The hallmark of a truly great company is spending time and energy creating an environment where employees feel appreciated, motivated, and connected to their work.
In recent studies, employees have made it clear that simply providing a paycheck is no longer enough.
Leading employers must invest in professional growth, personal fulfillment, and meaningful rewards, understanding that building a culture of development, purpose, and recognition drives long-term success.
According to the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF), incentive, recognition, and reward programs are becoming increasingly critical for organizations aiming to attract, retain, and engage employees. You can read more about the study here: https://www.themeetingmagazines.com/news/irf-releases-2023-trends-report/.
ETHOS Event Collective partners with forward-thinking companies to bring these values to life. Through educational seminars, team-building activities, incentive travel, and recognition events, we help organizations create thriving work environments that prioritize people.
Here's how these elements work together to foster a well-rounded experience and increase employee satisfaction.
Personal and Professional Growth: Investing in Education and Networking
Personal career development is a key driver of job satisfaction. Employees are on a mission to find opportunities to learn new skills, enhance their skills, and build meaningful connections. Top companies understand this, providing structured professional development programs encouraging team members to grow and advance.
While traditional training programs and seminars are useful, many organizations are shifting toward more experiential and immersive development opportunities. ETHOS specializes in designing professional development retreats featuring hands-on workshops, immersive technology, and engaging experiences that drive meaningful results.
Offsite retreats in new destinations are increasingly popular, offering a break from the daily grind and providing an ideal setting for learning and relationship-building. This aligns with recent IRF data showing that 71% of incentive travel participants seek fresh, unique destinations for these experiences.
You can find the full report here: https://theirf.org/research/2023-incentive-travel-index/3230/. The ability to network and grow professionally while in a new, inspiring environment can spark creative thinking and strengthen team dynamics.
Meaning and Fulfillment: Connecting Teams to Purpose
Beyond professional growth, a company can support employees with opportunities for personal fulfillment. Given how much time and effort is spent at work, employees increasingly want to feel that their work matters and aligns with their personal values. Now more than ever, companies are embracing purpose-driven initiatives that connect employees to causes they care about to meet this demand.
Incorporating giveback initiatives into corporate events is one effective way to foster this sense of purpose. Whether through volunteer activities, charity work, or supporting local causes during offsite retreats, these events create opportunities for employees to bond over shared values while making a tangible impact.
Attendees are driving this change, as they are increasingly encouraging CSR and sustainability to be integral parts of their programs. According to the IRF, nearly 80% of event planners face pressure from clients to integrate sustainable practices into their events.
You can find more details on this study here: https://rewardsrecognitionnetwork.com/irf-2023-outlook-more-focus-on-culture-roi-and-experiences/.
Because each team is different, ETHOS takes the time to uncover what experiences will resonate with your attendees and seamlessly weave those messages into the program. We call this Purposeful Planning™, which leads to Meaningful Results for our clients.
The Power of Incentive Travel: Rewarding and Motivating Employees
Beyond monetary rewards, incentive travel has long been one of the most powerful ways to motivate and reward employees. These experiences allow teams to explore new places, relax, and build relationships far removed from the pressures of work. The most successful companies recognize that this investment is a lucrative way to show appreciation for employees' hard work.
Bringing in a destination management company (DMC) is essential to ensure your incentive program generates ROI. ETHOS acts as a strategic ally, offering local expertise and out-of-the-box ideas that help curate experiences blending adventure, relaxation, and cultural immersion. Our team handles every detail—from accommodations to custom itineraries—ensuring participants enjoy a seamless experience.
Demand for incentive travel continues to rise. According to the 2024 Incentive Travel Index, 45% of buyers expect incentive travel activity to be above or significantly above 2024 levels by 2026, with 55% anticipating spending increases to either match inflation or improve program quality. This shows the growing recognition of the value of incentive travel as a tool for employee motivation and engagement.
Additionally, younger workers are especially drawn to experiential rewards like group travel, finding it significantly more motivating than monetary bonuses. These trips provide a well-deserved break and create lasting memories that deepen employees' connection to company culture.
Retention Through Recognition: Making Employees Feel Valued
According to Visual Capitalist, by age 30, people spend more time with their coworkers than anyone else in their lives. (Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/who-americans-spend-time-with/). While this might sound surprising, it reinforces the need for healthy workplace relationships. With the advancement of technology came the ability for employees to search for a new job while sitting at their current one, both physically and figuratively. This poses a challenge to employee retention.
Recognition is one of many steps that can keep employees engaged. As mentioned earlier, employees want to know their efforts are appreciated and feel they receive more from work than just a paycheck. Employee recognition can take many forms, from formal awards ceremonies to personalized gestures like gifts for work anniversaries. It's important that recognition feels meaningful and tailored to the individual.
According to the IRF, 96% of incentive planners emphasize personalized recognition as a key driver for retention. You can explore more details here: https://rewardsrecognitionnetwork.com/irf-2023-outlook-more-focus-on-culture-roi-and-experiences/. Studies prove that moments of recognition go a long way in fostering loyalty and satisfaction.
Creating a Well-Rounded Employee Experience
The best companies understand their influence in shaping their employees' experiences. By inspiring employee growth, recognition, and purpose, organizations create cultures where employees feel motivated, connected, and aligned with the company's mission and values.
At ETHOS Event Collective, we are passionate about helping companies bring these values to life through thoughtfully designed events and programs. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you develop a culture where employees thrive through Purposeful Planning™.
Acknowledgments
We would like to recognize the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) for providing critical data and insights that help guide companies in creating successful incentive programs. The information from their 2024 Incentive Travel Index and other valuable reports serves as an essential resource for understanding our industry's trends, budget allocations, and future projections.
As a 2024 Gold Sponsor of the IRF, ETHOS Event Collective proudly supports its mission to advance research and education in the incentive travel and motivational events sector. The IRF's work enables organizations to design programs that drive employee engagement and foster meaningful experiences, aligning with our commitment to Purposeful Planning™.
We are also excited to share that the Principal of ETHOS Event Collective, Joe Fijol, has been selected to serve as a Board of Trustee member for IRF in 2025. In this volunteer role, Joe will be helping to oversee the initiatives, goals, and objectives of IRF, including their ongoing research into what motivates and drives the meetings, events, and incentive industry forward. His involvement reflects ETHOS' commitment to advancing the industry through research and Purposeful Planning™.
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