10 Weird Tricks to Planning the Perfect Corporate Retreat
Corporate retreats are critical for employee satisfaction — a must in today’s work environment. Plus, after years of hybrid office hours and diminished social schedules, it’s a breath of fresh air for people.
But these retreats are as much an art as a science. So we’ve put together some hard-learned tricks and insights to pump up your game.
Explore Weird Options Early
Give yourself a lot of time to think of options. That way, you can really brainstorm some out-there ideas. If you don’t have time, you immediately make most creative ideas unfeasible. So give yourself a good head start and keep an open mind.
Book the Venue ASAP
Great venues can have jaw-dropping waiting lists. So once you finally decide on where you want to go, do not hesitate to book.
If you’re booking a popular destination like Mykonos or Tulum, consider scheduling your event on the shoulder seasons when demand is lower and the weather is still amazing. We recently booked a triple villa complex in Mykonos 6 months early and were able to secure a discount over $10,000 the rate that we would have had to pay during peak season. You’re also going to have way more options the further ahead you start booking.
Prices Aren’t Fixed
When you are booking accommodations for a large group of people, you’d be amazed how negotiable prices can become. The money you save can give you room in the budget for more activities and a great tip for staff.
Commit to the “Retreat”
While most corporate retreats will have some scheduled work hours, when that’s over, let it be over. Retreats give managers and bosses added access to other team members, and if you take advantage of that, it will kill the enthusiasm.
Encourage Community
Multi-day events require private space for everyone to feel recharged. And the amount people need alone time differs. That being said, make sure the place you book encourages interaction through attractive community spaces, a shared eating spot, etc.
Keep Schedules Loose
A lot of the magic of retreats is that teammates get to interact in a less role-based fashion. If everything is overscheduled, that can keep people rigid and can even feel patronizing. This is especially true if you go to a beautiful locale where people will want to explore on their own.
And sometimes… less is more. We made the mistake at one of our early retreats where we packed in speaker sessions, yoga, a long hike with a boat ride, and a fancy dinner at the end of the night. By the time our guests were due at dinner, they hadn’t had a chance to rest and were forced to scramble to get dressed up. Although everything worked out in the end, we’ve since learned to avoid that extra stress by factoring in plenty of time to recharge between a busy day.
Make Sure There Is a Centerpiece
A kayak trip, a bonfire, a hot air balloon ride. Your centerpiece is that big standout experience that your team will chatter about in the weeks after and remember for years to come. It’s a way to bring everyone together and make a big statement.
When planning our Morocco retreat, we had to make a tough choice between having a camel ride in the desert or a waterfall hike as the centerpiece. Naturally, we chose the camel ride because that would ultimate stand out as the thing our guests would remember for years to come, and would give our sponsors some truly unique content opportunities.
Get Goofy Early On
Team building almost always requires people doing something silly in front of others and still being accepted. These are breakthrough moments that lead to profound connections. An ice-breaking event should be prioritized as soon as possible.
Full Spectrum Accessibility
Consider the accessibility of your retreat’s activities and location. And remember that accessibility comes in many forms. If teammates have any special needs, make sure to have them covered before they have to ask. That makes everyone feel included.
Don’t Incentivize the Retreat
Sometimes corporate retreats are organized as an incentive for performance. That can leave a bad taste in people’s mouths. Plus, a major benefit of retreats is that they improve people’s connection to the company and their team. That might make them especially helpful for someone who’s struggling to perform.
