Corporate retreats can be great bonding experiences. They are also a good way to build loyalty among employees. If you’re lucky, they could lead to good business and networking opportunities!
Hosting a great retreat isn’t as easy as it might sound. It takes a lot of planning and attention to detail.
But there’s no reason that planning a retreat can’t be fun.
And it doesn’t have to be that difficult. Here are some tips for planning your next retreat.
1. Brainstorming
Ask your employees what is important to them.
Most of them have probably been on some sort of retreat before. They might have even gone on a retreat with you.
If you’ve traveled with your coworkers before, ask them what they liked and compare notes. You might be surprised by what they liked! Everyone has different tastes, and that’s important to keep in mind.
Ask about other retreats they’ve been on, too. Maybe ask what the most memorable things were. Or ask what they enjoyed most.
Likewise, ask what they did not enjoy and what they don’t want. For example, if no one in your group likes skiing, planning a ski trip isn’t a good idea.
2. Booking Service
There are professionals when it comes to travel arrangements.
They can give you some great ideas like these. Then they can take care of all the details so that you don’t have to.
It’s best to go with companies that have a good track record. Use ones that specialize in business travel instead of leisure.
Planning a business trip or corporate retreat is very different from planning your personal vacation. You need to focus on different things.
Of course, your main priority on a corporate retreat should be business. The only way you can do this is if everyone is comfortable and able to work.
Book a hotel or retreat center that has amenities that everyone wants. Breakfast should be included. See if you can get deals for dinner and lunch.
It is nice to leave the hotel, though. Check out nearby restaurants that cater to large groups and events. Booking services know hotels that specialize in retreats and big groups.
They will also take care of things for you when things go wrong. When you are on the trip, you want to focus on the trip.
Let them take care of the details for you.
3. Activities
It’s important to have activities planned for the group.
You will want to alternate between work and fun activities. People don’t want to sit in a conference room all day long.
See about some active activities. Plan a variety of options so people can choose what they want to do.
If some people want to go hiking, organize that. If others want to visit an art museum, let them do that. Not everyone will be interested in the same thing.
A cinema night or show is a good idea, too. People need to relax after a long day of working.
4. Free Time
Not everyone loves spending time in a big group.
Introverts need time to themselves. Even extroverts need a bit of me-time every now and then.
Plan some time so that people can enjoy themselves. Have a few breaks throughout the day, but make sure they are long enough that people can actually do things.
Stay available for your employees who want to do things. Bring along some travel-size board games like these.
Everyone loves a good game now and then, and it’s a better bonding experience than watching something on the TV.
Make sure everyone has enough free time in the evening to relax.
5. Feedback
Once the retreat is over, ask for feedback.
You might think things have gone great, but other people might not be of the same opinion. Don’t take this personally.
Conduct an anonymous survey to keep people honest. Ask for specific as well as general feedback. Make sure people feel like they can talk to you.
Make changes and incorporate their ideas into your next retreat. It’s important to make every retreat better than the last.
Conclusion A corporate retreat can be the event of a lifetime. All it takes is a bit of dedication and planning.