at the heart of performance. At half the normal price! Read the guides in this order and use the tools in each.
These guides are great value, packed with practical advice, tips and tools on how to motivate yourself (and others) to perform. (6 pdf guides, 176 pages, 26 tools, 15 tips and 22 insights for half price!)
Motivating Performance
Manage Your Own Performance
15 Performance Management Tips
SMART Goals, SHARP Goals
Workstyle, Lifestyle
Leading Insights
