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Offsite corporate team building retreats are more important than ever, especially considering that 30%+ of corporate workers are now remote (according to McKinsey). Your team members will enjoy the opportunity to meet each other, learn from peers across divisions, and focus on big picture ideas and goals.
In this blog, the expert company offsite planners at Wilder will explain how you can run an effective company offsite and the benefits that you will reap from a successful event.
How Do You Run a Successful Company Retreat?
Choose a Memorable Location Surrounded by Nature
If you want your corporate retreat to be an impactful experience, you need to create an environment that attendees will love. Picnics at a nearby park or weekends at a local convention center just won’t cut it.
Wilder was founded on the belief (as well as scientific evidence) that company retreats set in nature are more impactful, help create long-lasting relationships and give enough separation from the typical office environment to stimulate new thinking. Corporate retreats at ranches are a wonderful way to include nature as well as a corporate retreat in Utah's National Parks. But why is it better to choose a rustic location instead of a bustling urban location?
First, you want to create an atmosphere where your employees can enjoy a clear mind and peaceful environment. This will accomplish several things:
They will be able to focus specifically on the goals you have set.
They will be able to enjoy interacting with one another and building relationships without “outside noise."
They will return to everyday life recharged and ready to tackle new and exciting challenges.
Corporate retreats in Jackson Hole are another great idea and Wyoming is one of our top destinations for retreats. To ensure an inclusive retreat, you will want to plan a mix of experiences such as wildlife viewing, river floats and exploring the geothermal pools of Yellowstone National park.
Create Clear Objectives For Your Company Offsite
Is This Purely a Team Building Retreat?
Perhaps your goals are entirely team-building related, which is common in the era of remote work. Group experiences are a great way to get things going. Consider randomly assigning groups (so that familiar co-workers aren't always together), and planning adventures like:
Wolf watching and photography class with an expert naturalist.
Whitewater rafting or scenic float.
Geyser and geothermal pool class in Yellowstone with a professional geologist.
Storytelling class with a Native elder.
Celestial navigation class with a stargazing expert.
For groups that are aligned in terms of physical abilities, we encourage our clients to explore guided hiking, rock climbing, kayaking and mountaineering.
Goals For a Business Retreat For Your Team
If your retreat is focused purely on business, you’ll want to structure things differently. Are you introducing a new CRM in the next year? Create structured classes or meetings led by an expert, and plan to give everyone lots of hands-on experience. Be sure to pace these events with outdoor activities, great food, and social activities.
Or perhaps you want to focus on sales call training or intake for a weekend. There are plenty of ways to make this fun, but you will need to structure your corporate retreat accordingly.
At the end of the company trip, you’ll want to answer yes to the following questions:
Did my team learn the new skill that will be required of them?
Do they understand what numbers and goals we are measuring going forward?
Are they on board and in agreement with these goals?
Goals For an Executive Retreat
As a business year unfolds, executives can start to suffer from tunnel vision - bearing down on metrics, specific performance markers, and micro goals are common symptoms. An executive retreat may be necessary to help your company’s leaders refocus on the shared big picture.
Furthermore, executives at large companies can sometimes end up as competitors. Sales leaders and marketing leaders are a common example, and everyone can bristle at the CFO “meddling” in a department from time to time. An executive retreat reminds leaders that they are working together, and it humanizes peers that sometimes turn into abstract email personalities.
Another common goal for executive offsites would be training in a specific leadership style or framework. You need consistency for your organization to be effective, and bringing in a third-party to train your executives in an off-site setting is a great way to make progress.
How Long Should a Company Retreat Be?
If you have remote workers flying in from around the country (or world), you will need to set aside 4-5 days. The first and last days are typically travel days, leaving only 2 - 3 days of concentrated time focused on the retreat. However, if you are staying local, like a NYC-based company planning a corporate retreat in the Hudson Valley, three days will likely suffice.
But your goals will need to be taken into consideration. You need to have enough time to accomplish all of the training that will move your company forward, and you must balance that with enjoyable activities.
General social advice also applies -- you want people to leave while they would still enjoy staying longer. If your team is counting down the minutes to departure, your retreat is likely too long.
Contact the Experts at Wilder
From corporate offsites in Austin, TX to leading forest bathing experiences for teams, our team of experts can plan every detail of your retreat. Enjoy a memorable experience, bring your teams closer together, and accomplish business goals that you never thought possible.