The statistics are right. Taking a vacation is good for you. I will add that it is also good for those around you. Michelle Moreno, our operations manager, shared a saying she learned at a recent conference:
“Your company can’t be great if they can’t be great without you.”
Back in March, my husband and I took a glorious week-long trip to London thanks to the Zumasys International Travel Incentive. For that week, Zumasys gave me a travel stipend and paid time off to travel anywhere in the world. More than just rewarding employees with a cool trip, the purpose of the program is to encourage our staff to have new experiences with different cultures that will help them grow as individuals. Traveling abroad was an adventure I had always wanted to take. But until now, the demands of having three small kids and managing Zumasys’ Operations made it seem unlikely. Now that I am back, I wonder why I waited so long!
It’s such an important lesson. Being able to delegate fully and trust your team to manage important tasks in your absence is a critical test for the health of your business. It takes time to get to this point in any business, but when you do, it’s amazing.
“Yes, but how was London?” you ask. I would go back to London in a heartbeat. London is the perfect stepping stone for the first-time international traveler. Seeing the sites that shaped this beautiful city was better than any history class I’ve ever taken. The architecture is stunning, and, of course, the royal palaces are amazing. And, although it was to the dismay of locals anxiously waiting for a hint of spring, I will always remember walking through Westminster Abbey, surrounded by centuries of kings and queens, as a late-season snow fell all around us.
Now, after being home for a few weeks from my first European adventure, I understand why travelers are so passionate about their favorite getaways. Every part of this trip was a success. Back in the States, the kids had a great time with their grandparents (and the grandparents survived), the Virgin Atlantic flights were smooth and comfortable, and my Zumasys team rocked while I was gone, taking care of everything while I was away. I really couldn’t ask for more.
As COO of Zumasys, much of what I do is centered around making sure that Zumasys remains one of the Best Places to Work in Orange County. It was a really powerful thing for me to be on the receiving end of that. I got to experience firsthand what makes this program so unique and why Zumasys is so amazing.
Thanks for the memories, London!