Corporate vacations. Why is that important?

Why is that important?

Regardless of where you work, if this is a work with a team, it is necessary to cultivate and maintain corporate culture. There are many different ways to connect with the team, and therefore to form a good corporate culture.

Seminars, courses and other training programmes on this issue are regularly organized. But as the philosopher, writer and composer Jean-Jacques Rousseau said, “an hour of work will teach more than a day of explanation”. If you want to work in a friendly team, do it! There are a lot of simple and enjoyable ways to form and maintain corporate culture, particularly through entertainment events! There are many different occasions to get together with you colleagues in an informal setting, and summer is one of them!

World-renowned companies, such as Google, Zappos and others, constantly improving themselves in order to get better, got very successful not only in business, but also in corporate culture. In this article we have gathered some ideas for a great summer pastime with colleagues, analyzing experience of those companies.

Google. Inc.

In Google, Inc. it is believed that a rested worker is a productive worker, so in every Google office all necessary conditions for rest were created. Workers are free to get some rest at any time they want, but nothing will replace the corporate trips or parties. For example, every summer Google throws a seasonal party for its best employees from all over the world. Google also likes to organize large-scale picnics that are visited by thousands of employees. The company spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on such events.

Useful and no less fun way the Googlers recharge is participating in summer volunteering. This year voluntary program GoogleServe celebrates 10 years of existence. Since 2007, Googlers have worked more than 200 000 hours of community service helping schools, shelters for homeless people, soup kitchens, etc.

Zappos.

An American company and a well-known online store that sells shoes has long been an example of an amazing corporate culture. You will find many articles on the Internet about what this company does for its clients. But the main priority of Zappos is staff. Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh says, ‘Our number one priority is company culture. Our whole belief is that if you get the culture right, most of the other stuff like delivering great customer service or building a long-term enduring brand will just happen naturally on its own.’

Management of the company did everything possible to create a strong and friendly team. For example, every year Zappos team of employees with great pleasure takes part in the annual sports competition among the companies called Corporate Challenge hosted in Las Vegas. In addition, Zappos sponsors various activities for staff and their families, such as summer picnics, parties, theatre, bowling, etc.

Web-Systems Solutions.

We also believe that team vacations are no less important than teamwork, so we often go to the movies together, play football, visit different forums, etc. This summer we wanted to try something new, so we came up with the idea to go on corporate mini-vacation to the sea. How did it go? It was four unforgettable days of summer! Swimming, sunbathing, playing football, barbequing – it was so much fun!

One of our employees, Front-End Developer Yana, share her impressions, ‘I enjoyed my vacation with colleagues so much! It was fun! Of course, such trips unite people. You get to know your colleagues from a different perspective, not only as workers. On my way there, honestly, I didn’t know what to expect, because it was my first trip with the colleagues. I was a little nervous but shouldn’t have been. As a result I asked if we could stay for a few more days. All the games, home parties and conversations until very late – all of these reminded me of the Italian families when they get together in a summer pavilion for a dinner, talk and laugh loudly…”

So, we would like to tell from our own experience that corporate events are not only useful for teambuilding but they are so much fun! Volunteering, going to the cinema, participating in sports competitions, going to the sea – there are many different ways to spend time with the colleagues. If you have any other ideas how to organize corporate pastime, do not be a miser and share them with us! 🙂