Motel Agency is one of the few agencies in Norway that specializes in events and company trips both locally and abroad. They live for giving their clients energy and motivation through professional and social replenishment, and over the past 20 years have project-managed over 600 company trips.
Why your company can benefit from a tailor-made and tailored company trip
Taking a trip with your company is often thought of as a party and celebration in connection with good financial numbers. On the other hand, in times of recession, it is often internal events and travel that are cut first.
Professional and social replenishment can bring new motivation and energy into the work environment. Being taken on a trip by your company creates a sense of pride, and is experienced as an exciting and unifying activity. Company trips inspire social relations between employees and establish better unity and cooperation.
On trips, you often get the chance to meet people you would not otherwise interact with in the day-to-day office environment. Company tours strengthen social networks within the company, and make the management a visible, inspiring and trustworthy part of the team.
For companies with offices in different countries, or with important suppliers and customers on other continents, change from an ordinary working day can help to create a holistic culture. Professional replenishment through industry-relevant trade fairs and seminars is valuable for the development and trust building of employees and partners.
And let's not forget that everyone needs to have fun once in a while! Anniversaries and annual meetings in beautiful settings, or exciting locations, can boost motivation and give employees shared memories for life, as well as good conversations around the lunch table. In other words, the positive ripple effect is valuable, and here you can read more about ten good reasons to take your employees on a company trip!
Risk Assessment for Covid-19 Safety at Our Events
In a time of restrictions and strict guidelines for gatherings, great demands are in place for organizers of meetings and conferences. For us at Motel Agency, it is crucial that customers can feel confident that safety precautions are taken seriously.
NHO Reiseliv has published a number of guidelines for preventative measures that help the industry ensure safe operation. It is important for us at Motel Agency to be able to offer our customers guidance and assist with this new situation. Therefore, in collaboration with our good friends at Liveforce, we have developed a template for risk assessment of infection.
Here you will find the template developed as an aid in the assessment of infection risk in connection with events and travel.
Are you wondering how to use this template, or do you need help planning in these difficult times? Here you can read more about how we do risk assessment for Covid-19 infection at our events.
Are you organizing a company trip?
The planning phase of a business trip can seem complicated and extensive. Awareness of various issues is crucial for a good result for all parties.
There can be many different purposes for taking employees or partners on company trips. It can be the perfect way to mark an anniversary, honor talented employees, or to use as a tool to strengthen the overall work environment, motivation and pride.
A conscious relationship with the purpose of the trip can ensure that the destination and program content are a success with the occasion in mind.
In addition, the timing and duration of the trip play a big role. One should, for example, avoid periods where there is a high level of activity for the company. At the same time, a decision must be made on the employees' availability during any holidays or public holidays. The number of overnight stays will most often be the factor that deducts the majority of the cost. Thus, destinations in nearby cities or countries will be more favorable, avoiding extra transportation costs which is a large part of the overall budget.
Furthermore, there will be questions about budget per person and the amount of professional content. A conscious relationship around budget, and good communication with event and travel agencies will be crucial to meet the best possible program and trip standard within the given framework. Likewise, the academic content will determine whether the trip is considered taxable for the employees, and the outcome of this choice must be clearly communicated to the participants.
Planning business trips is an unfamiliar terrain for most people, and it is difficult to put together a complete list of everything that must be taken into account during the process. It is therefore recommended to leave most of the planning to event and travel agencies, without it making the trip more expensive.
Planning does not have to be a headache
While it may seem like a world of considerations and choices that need to be made, it is by no means an impossible task. Digital agency Sempro was supposed to have a "regular" kick-off in the Oslo area, but decided instead to combine education and experience with a company trip to Dublin. Project manager at Sempro, Desiree, says that the planning process was painless, and resulted in a fantastic trip to Europe's "tech capital".
Sempro’s leadership decided that the whole gang deserved a trip, and a good dose of socialization across their three offices. Dublin became a natural choice, because here they could combine education with exciting visits to both Facebook and Google’s offices.
Desiree says that there is a lot to keep in mind with such a company trip, and they decided to include Motel Agency in the planning. Organizing airline tickets and hotel rooms, restaurants and transport from A to B for a group of approx. 50 people can be extensive work. Therefore, it was beneficial to bring in a team who knew what they were doing, to ensure a seamless trip without loss of unnecessary amounts of resources and time.
Desiree beskriver prosessen i forkant av turen, så fremt som selve firmaturen, som helt nydelig.
– Vi var tydelige og konkrete på hva vi ønsket, deltok på statusmøter underveis, i tillegg til en gjennomgang rett før avreise for å sikre de siste detaljene. Vi følte oss ivaretatt fra ende til annen.
Desiree describes the process leading up to the trip, as well as during the company trip itself, as absolutely beautiful.
– We were clear and specific about what we wanted, attended status meetings along the way, and held one last review just before departure to ensure the final details. We felt taken care of from beginning to end.
What you need to know about conducting flights with a larger group
A challenge in connection with planning a company trip is precisely group flights. Many people are not aware of the differences between flying individually, as opposed to traveling in a larger group.
For example, are you aware that the price of group tickets will in most cases be slightly higher than individual tickets? In the case of a group booking, a large portion of the seats on a flight are retained, and the risk for the airlines is thus greater in relation to any cancellations and refunds that may occur.
In addition, names that contain Æ, Ø and Å may look different in a travel document. And if the name on the ticket does not match the name on the passport, it could cause an invalid travel document.
Sometimes allergies need to be reported, and rules for ski equipment or other major props may vary from company to company. In other words, there are pitfalls to avoid in connection with group travel.
This is how you can create a motivating and colorful everyday for your employees
It can be difficult to find new ways to motivate employees that ensure everyone on the sales team is willing to stretch.
Wondering what the secret tool is that all sales managers should have up their sleeve?
The incentive that has proven to work best is internal sales competitions, that result in exciting trips to tempting destinations. It is a prize that is talked about in advance, and boasted afterwards.
Sondre Hov Ulsaker, Sales Director at EiendomsMegler 1, has good experience with internal sales competitions. He says it not only motivates brokers, but it creates an extra spark throughout the company.
– It is a clear motivator, and there is no doubt that it is contributing to the team's performance, and ensuring that every employee gives that little extra. At the same time, the competitions provide a feeling of mastery and closer unity within the company.
Do you know what is the requirement is for how much professional content the company trip must include to avoid tax liability for employees?
There are many reasons a company chooses to take its employees on a business trip. Whether the purpose is to improve the social environment, create closer ties among the employees, strengthen the company culture or facilitate professional replenishment, a decision must be made as to whether the employer can cover the costs of the company trip without tax consequences.
This question often arises in the planning process, but how much professional content must the company trip actually contain to avoid tax liability for the employees? Jon A. Neder is an associate in the law firm Hjort DA, and an expert in this area.
The employer's coverage of the costs of a company trip is governed by a number of different tax rules. According to Jon, factors such as the purpose of the company trip are crucial.
Basically, the employer's coverage of travel, hotel and food costs are a taxable benefit for employees. The benefit can be tax-free according to the rules for reasonable welfare measures, or as an educational trip for the employees. Nevertheless, there are some criteria that must be met for this rule to apply, including the requirement for academic content.
In order for the employer's coverage of travel with professional content to be tax-free for the employees, the trip must have a professional content that involves maintaining the employees' professional competence and / or keeping the employee up to date with developments within their profession. In other words, the academic content must be relevant, and the regulations clearly distinguish between academic content that is directly and indirectly relevant to the profession.
What is professionally relevant for the employee is difficult to state in general, it depends on the individual employee's specific work tasks. In other words, there are many assessments that must be made regarding requirements for professional content and the employees' tax exemption.
If an employer is planning a company trip that does not resolve tax liability for the employees, there is a lot to take care of, and a complete overview is difficult to find.
Therefore, it may be appropriate to contact an auditor to avoid an unpleasant surprises for the employees when their tax settlement arrives.
5 tips for adventurous company trips in Norway
In this strange time, everyday things like going to work and meeting colleagues again have become something many look forward to. As a business leader, it will be natural to celebrate that things are finally up and running again with a professional kick-off or something else unifying for professional and social replenishment.
Nevertheless, it can take a long time before national borders open as normal. While we are patiently waiting to be able to set our sites on exciting destinations abroad again, for the near future we will have to look to our own country for suitable destinations, both for company trips and corporate gatherings.
The fact that we have to stay within our own national borders does not necessarily impose restrictions on these experiences. Norway is packed with unforgettable destinations, majestic mountains and adventurous experiences in nature.
Our beautiful country offers everything from deep fjords and steep mountains in Lofoten, to the extreme and unique archipelago of Svalbard. Many may not be familiar with the pearl of the west, Loen, a village in the innermost part of the Nordfjord where you can frolic in amazing nature, enjoy fantastic food experiences as well as a wide range of unifying activities.
At Scandinavia's most vibrant ski resort, Hemsedal, you can completely relax or take advantage of majestic mountain peaks. And did you know that Norway's largest ski resort, Trysil, is only two and a half hours by bus from the capital? Here you will find both hotels ideal for all kinds of winter activities, as well as cozy restaurants and beautiful nature all 802 m.o.h.
Many automatically think abroad as they are searching for an exciting and new destination for their company trip, but we forget what the fatherland actually has to offer! Are you curious about where the next corporate gathering or company trip should be? Here you can read more about 5 adventurous company travel destinations in Norway.
Combine the company trip with football?
It is no secret that we Norwegians love football. One can say a lot of good things about the Norwegian top league, but we dare say that there are very few things that make our blood rush more than the English Premier League.
It is also no secret that during this time we are in now, many of us feel a longing for engaging football matches. Clubs such as Liverpool FC and Manchester United each have around 40,000 members in this country, and testify to great interest in what usually happens every weekend on the other side of the North Sea.
While we look forward to it being possible again to see top-trained football players fighting over the ball surrounded by screaming supporters, we day-dream about this ultimate company trip. Namely the one that combines football with exciting culinary experiences, professional seminars and great shopping facilities.
Curious about what a business trip to Manchester can give you and your colleagues? Here you can read more about our tailer-made program for a company trip to the mecca of football.
Are you an advertising guru? IT nerd? Fashion blogger? Extremely creative? Or just "beer thirsty? "
For many, summer means concerts and festival.s Not only are they associated with holidays for many, concerts and festivals are also important meeting places for industry professionals from around the world who want to stay up to date, enjoy beer, music and all the fun that comes with it.
Not at the least, it may be an ideal way to motivate employees and create unforgettable memories across offices and departments.
A festival can be an excellent destination if you are planning an inspiring company trip. Whether it be film festivals, music, interactive media, conferences for creativity or a focus on traditional beer, it is entirely possible to find the perfect festival experience for your company.
While we wait for festivals to be held again, you can take a deep dive into the wide range that actually exist. Here you can read about the 5 most important festivals you should bring your employees to, when time again allows us to gather for social gatherings and engaging experiences.