Why you should already start planning your company snow trip now

Jul 05, 2017
  • people

Last March, over 50 #peopleofdelaware packed their snow gear and travelled all the way to the sunny slopes of Superdévoluy, France. And what a trip it was! This is the story on how an idea originating in our Dynamics 365 team grew into a company-wide initiative in just three years. And about the lessons we learned in doing so.

Here are the key ingredients of a good snow trip:

1. Form an organizing committee

The idea originated in 2016 within delaware’s Microsoft Dynamics 365 team when four colleagues had the idea to organize a short-ski for their team members. One year later, they decided to introduce delaware on snow. 

Finding suitable lodging, transport and organizing side activities for over 50 people isn’t always a piece of cake when you combine this with a full-time job in a rapidly growing team. That’s why we called in some professional help!

2. Partner up with a kick-ass snow partner

Find a partner who understands your needs and who knows the field better than their own backyard. For delaware, SnowBite is our partner in crime. While we keep up with our everyday Dynamics365 work, our partner takes care of finding the right location, lodging and transportation to fulfill our needs. The key aspect for the best partner is that you share the same values.

3. Set a price and a date

Although it’s not a complex pricing algorithm, it’s very important that you find the best equilibrium between price, quality and luxury. Another key point in organizing a company ski trip is to set an appropriate date. It’s recommended to include a weekend in that period so you only need to spend a minimal amount of holidays. A good date and a good price together form a strong incentive for people to join in.

4. Gain momentum

It’s important to build up momentum and convince colleagues to join in. Informal water cooler chats are just as important as e-mails, internal social media and traditional posters. Make your content crisp, fun and convincing – capture your colleagues’ imagination!

5. Have fun!

If you did the first four steps right, this will be a walk in the park. Don’t take our word for it, just have a look at the #delawareonsnow aftermovie!

A survey showed that all of the respondents would join another edition of #delawareonsnow. That’s why we have already started planning next year’s trip in May.