Top 7 Reasons a Staff Retreat is an Awesome Idea
Having employees that get along and work well together is the key to a successful business. If you’re having issues with this in your office, a staff retreat can help. Read on to learn 7 reasons a staff retreat is a great idea.
Is company morale low?
It could be time for a staff retreat. If you’re noticing a distance and lack of comradery amongst your staff, discord between employees or an overall feeling of exhaustion or burn out within the group, it could be time to shake things up.
A staff retreat is a perfect way to get employees out of their everyday routine, into nature and communicating and brainstorming company ideas more efficiently.
Still doubting this is the right decision? Read on to learn why a staff retreat could be just what your company needs.
Get Outside the Office
It’s nearly impossible to get out of work mode when you’re in the office. Even a team lunch or after work dinner with your employees can still give the illusion of a work day and not allow people to relax and unwind.
Taking your employees on a staff retreat is a welcome break from the everyday routine of going into an office. They’ll wear their weekend clothes, ditch their computers and approach any kind of activity from a more relaxed frame of mind.
Sometimes a simple change of scenery can help people refocus and recharge. This is often where people get their best ideas and are the most receptive to new information regarding the company plan or even their own future within the business.
Try to structure the retreat so there is a balance of fun and relaxation along with designated time to discuss work-related items.
Get to Know Each Other
Your employees are around each other nearly all day every day. In fact, they probably spend more time with each other than they do with their own friends or family. But do they really know each other?
When the conversation is only limited to work-related discussion in the office, people are missing the connection and ability to get to know their colleagues on a more human level.
Learning more about one another helps everyone understand people’s strengths and weaknesses, goals, and aspirations more clearly which only builds a stronger bond and positive culture throughout the office.
We know work is work. But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be enjoyable. Having friends and colleagues your employees know and get along with well can only keep them happy in their job and want to stick around longer, creating less turnover and drama within the office.
Make Decisions
If you have any big pending company decisions to make, a staff retreat might be the perfect time to tackle those items. It can be hard sitting down with staff and hashing out a possible new decision that involves their feedback.
Getting everyone in the same place, in a relaxed and focused atmosphere can allow your employees to think more clearly and be more honest and straightforward about their feelings on a particular matter.
Items like a move, merger, expansion or long-term plan are all great things to discuss at a quarterly or bi-yearly retreat. You can be flexible with how long you want the retreat to be as well, especially if it’s something you’re planning to do frequently.
It can be a day away or a few nights where you really hunker down with the team and make decisions for the rest of the year.
Share Your Gratitude
Employees like to feel acknowledged and appreciated for a job well done. During the week in the office, it’s probably challenging to thank your employees and convey your overall gratitude in a real way.
Take the time on a retreat to do this. You can go around and thank each employee, specifically explaining how they have contributed to the company and remarking on their value.
Carving out time to show appreciation for your staff is a huge morale booster and can be the difference between losing an employee or keeping one long-term. The more satisfied your staff is, the better your business will run.
Team Building
A retreat allows your staff to participate in team building exercises and activities they’re not capable of doing at the office.
There are many retreat venues that have ropes courses and other trust-building exercises your staff can do together. Allowing them to work as a team out of the office and on a non-work related task allows their bond to grow and for them to see how to utilize each members skill set to best complete the exercise.
Moments like this can create a stronger sense of connection and camaraderie once back at the office. A day spent doing these team building exercises can show it’s lingering results for some time once back to the daily work routine.
One-On-One Time Without Technology
Anyone who works in an office five day a week likely has technology fatigue. Between computers, tablets and cell phones, your staff is always glued to the blue screen in some way.
A retreat is a perfect time to disconnect. Encourage your staff to leave their computers at the office and turn their phones off. Be sure to put away messages on your emails, alerting clients to the fact your office is closed and your staff will be unreachable.
A day or so without technology allows your staff to really unwind and focus on one another and the company as a whole without distraction. You may be surprised to hear what new ideas they come up with or strategies they discover when they have a moment to clear their mind.
Re-Energize
A retreat is one way to break up the monotony of work. Take note if your team seems to be burned out. Did they just finish a huge project they were slaving away on for months? Or was some other milestone the company reached that took a lot of effort, leaving your team depleted?
Scheduling a retreat after big moments like this is ideal. It gives your staff something to look forward to once a big job is done and provides a nice respite from the day-to-day grind.
Taking your staff somewhere peaceful, preferably where nature and the outdoors are involved will allow them to refocus and discover more about themselves and one another, returning to work with a fresh perspective and hopefully some new friends.
Plan Your Staff Retreat Today!
After reviewing the pro’s of a staff retreat above, how could you delay the planning any longer?
This is a positive investment for your company. Your staff will appreciate getting a break from the office and it will give them a chance to grown as a team and return to work revitalized. You’ll also be surprised at how much business you can accomplish on a retreat when your team is open to discussion and taking a break from work.
Check out our blog for more vacation and retreat location ideas!