Travel: How to Beat the Winter Blues

How can you help your staff beat the Winter Blues? Simple, says Ian Lucas founder of Brighton Travel Experts, Red7. Book them a holiday…

Nothing beats a really great holiday, does it? Think about the last time you had a really fantastic trip. That incredible hotel overlooking a soft sandy beach, the fabulous Greek island villa where you BBQ-ed by the pool; nights spent sampling local specialities in tiny tavernas and dancing on tables in bars and where the days were spent relaxing by an infinity pool enjoying an ice cold beer.

Not so great, then, is the long grey Great British winter, where staff morale – unsurprisingly –  hits rock bottom. Cold mornings, dark evenings, Norovirus, colds and flu and months before there’s a warm ray of sunshine in sight. You’d think we’d be desperate to book our next great escape but consider this: a third of Brits didn’t use all their annual leave in according to 2017 research by British Airways, and 16 per cent said they didn’t because they felt guilty.

It’s time to ditch that guilt. Because at Red7, it’s always holiday season. We’ve spent 32 years perfecting creative, inspired and hassle-free group travel and events and, trust me, at our North Laine HQ we can always feel the sun on the back of our necks. Whether we’re arranging a mini-break to Marbella for a fabulous Hen or Stag do or Big Birthday, orchestrating a small company’s horizon-broadening week away to Dubai, arranging a team-building weekend in the Italian Alps or planning special incentive travel to reward high performing staff, we know the power and magic of a great big (or little) trip.

Whether you’re in the Manchester or Miami, the cliché is true. Travel broadens the mind, gladdens the soul and offers new perspectives on business and life. Spending on great global experiences is so much more rewarding than any material thing you can buy. Travel, whether it’s for business, pleasure or a mixture of both (some call it ‘Bleisure’), is simply life affirming. So grab your passport, pick a place and book those tickets. Here are some travel-inspired tips to help boost your staff morale through the dreary winter months.

Amazing Away Days

We’re all spending longer and longer at the office: in fact Britains have the longest working week in Europe and the boundaries between work and play are ever more blurred. As a business owner, use this to your advantage: you know your team is everything to your business, so make your team-building terrific. Ditch that dull ‘Away Day’ building bridges made out of spaghetti in a windowless conference room; instead, take your team to a fabulous villa in Ibiza or Marbella and strategize in the sun. It might sound like a more expensive option, but booked well in advance you’ll get the best deals and choice on both flights and group accommodation. After a few days away in a refreshing new destination, your team will return completely motivated and ready to go.

There are so many fantastic destinations to try and the Red7 product team works long and hard finding the best new spots for teams to enjoy. For a wellness-oriented group getaway, head for fantastic Obonjan Island off the western coast of Croatia where you can do yoga from sunrise to sundown, listen to inspiring lectures and accomodation is in luxury bell tents. Or head out further to Dubai – the ultimate in modern cities. Here, the hotels are huge, eating and entertainment possibilities endless and where the temperature has only two settings: hot and hotter. You might even consider New York: planned in good time, you can easily do the Big Apple in a long weekend.

Offer Incentive Travel

Every wise company owner knows that keeping your staff vibe high will result in business growth. At Red7 we know this is true, and we practice what we preach using ‘Incentive’ or ‘Reward Travel’ to send high-performing and long-serving staff members away on fabulous trips. Last year, we sent my Personal Assistant Sadie Ball to holiday on Sri Lanka’s coastal paradise, Bentota and Sales Manager Viki Baines had a fantastic two week holiday to Ocho Rios, Jamaica – both rewards for their hard work, loyalty and dedication. In 2017, to celebrate the Red7 brand turning 21 I took the entire 42 strong staff out to Marbella for an all-expenses-paid holiday, where we celebrated for three days. The staff loved every moment with the media reporting that I was “Britain’s Best Boss.”

Help Staff Save for Holidays

Over 30 percent of workers say perks and benefits are at the top of their list when considering accepting a new job and these days, competition to retain good staff is tough. So if you’re an SME and you want to offer your employees an extra special perk in their package, then consider setting up a Red7 Staff Holiday and Travel Club . Our new subscription scheme for SMEs allows staff to save towards their holidays whilst they are employed by you, additionally accruing a 5 percent bonus.  So if a staff member sets up a subscription to save £200 a month, they’ll actually receive £231 to spend and we’ll organise their holiday for them, hassle free. Red7 offers holidays to suit all budgets from great value to super luxe and our service is the best around. With busy and stressful lives, we owe it to ourselves to have some proper down time. In my mind, we should always make it our job to make time for a holiday.

Hot Destinations 5 To Try in 2019

Liverpool

Fashionable and trendy, this buzzing north-west hub has come a long way since the Beatles were formed here in 1960. With fabulous shopping, the city boasts a raft of great luxe apartments perfect for group accommodation and hotels including the opulent 30 St James Street  – a Titanic themed hotel in what was once White Star Line’s headquarters. With a rocking nightlife, great restaurants and plenty of team-building activities to try (including Range Rover off-roading) the city is also deceptively close – only a 2 hr 30 train ride from London.

Barcelona

Cosmopolitan and cool, Barcelona, on Spain’s Catalan coast,  is almost the perfect city, with culture, history, sports and a stunning nightlife in equal measure. Explore the city’s Gothic architecture, shop til you drop, chill out at the ultra luxe Purobeach club and hotel and enjoy stunning views of the Barcelona skyline. As well as fantastic beaches and watersports there’s plenty here for sports’ lovers too: try a tour of the home of FC Barcelona or go racing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Albufeira, Portugal  

With fantastic weather and all-year-round sun, this lively Portuguese resort often offers great value for group trips making it perfect for a budget conscious sunshine break.  Alongside the cobbled streets of its picturesque old town, Albufeira’s famous strip buzzes with bars and clubs when the sun goes down. During the day there are great golf courses to play and golden beaches and watersports to enjoy as well as watersports from Jet skiing to Big Game fishing to one of the Algarve’s biggest and best waterparks.

Ibiza

Life is just better in Ibiza, as any traveller to this stunning island knows and it’s not all about clubbing cliche here anymore (although there are plenty of clubbing to be enjoyed!). With yoga retreats set among its pine-clad hills, VIP beach clubs, and watersports to enjoy on its sparkling clear blue waters, this island boasts some of the best sandy coves around.

Split and Hvar, Croatia

If it’s good enough for the cast of Made in Chelsea, it’s good enough for us. The Dalmatian coast is fast become the new French Riviera and Hvar – a tranquil island with crystal clear waters, fantastic beaches and lavender-covered hills is Croatia’s answer to St Tropez with glamourous hotels, bars and restaurants and yachts bobbing on its azure blue sea.

Split, on mainland Dalmatia is a city with an easy-going small town vibe and a Mediterranean ambiance. Although becoming increasingly trendy, prices here are still great value. Don’t miss the ancient Roman fortress and Emperor’s palace that sits alongside a modern palm-edged waterfront and stunning beaches. The seafood, is obviously, not to be missed.

Marbella

With its golden beaches, VIP beach clubs and all-year round sun, Marbella is Spain at its most glamourous. The Champagne and fun flows freely, but Marbella is so much more – sitting at a crossroads between old and new Spain. The whitewashed houses and pretty cobbled streets of its Old Town contrast with the blingy Puerto Banus and nearby Malaga is fast becoming a foodie heaven. Add in the stunning Sierra Nevada mountains as a backdrop, some of the best clubs in Europe and one of the world’s best microclimates you’ll soon fall in love with Life on Marbs.

For more travel inspiration head to www.redsevenleisure.co.uk