Within vPlan, the annual ski trip has been a topic of conversation for months now! Tomorrow, it's that time again as we head towards Austria. This year, Ischgl is on the agenda.
Michel, co-owner of vPlan, explains: "Every year, we offer all our employees a 5-day ski trip. Apart from receiving mostly positive feedback from external sources, I also get a lot of questions: 'Will work still be done? Will you still be reachable? Aren't you wasting a week? Isn't this unnecessarily expensive?' I understand these questions, but perhaps it's good to explain why we organize this annually."
"Team spirit is very important"
"The main goal of the winter sports trip is not just the work itself but fostering team spirit. It's about getting away from the office altogether. During our snow getaway, you see your colleagues in a different light. The quiet colleague turns out to be not so quiet after all, becoming the king of après-ski. And that chatty colleague? Turns out to be quite nice and gives you tips to ski down the mountain even faster. During these days, there's also much more time for a good conversation, where work isn't the main topic."
"Nevertheless, we combine business with pleasure. Alongside all the effort on the slopes and the parties, we also make time for strategic sessions and reflection. We're not really into 'heath sessions'; give us 'snow sessions' any day!"
"In addition to ski gear, snowboards, and PlayStation, laptops and mobile phones also come along. This way, we're always reachable, always ready to respond. Each half-day, one or two employees are on 'duty'. Furthermore, our office remains minimally staffed by a few colleagues who hold the fort, ensuring we're always there for our customers. It's a great way to promptly address any support or sales inquiries."
"All in all, I highly recommend every employer/manager to take their entire company or department on a ski trip. It's not just those 5/6 days; I believe we benefit from it for the rest of the year," says Michel.
We, for one, are super excited for the ski trip! ⛷