We live in a world where tight-knit businesses who trust each other and are excited about their companies become leaders in their field. However, with social distancing and remote positions keeping teams separate from one another, it can be easy to lose that edge. Corporate retreats are an excellent method to bring teams closer together, reward hard work, tackle new business ideas, and enhance employee satisfaction. These six tips will make for a smooth and successful event when planning your next corporate retreat.
6 Tips for Planning a Corporate Retreat
#1: Set a Goal
Corporate retreats can be designed to fulfill a variety of goals, from fostering teamwork to brainstorming new ideas, to working out the kinks of a new product. We recommend setting a goal for the retreat so that you can build the rest of the details around it.
#2: Choose a Location and Date
Next, you must decide where and when you want the retreat to take place. We recommend taking a look at your numbers first. This will include your budget, how many people will be in attendance, the length of the retreat, when it will occur, etc. Then, choose a few different regions, such as mountains, lakes, beaches, or the city, and create a poll among employees to vote on. If you’re looking for a unique and stylish experience, consider going to France. Something about French luxury living just stirs the soul and brings out a sense of joie de vivre that no other destination can match. A corporate retreat in France is a perfect way to reward your staff’s hard work with the beauty and opulence of this magical country. Once you know your staff’s preferences, you can choose a location that meets your requirements.
When booking the location, we advise being mindful of other people’s calendars. For example, we would suggest avoiding major holidays, school breaks, or busy times of the year for your business.
#3: Organize Transportation
Transportation is a huge factor to consider when planning a corporate retreat; we always recommend supplying it rather than forcing employees to fend for themselves. Depending on where you are going, you may need to book flights, buses, sprinter vans, or even a boat.
Most commonly, events occur within a few hours of the business’s central location. For this, we recommend booking a sprinter service van. Sprinter vans are comfortable, have ample luggage space, and are excellent for riders who want to work along the way as they often come with Wi-Fi, flatscreens, swivel chairs, and other charming amenities. Booking a sprinter van, or two or three is perfect for smaller corporate retreats where guests are being picked up from their homes and transported for four hours or less.
#4: Plan Activities
Now comes the fun part, planning activities! Depending on what your overall goal is for the retreat will determine what type of activities you should have. Such activities can be icebreakers, team builders, partner matches, tours and so much more. We also recommend scheduling time for participants to choose their own path, whether taking time to relax with a book, go hiking with a colleague, or an impromptu brainstorming session with team members. Often, the unscheduled times can be just as fruitful as the planned activities.
#5: Order Catering
You can’t forget the food! We suggest booking catering or restaurant reservations for two meals a day, such as a brunch and a dinner, in addition to providing plenty of food options throughout the day in case people get hungry. Whether that means a buffet bar, a snack center, or gift baskets for everyone is up to you and your budget. Remember, always have a good supply of coffee and tea available first thing in the morning, as un-caffeinated team members may not be happy.
#6: Share the Details As the event is being planned out, we recommend sharing the details as you finalize them, as it will help build excitement for the event. Once all the details are set in stone, you can send out a detailed itinerary to everyone for confirmation. Remember, while you can hope for full attendance, you should expect some people to drop out at the last minute due to emergency situations beyond their control.