Planning a successful company retreat isn’t rocket science, but it does take some critical thinking and pre-booking to get the most out of the event. Follow the seven steps in this comprehensive guide for a roadmap to planning the best retreat for your employees, writes Meredith Wood, founding editor, Fundera Ledger.
Employee engagement and employee happinessOpens a new window have been buzzwords for most HR professionals as of late. The new workforce expects benefits, perks, and flexible work schedules. As companies evolve and adapt to young professionals, the most effective strategies have begun to surface across industries. From in-office snacks and remote work, there are plenty of tangible and intangible offerings to consider when cultivating employee wellness.
An often underrated, but beneficial, perk is a company retreat. This outside the box experience rewards employees for their hard work with a relaxing but productiveOpens a new window retreat. Getting out of the office as a team can inspire creativity, build stronger bonds, and provide direction for the remainder of the quarter.Â
Planning a successful retreatOpens a new window isn’t rocket science, but it does take some critical thinking and pre-booking to get the most out of the event. Follow the seven steps below for an essential roadmap to planning the best retreat for your company.
1. Define Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
It will be challenging to get buy-in from upper management without defining what constitutes a successful retreat. Bonus points if you can tie the results directly to revenue.
- Morale Boost: measure the turnover rate before and after the event, or even employee satisfaction with an anonymous survey.
- Team Building: breakdown barriers between departments, and have each explain their job in their own words to create inter-department bonds.
- Marketing Materials: take professional photos throughout the event to host on your social media pages or website for prospective employees to understand the company culture.Opens a new window
2. Schedule the Event
Consider employee schedules. If your company is an accounting firm, April and months leading up to it would be a detrimental time to schedule the retreat. Use the event as an annual celebration to complement the employee work ethic after the conclusion of a significant busy season.
Learn More:Â 4 Ways Employee Engagement Can Solve Productivity ProblemOpens a new window
3. Confirm Attendance
The most successful retreats are the ones where there’s buy-in from leadership. Confirm C-level executives will be in attendance to eliminate hierarchy during the event. Go one step further and have leaders come up with ice breaker exercises or themed days throughout the retreat.
4. Book the Location & Transportation
Location, location, location. Think about the proximity of the office to the location of the event. If there will be any alcohol served, make sure transportation is booked to and from the event. Some modes of transportation to consider include:
- Taxis
- Busses
- Limos
- Airplanes
5. Negotiate Pricing
Because you’re looking for such a large group, confirm any group discounts before charging the company cardOpens a new window . Frequently, because you’re bringing the transportation company and the event space so much business, there are discounts to be had.
Learn More:Â How to Increase Employee Engagement through Modern ITSMOpens a new window
6. Plan Events
Don’t forget to plan the actual events during the retreat! These can be simple icebreakers or formal networking events. Think about your KPIs during this stage, as different activities will have more effects on the overall goal than others.
7. Revisit the Original KPIs
After the retreat is over and done with, revisit the goals set before going on the resort. This is an excellent chance to elicit feedback. Understanding what went well and didn’t will be crucial to planning better and better retreats with each passing year.
When pitching this event to upper management, focus on the KPIs, especially anything that will affect the bottom line. Be an advocate for the employees while explaining the value that an event like this can have on overall morale.
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