How would you like to go on a Mediterranean cruise? A week in Vegas? Or maybe enjoy rounds of golf wrapped up with luxurious massages. No-we’re not talking about honeymoons, but rather, team building trips taken by some very fortunate employees. Find out about 10 incredible team-building trips, all company-sponsored, and don’t forget to send your boss here, too.
- Google’s Ski Trip: Back in 2007, Google hosted an epic company trip to Squaw Valley. Over 3 nights, Google hosted parties with themed rooms, including an undersea room, ice room, and safari room.
- Barclays Hits Lake Como: At the Villa D’Este, Barclays bankers and their clients enjoyed a £500,000 trip. Fine banquets and an evening of music from Milan’s LaScala opera house were on the bill.
- Pinnacol’s Pebble Beach Golf Trip: Although state chartered, Pinnacol took a 5-day trip to Pebble Beach, California. $53,000 was spent on golf and spa treatments, as well as $21,000 on wine and liquor. One meal in particular cost more than $19,000.
- Oprah’s Mediterranean Cruise: In honor of the Big O’s 55th birthday, she hosted a 3-day party in Barcelona, and followed it up with a 10-day Mediterranean cruise for her employees and their families. The trip is valued at $5,400 per person, and they traveled to Italy, Turkey, and Greece.
- Ellen Does Vegas: Oprah’s not the only TV queen with happy employees. At the end of Ellen’s 12 Days of Giveaways in 2010, the comedienne gave each staff member who contributed to the project a trip to Las Vegas and a $500 bonus.
- ITT Hartford Helps the Homeless: Instead of a lavish vacation, ITT Hartford took on a meaningful mission. Employees gathered to paint a shelter for the homeless. Their mission was to paint 20 rooms in 7 hours, learning how to work together with real pressure.
- Woo Hits the Slopes: WooThemes spent a week in the Austrian Alps, enjoying a fun corporate ski retreat. Employees were encouraged to use their own products to connect with fans from the Alps.
- AIG Takes a Retreat: AIG executives enjoyed a lavish retreat at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort on the California coast. They were treated to rounds of golf, as well as spa treatments at the resort. Although spending $440,000 on a retreat while in a bailout gave AIG bad publicity, the St. Regis became booked solid.
- Patagonia’s Interns: As part of a commitment to environmentalism, Patagonia allows employees to take on environmental internships with the environmental group of their choice. They can leave for up to a month, while still enjoying their salaries and benefits. Although these trips are not typically taken as a group, various locations have interned together, including Patagonia Boston on the Charles River Cleanup Boat, and Patagonia Denver at the Center for Native Ecosystems.
- PricewaterhouseCoopers: PricewaterhouseCoopers flew all 5,000 consulting employees to Orlando in the summertime. The group enjoyed a week-long trip with lots of gifts, including an iPod Shuffle for each of them.
