Going on a company retreat is much more than just a bonding experience and a fun getaway for you and your team members. It’s a teambuilding event, it’s an investment in your company’s enterprise infrastructure and most importantly, it’s a bonding experience and a fun getaway.
The hope for any administrator planning a company retreat is that their team will come out of their trip with more synergy and a newfound excitement for the company’s vision. These trips are also a great way to show appreciation to your team for all that they’ve already accomplished. Continue reading to get some tips for planning a company retreat that’s sure to boost company morale.
Decide on a theme for your retreat
Not all retreats are the same. Sometimes you want to strengthen the bonds between your team members. Other times you want to lift morale. And then sometimes, your team just needs a chance to get away from the office for a while just to unwind.
You need to come up with a purpose for your retreat before make any reservations or announcements. Determining a purpose or theme for your retreat will set the tone for your trip and help you to decide on a destination.
If it’s a company vacation, then you may want to consider a tropical destination at a luxury beach resort. If it’s a team-building event, then you should pick a destination where they offer challenging group activities like skiing, diving, or hiking.
You can consider a visit to Napa Valley wine country to see grapes turned into a fine pinot noir, or your organizers and talent management team can consider a more out-of-the-box locale.
There’s no better way to get people out of their comfort zones than by getting them out of the country and into a foreign culture where they don’t speak the language. Consider an obscure destination like Bulgaria where you could check out the annual Surva Festival and see the locals don Kukeri masks and elaborate costumes to scare away evil spirits before the planting season. Experiencing a foreign culture is an excellent way for your team to bond as well as broaden their horizons and spark creativity.
Don’t micromanage the retreat
It’s natural to want the trip to be perfect and to wish for your employees to get everything out of it they can, but you don’t want to fall into the trap of micromanaging the trip. If you plan out every detail, then you don’t leave room for exploring and spontaneous moments. Leave a day open for nothing but leisure so your team members can have time to enjoy the trip and each other without worrying about company stuff.
Plan and announce the retreat well in advance
Planning your retreat early will save you a lot of money and headaches. The further ahead you plan, then the more time you’ll have to make reservations, cancellations, and other changes to your agenda. It will also give your team members ample time to save up for the trip and make babysitting arrangements.
While planning your trip, you may learn that some of your employees’ data is outdated. You could even realize that your entire HR infrastructure is a little behind the times. In these instances, it’s sensible to turn to HR software modules that can streamline your infrastructure and make it easier to reflect accurate, current data points and bolster employee engagement. A number of brands, including Arcoro, have developed HRIS platforms that mitigate the frustrations of employee data management. By leveraging the platforms these brands offer, you’re giving your HR department added tools in its arsenal.
Planning an employee retreat should, theoretically, be a breezy affair. With the right tips and tools, it certainly can be.
