Employee motivation with a difference: Glamping

Want a getaway with a difference to improve employee motivation? What about glamping? If you’re not sure if it’s you, read on-because the new trend is for micro breaks and businesses are booking in droves!

According to the Great Britain Tourism Survey (YTD Jan-Jun 2015), 4.47 million camping and caravanning trips were taken in the six months reported, at around 3.7 nights in duration and with a budget worthy £141 in spend.

Those figures are up 8% on the same period the year prior.

Savvy businesses are booking up trips with companies like Linklaters LLP, Willis Insurance, Adam and Eve DDB and Beyond Media all signing up employees for a trip into the fresh air.

So why is glamping getting so popular for employee motivation strategies like team building and away days?

It’s an escape

“We are taking lots of bookings in the form of businesses and corporations who want to use the site for team building, or who are offering their staff stay incentives as part of their HR schemes that encourage staff to take positive time out.” Said Jess Gibbs who has been offering out Home Farm in Hertfordshire to businesses to run their team building events and corporate away days since its start up in early 2015.

“With three yurts and nine bell tents on site, bbqs and campfires next to each tent, fine dining options, classes and acres of land and forest to explore, Home Farm has become an essential escape from the city boardroom.”

It’s not just a weekend break either. If you are based in London places like Home farm can be easily reached just for a short breather- imagine the surprise on your team’s faces when you tell them that they are for a surprise trip to the country?

It’s cost effective

Whether it’s the savings you make from not flying, all the fact that you can invite more people if it’s closer to home, there is no denying that it can be very cost-effective trip. That’s not to say that it doesn’t need to be luxury- if you are picturing something like the tent you had on your Duke of Edinburgh Award, think again! There are a whole host of luxury sites to take your pick from and in the case of Home Farm, things like catering can also be taken care of- meaning taking an important client isn’t out of the question.

It’s new

With many employees able to buy experience days for themselves, anyone booking an away day or experience has to think really hard about how they can get the same impact. With so many people experiencing camping and caravanning there is a good chance that many people go glamping with their friends or family, so when it comes to booking for a team, look for a site that can offer you a range of options for things to do, whether that’s an outdoor yoga experience, great catered food or activities.

It changes the dynamic

Whilst other events and activities might bring in a competitive element this sort of trip takes all the stress and strain away, allowing teams to really get to know each other.

Jess concludes: ‘People come here wearing their suits, clutching their blackberries and mobile phones. By the end of their stay, they talking to one another around campfires, bonding over adventure trails, and they’ve got muddy wellies on their feet. People are very inspired by the glamping experience and Home Farm is a real escape from the city. We’re here to enable people to disconnect in order to reconnect.’