Hays Travel will pay the mortgage or rent for six months, along with water, gas and electricity bills, for two winners in the agency chain’s monthly prize draw.
The Big Hays Travel Thank You initiative was set up to reward staff and sees all employees entered into a monthly draw. Previous prizes have included a car and a cruise worth up to £5,000.
For August, two winners rather than one were announced – Lynne Browne and Sandra Taylor – because the agency had an “exceptional” month.
Hays Travel chair Dame Irene Hays announced the result of the latest draw on a video message to staff.
“August had been such an exceptional month so the decision had been made to surprise two people, not just one,” she said.
Dame Irene said 1,287 Hays Retail colleagues achieved their targets in August and will receive additional payments that equate to nearly £300,000 collectively for the month.
Browne, who has worked at Hays Travel for 18 months as a legal executive, said: “I burst into tears when my name was announced. I just can’t believe it, I’m over the moon.
“It was lovely to see all my colleagues’ reaction as well, they are all so happy for me.”
Retail director Jane Schumm and chief operating officer Jonathon Woodall-Johnston travelled to the Washington branch to surprise the second winner with the good news.
Taylor said: “I am absolutely overwhelmed, completely speechless. Of the 40 years I have worked in travel this is the biggest prize I have ever won.
“My husband can’t complain about me putting the heating on now!”
Taylor joined Hays Travel as a travel consultant in October 2019 after Hays Travel acquired the former Thomas Cook retail portfolio.
The next prize in the Big Hays Travel Thank You will be a four-night stay in New York with £1,000 spending money.
Main picture: Lynne Brown (left), receives her prize from Dame Irene Hays