Staff at a leading information technology recruitment consutancy in Brighton have just returned from a trip to France where they were sent for a strategy meeting.

The unusual venue was the idea of Paul Sansbury, founder and managing director of Microscape, as a reward for a year of hard work and rapid growth.

Mr Sansbury, who founded the company in 1997 in a spare bedroom, has seen it grow year on year. It now has a staff of 23 with plans to double in size by the year-end and service the rapidly expanding e-commerce and telecoms market sector.

The decision to go for growth was made at the strategy meeting-cum-skiing holiday, held among the snow-capped peaks in the resort of Courchevel.

Mr Sansbury said: "Recruitment in the high-technology sector grew at a phenomenal rate last year and I predict similar expansion for 2001.

"To take account of this, Microscape is going to grow.

"We have opted to work with a leading consultant to formulate our business plan for the year, which will include devising an aggressive recruitment plan. Then we can seek qualified individuals and put them in the jobs being created for them.

"I am a firm believer in mixing business with pleasure. Microscape employees have worked exceptionally hard over the past 12 months and the skiing trip was partly a reward and partly because people often work better and come up with sharper ideas in a more relaxed environment.

"Where better than the top of a mountain?"

The meeting also included appraisals, workshops and seminars to explain to all employees the part they play in meeting targets and objectives.