Planning a company retreat really doesn’t have to be a daunting process, at least when it’s done right. You can severely overcomplicate the issue if you step into the retreat planning process without knowing where you’re heading, which is why it’s best to get off on the right foot before you even begin to look for a retreat location. There’s a lot to consider, but one of the things we do best is retreat planning and facilitation—we are here to help you plan and execute your retreat from start to finish.
Let’s get started.
What’s the Purpose of Your Company Retreat?
Every company retreat has a purpose; you’re not just trying to get away. What’s your purpose in organizing a company retreat? Is it for strategic planning, leadership development, onboarding new employees, or something else?
Find your retreat’s purpose.
Strategic Planning
Strategic planning retreats are the best ways to layout and get moving on a major initiative for your company. Whether you are looking to formulate your mission, vision, and values, want to discover your blue ocean strategy, or simply want to set the course for the next year, a company retreat is the best place to do it. Why? Because they provide the isolation you need to focus on your goals, all while insulating your team from the distractions of everyday life.
What do you need to succeed in organizing a strategic planning retreat? Find some of the most important components in this guide.
Leadership Development
We can’t underestimate the importance of leadership development programs. Your company’s leaders are the next generation of your business. If they’re not, they’re certainly in charge of training, cultivating, and guiding the next generation. Your organization’s most valuable asset is its people; invest in them. The best way to execute a leadership development program is to know what you want to get out of it, how to best measure the results, and how to incorporate a successful agenda that involves the right mix of personal and professional development.
Team Bonding
Team bonding retreats are customizable experiences that enhance communication and fortify the bonds that hold teams together. They dissolve the formalities of the workplace and offer a space that allows employees to interact, discover shared interests, and understand each other beyond their professional roles. They give your team the opportunity to break down barriers and form long-term relationships that improve their performance in the workplace through open communication and understanding.
Team Building
Challenge your team to work together, solve complex challenges, and achieve results by working together. While team bonding offers space to build relationships inside and outside of the office, team building focuses exclusively on how teams can work together to achieve results. These curated company retreats uncover the strengths and weaknesses of your team, allowing them to improve the skills they have and gain those they lack.
What Do You Need for Your Retreat?
With your purpose defined, now it’s time to dive into what you specifically need to set up your retreat:
- Choosing a date: company retreats can take place at any time during the year. Many companies choose the fall because it allows for some reflection on the current year while focusing on creating new goals for the next year. Most companies choose 2-4 days as a timespan, leaving them with enough room to plan a full agenda that doesn’t feel rushed.
- Choosing a location: we can’t stress the importance of getting out of your office space and into an isolated and relaxing area. Take this a step further and get yourself outside of the city and into nature. Choosing an isolated location allows you to leave behind everything you know in your day-to-day life, putting you in a focused and more creative state of mind.
- Lodging, food, and more: the last thing you want to do is detract from your retreat by having to plan out all the smallest details. That’s why choosing a resort as a retreat location is one of the best things you can do. Everything will be planned for you, from accommodations to the food, activities, agenda, and much more. Save yourself the labor of planning everything from end to end; work with an all-inclusive resort that is happy to handle it for you.
- Facilitation: it’s important for you to be a part of the process during your retreat, and you can’t do that if you are trying to run and plan the entire thing yourself. This is where retreat facilitation can benefit both you and your team. Not only do facilitators have the experience necessary to run and manage a retreat, they also allow you to take a step back from managing the process, instead participating in and gaining the benefits of the retreat itself.
Get Started
This is only the beginning. We are happy to talk to you about your retreat in detail, helping you plan everything so that you get the result you want. Looking to plan a retreat this year? Get in touch with us for a free consultation today.