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A corporate retreat is a great way for employees to unwind and enjoy time outside of the office. Employees can get to know each other, brainstorm, and share ways to improve work processes to improve efficiency and productivity. After a corporate retreat employees are likely to be more focused and energized, which benefits everyone on the team.
But, planning a corporate retreat isn’t a process to take lightly. You not only want to pick the right location, but it’s also important to plan time for team-building activities and other must-dos.
Have you been researching corporate retreats near NYC but don’t know where to start in the planning process? If so, we’ve got you covered! Keep reading for 12 priceless tips that will help you to plan a fun, relaxing, and beneficial corporate retreat for all of your employees.
1. Pick the Right Venue
Hotels and resort locations tend to be best for corporate retreats because they offer board or meeting rooms. These rooms are designed for hosting discussions, sharing a presentation, or video conferencing with e-attendees. Find a location that offers spacious rooms with plenty of natural daylight and ergonomic furniture to optimize the experience.
2. Bring Key Players
Be sure that high ranking company management is invited to the retreat along with other influential company players. This way important company information can be passed along and employees have a chance to meet and talk with company higher-ups.
3. Plan Team Building Activities
To get the most out of a corporate retreat, be sure to plan team building activities. This will benefit employees by increasing collaboration, communication, trust, and camaraderie. The more bonding that your employees are able to do, the more efficiently they’ll work together after returning back to the office.
4. Build In Plenty of Down-Time
While you’ll want to plan plenty of team building activities, presentations, and discussion sessions with company management, a retreat should also include downtime. Employees will appreciate a day to themselves where they can relax, explore, and spend time with fellow coworkers.
5. Account for All Employee Types
Extroverts love the idea of a corporate retreat while introverts dread these types of events. Be sure to have a mix of activities so that everyone can feel comfortable. Host discussions but also allow employees to answer in written form when possible. This ensures everyone can share their thoughts and ideas in a method that’s best for them.
6. Make It Personal
Even if your company’s retreat has hundreds of people in attendance, you’ll still want to communicate on a personal level with employees. Attendees want to know what’s in it for them and how the retreat will benefit their personal, team, and company-wide goals.
7. Ask Pointed Questions Before The Retreat
A corporate retreat is an ideal environment to host open and honest discussions. Instead of having employees answer on a whim, ask questions before the retreat and give them time to prepare an answer. You can ask about topics such as ways to improve company processes or ways to improve retention.
8. Announce Early
As soon as you have a date, time, and place set for the retreat, get the word out to your workforce. Early announcing and planning increase the chance that more employees will be able to come to the retreat.
9. Stay Connected
Even though you’ll be away from the office, you’ll still need access to technology. Make sure that the retreat location you choose has a reliable internet connection, conference calling, projectors, and other technical capabilities. This ensures that you can access files, share presentations, and invite any online attendees, such as employees who weren’t able to come but want to be involved in discussions.
10. Promote Openness & Honesty
A corporate retreat is an ideal place for employees to speak their mind. At the office, employees are less likely to speak openly about certain topics. Encourage employees to share their personal thoughts and ideas, even on tough topics.
11. Aim for Balance
Corporate retreats should be informational, fun, and interactive. You want to reward employees for their hard work while also sharing important company information and hosting brainstorming sessions that will better the work environment. Be sure to have an even split between business and personal time during the retreat.
12. Follow Up
Once the retreat is over, schedule a meeting or send an email with a wrap up of the retreat. Notate what was achieved, problems that were identified, and where the company plans to go from here. This ensures that employees are all on the same page. This can also serve as a reference point for the next retreat to see what progress has been made.
Conclusion
Using these 12 tips you can plan an effective and enjoyable corporate retreat that benefits everyone who attends. Happy planning!
