Often, we focus on incentivizing sales, profits – productivity. However, cash bonuses or gifts are not the only ways to do get people working as a great team.  You can take your team members out for a meal or a drink after working hours and get really impressive results. Think that’s just the time for pub chat and nothing more? Well, read on, because we think there are various advantages of this tactic! Get hungry – because going out together is going to make you a better team! Here’s why!

1. It builds up trust
Having a meal in a pub or a restaurant makes it easier for the team members to have informal conversations with you as a manager, and with each other. Without the formal environment of a meeting room or the ear wigging colleagues in open plan, your employees can speak more freely about their concerns and you can get to know them better.

2. It’s a great icebreaker
If you’ve recently hired new employees, it is a good idea to take them out for an early dinner and talk to them personally, either with the team or on your own. They are still learning the ropes of your workplace and trying to adjust to a new environment. You can make them feel welcome by offering a meal so that they so that they feel cared about right from the beginning. Knowing your team members personally is a good way to ensure they can perform to the best of their abilities and use all their talents.

3. It provides some much-needed relaxation time

Working can be fun – but it can also be a difficult and strenuous task. You spend more time with your colleagues than family- so cementing those bonds are key. You can make use of the Great British Pub Card to treat your team members to a nice meal and drinks- or let them know that they have the power to use an ‘employee budget’ for dining and a little bit of ‘wining’ as well – so the onus isn’t all manager to employee but instead, much more egalitarian.

It’s easy to see that having a stash of GBPC pub gift cards or dining gift cards can also serve as a low-cost incentive which can have a big impact on the performance of your employees! A Great British Pub Card Gift Card allows the lucky recipient to dine at over 1700 restaurants and pubs - including Greene King pubs and restaurants all over the UK, so if they want a family meal or a private chat about business, there’s somewhere to suit. Why not take a look at the current menu, or head here to pick up a Gift Card today?

If you would like to discuss – please click to contact Business Development Director Amy Morson via email at amy@greatbritishpubcard.co.uk