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Lost Passport While Traveling? Don’t Worry…. It Doesn’t Have to Ruin Your Vacation

You’ve Lost Your Passport While Traveling? It Doesn’t Have to Ruin Your Vacation

A stolen or lost passport while traveling shouldn’t ruin a vacation.  There are a variety of ways that you can protect yourself and obtain emergency replacements.

Still, sometimes things can go sideways if you don’t have back-up plans in place.  Always make sure to make a copy or two of your passport and government issued ID, and keep it separate from your original documents.  Additionally, take a picture with your phone.  Another recommendation is to give a copy of these documents to a friend or family member who is not traveling with you, who can provide copies to the authorities should you not be able to.  At Trasformativa, we keep our clients’ passport information and copies on file for situations like this.

If your passport is lost or stolen, report it to the police and then head to the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate with your travel document copies. At the Embassy or Consulate, you will need to fill out some forms and pay the fees, which is normally what you would pay at home for an emergency passport ($145-$200).  However, once home you are able to exchange your temporary passport for a fully valid one without any additional fees.

When our clients are traveling internationally, we remind them to do these three things:

1. Keep your passport on your person at all times, in a cross-body bag that has a safety pin closing the compartment the passport is in, as well as on the top zipper of the bag.

2. Never take that bag off your person while exploring, even when eating at a cafe or other restaurant. Pickpockets live for travelers putting their bags down for “just a second.”

3. Keep copies of your passport in your luggage, with a contact back at home, and in your email account, so they can be accessed easily anywhere, at any time, to speed up the replacement process overseas.

 

There are a multitude of things that can go wrong while you are traveling; however, while losing your passport entails some bureaucratic obstacles, it’s not a devastating travesty.   Don’t let a passport setback ruin the rest of your trip.

 

TRAVEL IN COLOR – NOT BLACK AND WHITE

ABOUT TRASFORMATIVA TRAVEL

Trasformativa is a US based travel company with offices located in Durham, NC and Clarksville, VA.  We are  focused exclusively on transformational travel. Our experienced and qualified travel agents offer many different types of transformational travel opportunities. We work with individuals and groups of many sizes to help them find a true difference. Most of the people who contact us are luxury travelers and leaders of groups who are traveling together. This includes, yoga or fitness instructors, health and wellness professionals, human resource directors, sales managers, CEO’s, church group leaders, corporate trainers, personal chefs, wedding planners, brides, corporate travel professionals, and also individuals looking to plan an exciting and out-of-the-way trip for a group of their friends.

Our transformational opportunities include Exotic Group Travel, Jamaica Travel, Caribbean Travel, Europe Travel, Retreat Group Travel, Culinary & Vineyard Group Travel, Wellness Travel Retreats, Incentive Travel Reward Programs, Destination Training Events, Corporate Wellness Retreats, Team Building Retreats, Fitness Retreats, Yoga & Meditation Retreats, Juice & Cleanse Retreats, Spirituality Retreats, and Autism Travel, Girls Getaway

To learn more, visit our website or call us at (919) 616-3780.

 

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A CEO who gives his employees $2,000 to go on vacation!! WHAT!!!

Why Would A CEO Give His Employees $2,000 To Go On Vacation??

More than half of American workers don’t use all of their paid vacation days, according to an annual report from the U.S. Travel Association.

Employees said that worries about work were the biggest factor holding them back from taking time off. Even when they do take time off, many find it hard to disconnect from their responsibilities in the office, continuing to check emails or take calls.

Want to know how to make your employees happier and more productive??

The CEO of SteelHouse, a marketing and advertising company in California, gives his employees $2,000 a year to go on vacation, and his employees are more productive than ever!!

And…. this particular CEO doesn’t give his workers a choice when it comes to taking a vacation, they must go!! They can either take one long vacation in the year, or they can opt to break it into shorter ones. Either way, they have to get some quality rest and “me time”.

Studies show that many workers can’t bring themselves to take vacations, and most companies don’t issue vacation bonuses.  For companies that do give vacation bonuses in the form of cash, many people are usually tempted to forgo vacation and put that money into something else, like bills. At SteelHouse, when team members refuse to go on vacation and request cash instead, this CEO says, “I actually want you to go somewhere and enjoy yourself.”

People are happier when they are treated like executives in their workplaces. A good employer must have the best interest of his employees at heart. While vacations are not only necessary to rejuvenate the mind, body, and soul, it also allows a person to discover a higher sense of passion and drive for increased productivity.

In their second year of business, the CEO of SteelHouse decided to really up the ante and make things easier for employees. He gives every employee a $2,000 bonus every year that can ONLY be spent on vacation trips. They can go wherever in the world they they want to relax and recuperate.  It’s one thing to say ‘You have three weeks’ vacation,” as most companies do, but it’s another to to say “You have cash, and if you don’t go on vacation and spend this money, the money literally goes to waste.’

Value Your Employees!!

The CEO of SteelHouse encourages other companies to hold tight and value their employees with initiatives such as theirs. Not only will they be in for the long haul with the company, but they’ll be more efficient and productive, giving their jobs and duties the best performance and attention they can.

In 2013 and 2016, out of 250 employees, the SteelHouse lost only three, and of  those who left, it was due to reasons not related to the job.  They have virtually zero turnover.

Statistics have shown that employees would rather be rewarded with a “vacation” rather then a cash bonus that they would most likely be spent on bills! Contact us to learn how a sales or production travel incentive program can create happier and more productive employees.

TRAVEL IN COLOR – NOT BLACK AND WHITE

ABOUT TRASFORMATIVA TRAVEL

Trasformativa is a US based travel company with offices located in Durham, NC and Clarksville, VA.  We are  focused exclusively on transformational travel. Our experienced and qualified travel agents offer many different types of transformational travel opportunities. We work with individuals and groups of many sizes to help them find a true difference. Most of the people who contact us are luxury travelers and leaders of groups who are traveling together. This includes, yoga or fitness instructors, health and wellness professionals, human resource directors, sales managers, CEO’s, church group leaders, corporate trainers, personal chefs, wedding planners, brides, corporate travel professionals, and also individuals looking to plan an exciting and out-of-the-way trip for a group of their friends.

Our transformational opportunities include Exotic Group Travel, Jamaica Travel, Caribbean Travel, Europe Travel, Retreat Group Travel, Culinary & Vineyard Group Travel, Wellness Travel Retreats, Incentive Travel Reward Programs, Destination Training Events, Corporate Wellness Retreats, Team Building Retreats, Fitness Retreats, Yoga & Meditation Retreats, Juice & Cleanse Retreats, Spirituality Retreats, and Autism Travel, Girls Getaway

To learn more, visit our website or call us at (919) 616-3780.

 

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Why Employee Engagement and Company Culture is Vital to the Success of Your Business

Why Employee Engagement and Company Culture is Vital to the Success of Your Business

According to a Gartner Survey, the next competitive frontier for businesses is The Employee Experience, and the signs indicate very strongly that The Employee Experience will become the next priority for organizations and is being called, “2018 The Year of The Employee Experience”.

In order to obtain and retain top talent, The Employee Experience must be present throughout the employee’s entire employment so that there is a connection to the organization. It needs to be present with every employee interaction, from their first contact as a potential employee to their last interaction after the end of their employment.

What is important for a company to realize, is that Employee Engagement and Company Culture are NOT about New and Improved HR or Perks & Parties; it’s about an employee’s commitment to their company and to their job. Too many companies only pay attention to the results from annual employee engagement surveys or incentive program feedback however, they don’t proactively design and manage The Employee Experience to produce better engagement within their business.

Offering a superior Employee Experience can give employers a competitive advantage in attracting top talent and then engaging them in ways that encourage employees to stay with their organization.

By focusing on the Employee Experience to increase not only employee satisfaction, productivity, and retention, but also brand equity, competitive advantage, and sustainable growth.

The TTT Program (Transformational Team Training) is built to bring awareness to these foundational principles. We facilitate a creative and interactive environment for a company to learn the concepts needed to create a strong, cohesive Company Culture that ensures a successful Employee Experience. We help company leaders and their employees become reinvigorated in the Company Vision, Values & Mission.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which this happens…

Overcoming Employee Resistance to Change

The President of an organization had a vision; it was a great and powerful new direction that would bring about a big change in the company’s way of doing business. It would change their customers and the products and services they created for the market. The outcome would require changes in how employees interacted with each other. Unfortunately, employees did not readily accept the President’s new vision for the organization.

We assist helping businesses and managers overcome employee resistance and identify what actions are necessary to increase employee support. We work with management and employees together, to explore ideas for how all levels can be engaged in creating a future vision for the organization. By taking employee recommendations into consideration, a new plan can be delivered, one where employees can feel motivated and engaged in the execution knowing they will be able to see how their contribution impacts the plan.

Overcoming Leadership Challenges

A company is experiencing a multitude of people problems that seemed to be affecting their ability to grow their business. Project teams had insufficient resources for critical initiatives, work teams were continually in “reaction mode”, line managers were stretched too thin and there was limited cross training due to workloads.

We utilize a Situation Analysis with the management teams to explore the current state of the company’s executive processes and determine the core issues. Through this, we are able to identify the levels of leadership efficacy within the organization.

Handling Company Cultural Issues

Two large chains that operated in direct competition of each other merge and result in a huge upheaval for employees.

When dealing with the different cultures of merging companies, we work with the management of both organizations to create a strategic change plan for the new company.

There are opportunities to hold mixed group sessions with employees from both organizations to listen to their needs and suggestions. From this, we are able to identify any concerns with the merger, as well as strategize what they can do to help create a future for the company that supports all needs and desired outcomes.

 

No matter what industry you are in, or how big or small your business, the success of your organization depends on the performance and cohesiveness of its employees.

Teamwork is a basic concept most of us learn early in life, yet in business, this idea becomes much more nuanced than the simple practice of cooperation. Engaging employees and creating a great Employee Experience is an art form that tope companies are now working delicately to perfect it at every level.

Transformational Team Training is a collaborative program between Trasformativa Travel and The Innate Coach. For more information on the Transformational Team Training Program please email us at Alison@Trasformativa.com or traci@theinnatecoach.com, or you can visit our website at https://trasformativa.com/transformative-team-trainings/

TRAVEL IN COLOR – NOT BLACK AND WHITE

ABOUT TRASFORMATIVA TRAVEL

Trasformativa is a US based travel company with offices located in Durham, NC and Clarksville, VA.  We are  focused exclusively on transformational travel. Our experienced and qualified travel agents offer many different types of transformational travel opportunities. We work with individuals and groups of many sizes to help them find a true difference. Most of the people who contact us are luxury travelers and leaders of groups who are traveling together. This includes, yoga or fitness instructors, health and wellness professionals, human resource directors, sales managers, CEO’s, church group leaders, corporate trainers, personal chefs, wedding planners, brides, corporate travel professionals, and also individuals looking to plan an exciting and out-of-the-way trip for a group of their friends.

Our transformational opportunities include Exotic Group Travel, Jamaica Travel, Caribbean Travel, Europe Travel, Retreat Group Travel, Culinary & Vineyard Group Travel, Wellness Travel Retreats, Incentive Travel Reward Programs, Destination Training Events, Corporate Wellness Retreats, Team Building Retreats, Fitness Retreats, Yoga & Meditation Retreats, Juice & Cleanse Retreats, Spirituality Retreats, and Autism Travel,

To learn more, visit our website or call us at (919) 616-3780.

 

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Employee Incentive Statistics That Will Blow Your Mind!!

Employee Incentive Statistics That Will Blow Your Mind!!

Recognition and Employee Incentives rank very high on an employee’s list of needs; if they feel valued, talented employees will go to the ends of the earth to help their company succeed.  Incentive Statistics Don’t Lie!

Strategically planned Recognition or Incentive Programs help companies recognize and reward their people for their contributions towards advancing business objectives – both as a team and as individuals.

With this trend of rewarding employees with non-monetary rewards, the number for 2017 will surely climb. These statistics from 2016 was a year of many numbers, changes, innovations, and upsets. Every year has their fair share, but employee incentive plans had some rather successful innovation in 2016 and will continue to move higher in the coming years.

Build a positive company culture: Companies that executed a formal, well planned-out employee engagement program reported a 64% greater increase in the level of employee engagement than those without one.

Engagement Tools: 35% of Best-in-Class businesses plan to implement new employee engagement tools in the coming year, compared to only 27.1% of All Others.

Meeting Expectations: In 2016, almost eighty percent (78.7%) of incentive programs met the proper expectations.

Exceeding Expectations: Also in 2015, 12.8% of incentive programs successfully exceeded expectations.

People Don’t Always Want The Benjamins: As it turns out, cash is not always the incentive reward of choice among employees. The IMA (Incentive Marketing Association) did a study which found 65% of employees preferred non-cash incentives.

Incentive Travel: Incentive travel is used by 46% of United States’ businesses. While this travel is usually a consequence of some consumer rewards program, the same kind of incentives can be applied in the workplace. The incentives of the traveling agencies in question can be put toward employee vacations in order to diminish the cost of providing incentives through direct monetary award via company funds.

Incentive Engagement On The Increase: According to a recent Gallup poll, employees actively engaged with employers via incentive programs of some variety are up .5% since 2015 to 32%.

The Cost of Turnover: Every year, according to the most recent figures, roughly $11 billion is lost due to employee turnover. Incentives are a great means of curbing this loss.

Incentives Give Millennial Employees Reason to Stay: Millennials are at an age where they’re finding what career will define them going forward. As a result, most view their current occupation as transitory. In fact, 44% of millennials actively seek to pursue additional career opportunities over the next two years. Incentive programs can help reduce that statistic.

Most Popular Incentive Programs Among Employees: Over 65% of surveyed participants strongly agree that travel incentives/rewards are remembered longer than cash payments. Employees like their incentive programs, and having a system in place is a proven way to ensure increased retention in 2017/2018.

Now is the time of year where businesses are making plans for 2018; shouldn’t an incentive program be a part of that plan??

 

ABOUT TRASFORMATIVA TRAVEL

Trasformativa is a US based travel company with offices located in Durham, NC and Clarksville, VA.  We are  focused exclusively on transformational travel. Our experienced and qualified travel agents offer many different types of transformational travel opportunities. We work with individuals and groups of many sizes to help them find a true difference. Most of the people who contact us are luxury travelers and leaders of groups who are traveling together. This includes, yoga or fitness instructors, health and wellness professionals, human resource directors, sales managers, CEO’s, church group leaders, corporate trainers, personal chefs, wedding planners, brides, corporate travel professionals, and also individuals looking to plan an exciting and out-of-the-way trip for a group of their friends.

Our transformational opportunities include Exotic Group Travel, Jamaica Travel, Caribbean Travel, Europe Travel, Retreat Group Travel, Culinary & Vineyard Group Travel, Wellness Travel Retreats, Incentive Travel Reward Programs, Destination Training Events, Corporate Wellness Retreats, Team Building Retreats, Fitness Retreats, Yoga & Meditation Retreats, Juice & Cleanse Retreats, Spirituality Retreats, and Autism Travel,

To learn more, visit our website or call us at (919) 616-3780.

 

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Engagement and a Changing Talent Pool

How to Obtain & Retain Top Talent With Incentive Travel Rewards

For the first time since industrialization, companies are now faced with a larger generation exiting the workforce than entering. As Baby Boomers retire, Generation X is not large enough to replace them and are followed by a large and less experienced worker staff – the Millennials. This structural change to workforce itself has helped drive employee rewards and recognition to center stage, as CEOs and senior management must strategize to retain as many top performing Baby Boomers for as long as possible, while simultaneously “training up” Millennials at a much faster rate than previous generations. In this changing environment, it is easy to understand why surveys show that over 90% of CEOs said they either need to or are already changing their attraction and retention strategy to obtain and retain top talent in these changing times.

As well, Millennials are looking for a much different employment contract than Baby Boomers, preferring entrepreneurism and a much shorter-term than in the past. They are looking for company brands that are innovative and value driven; Brands that carry those values through to multiple kinds of benefits and offerings to their employees.

Be sure to consider your training and retention strategy, so that the expertise, experience and wisdom of older workers remains in your organization and Millennials are ready for the challenges presented to them. Ensure that company values are clearly stated and well-supported throughout the organization.

Companies that implement Incentive Programs into their offerings see a much higher rate of obtaining and retaining top talent. Every year, according to the most recent figures, roughly $11 billion is lost due to employee turnover. Incentives are a great means of curbing those losses. Incentives Give Millennial Employees Reason to Stay, as they are at an age where they’re finding what career will define them going forward. As a result, most Millennials view their current occupation as transitory. In fact, 44% of millennials actively seek to pursue additional career opportunities over the next two years. Incentive programs can help reduce that statistic.

Over 65 percent of participants strongly agree that Travel Awards are remembered longer than cash payments. Employees like their incentive programs, and having a system in place in your company is a proven way to ensure increased retention in 2017/2018.

 

ABOUT TRASFORMATIVA TRAVEL

Trasformativa is a US based travel company with offices located in Durham, NC and Clarksville, VA.  We are  focused exclusively on transformational travel. Our experienced and qualified travel agents offer many different types of transformational travel opportunities. We work with individuals and groups of many sizes to help them find a true difference. Most of the people who contact us are luxury travelers and leaders of groups who are traveling together. This includes, yoga or fitness instructors, health and wellness professionals, human resource directors, sales managers, CEO’s, church group leaders, corporate trainers, personal chefs, wedding planners, brides, corporate travel professionals, and also individuals looking to plan an exciting and out-of-the-way trip for a group of their friends.

Our transformational opportunities include Exotic Group Travel, Jamaica Travel, Caribbean Travel, Europe Travel, Retreat Group Travel, Culinary & Vineyard Group Travel, Wellness Travel Retreats, Incentive Travel Reward Programs, Destination Training Events, Corporate Wellness Retreats, Team Building Retreats, Fitness Retreats, Yoga & Meditation Retreats, Juice & Cleanse Retreats, Spirituality Retreats, and Autism Travel,

To learn more, visit our website or call us at (919) 616-3780.

 

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