Company Retreats & Offsite Meetings

Company Retreats Out of the Building

There are some benefits of taking people out of their element for a meeting.  It can be a very good way of minimizing distractions that exist at the office.  You are more likely to be able to hold everyone’s attention if they can’t run back to their desk at break times.  Sometimes this is as easy as getting a conference room at a nearby hotel.

Company Retreats Out of the City

Some organizations like to hold meetings out of the local area entirely.  In some cases, companies have meeting participants that are scattered around the country (or the world), so getting them all together necessitates getting people out of the city.  If you do this:

• Avoid group vacations.  These may be well intended, but often have unintended negative consequences.
• Be very clear in what you are trying to achieve.  This type of Company Retreat is very expensive, so it is not good enough to simply have such a meeting simply because you do so every year.

Getting People Out of Their Comfort Zones

Taking people on a Company Retreat to get them out of their comfort zone may be a well intended exercise, but it often generates cynicism and negativity.  Be very cautious in these circumstances.

• Silly games often have no purpose.  Some people find them fun; others find them annoying; most people find them pointless.
• Getting people out of their comfort zones is a highly individual thing.  It is nearly impossible to have one exercise or game that could have a uniform impact on people and their comfort zones.
• Beware of physical limitations.  Not everyone on your team has the same physical capacity.  It can create hard feelings or embarrassment if someone is not able to participate to the same degree.

Cautions for Any Company Retreat

• You need to have a clear purpose.  What are you trying to get out of this retreat?
• Something needs to be different afterwards.  What action, performance or behaviour will be different as a result of conducting this Company Retreat?
• People have families, and lives outside of work.  If you take people away from home, be well aware of how disruptive it can be for some people.
• Watch for liability issues.  If someone gets hurt (or otherwise injured) on your Company Retreat, are you adequately insured?  Do not minimize the potential risk.
• You need to manage perceptions.  If you take people away for a weekend golf trip, consider the impact on:
  • Participants’ spouses and families.
  • Participants themselves.  Some will simply say, “Just give me the money”.
  • Other employees.  If you only take some people away, what will the others think?
  • Clients.  It is possible your clients will perceive your Company Retreat as evidence they are paying you too much.

Properly Structuring Your Company Retreat

• Have a clear purpose
  • Desired outcomes
  • Agenda in advance
  • Pre-work required
• Be clear on what will be different afterwards
• Manage perceptions carefully
• Think very carefully about silly games, and the risks and benefits of them

3 Things to Remember

1. Meetings are expensive.  Calculate your return on investment, and think carefully about whether you should do it or not.
2. Team building doesn’t happen in a day (or a weekend).  Great performance is a result of great leadership throughout the year.  One Company Retreat will not elevate the sense of team, or performance in any significant way.
3. Manage the perceptions carefully.

Watch the ‘3-Minute Crash Course’ about Company Retreats and Offsite Meetings (CLICK THE ARROW TO START THE VIDEO):

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