Pros and Cons of Corporate Retreats + Common Mistakes
HRDQ StaffMore and more businesses now have corporate retreats because they can help their teams work together and bring some new life to the workplace culture. When you take your team away from their day-to-day routines, they can talk more openly and come up with some fresh ideas. Take note: you might need to spend a few thousand dollars on a retreat. But many businesses find that it's actually worth it for the improvement in team spirit, creativity, and teamwork that they can see afterward.
When everyone's away from the office, the job titles fade into the background for a while, which helps people connect more naturally with each other. Imagine how your team can think about the big-picture plans without the usual office distractions. Keep in mind that planning a retreat works when your company is going through some changes or dealing with hard times.
Basically, remember, don't waste your time wondering if you should have a retreat – just focus on making it helpful while avoiding mistakes that could end up costing you more time and money!
We've already covered the challenges of planning a retreat, so now, let's move on to the rewards that can influence how your team works together.
- Improves team communication skills
- Builds effective leadership abilities
- Enhances self-awareness
Table of Contents
What Are the Benefits?
Corporate retreats can offer benefits for both your team members and your business!
For starters, your employees get to connect in a laid-back environment away from their work pressures. They usually start feeling more connected with each other during these getaways. Trust tends to grow naturally when you're sharing a meal or doing a fun activity together with others.
What you'll see is that your team's job satisfaction often goes up after these getaways. They frequently return to work feeling more valued and like they matter to your company. You might see that your employees show more enthusiasm and energy toward their projects after spending some time at a retreat. One thing to note is that taking these breaks from the grind can also help prevent your team members from burning out completely.
Simply put, team communication tends to get better when people spend some relaxed time together. Coworkers who don't chat much at the office find common interests during retreat activities. You'll see that workplace teamwork can improve because of these new connections. Even those tough workplace discussions can seem less awkward after your team has shared some positive moments outside the office.
You can spark your team's creativity by taking them into a different environment. Your employees often come up with fresh ideas for standard challenges when they step away from their regular workspace. It seems that our brains basically work differently when we're in new locations. One tip is to try scheduling a retreat when you need your team to generate some innovative ideas for an upcoming project.
Your employees' health generally improves through these experiences. It helps lower their work stress levels when you give them some time to unwind and recharge. You'll see that team members come back feeling refreshed and ready to face their challenges. Businesses find that the mental health benefits make these retreats worthwhile on their own.
These getaways also help your team understand your company's bigger picture. You can use this time to explain your company goals when everyone is really paying attention, which helps align the different departments. Your teams can work together more when they can see how their individual roles fit into the bigger mission.
What Are the Drawbacks?
Corporate retreats can really add up in cost. Travel hotels and resort fees usually take a big chunk out of your company budget. You might find that this money is more useful for other things. Quick reminder: take some time to think about what you're really getting out of your investment.
Basically, planning a retreat can eat up time and energy, too. Your team members will need to step away from their regular jobs to handle the details. The planning crew often works extra hours for weeks just to make everything run. This effort can pull people away from other projects that might need their attention.
Not everyone on your team wants to spend extra time with their coworkers. Some people just like to keep their work and personal lives separate. Introverts on your team can find socializing pretty draining. When you make team-building activities mandatory, these people might feel stuck in an uncomfortable situation.
Someone always needs to stay behind to keep things running during the retreat. This setup can create some tension when people feel left out of the experience. Team members who are left at the office might develop negative feelings while watching others head off for what looks like a fun break.
The relaxed atmosphere at the retreats can sometimes cause problems you didn't expect. When alcohol shows up at dinner events, people might say or do things they wouldn't normally do at work. Office politics can become more obvious in these casual settings. Conflicts that are already present in your team might surface during the group activities.
The uplifting feelings from the retreats generally don't last very long. That team spirit tends to fade within a few days of going back to the regular grind. Your whole team might feel disappointed when the normal workday kicks in again! Keep in mind to prepare everyone for this common post-retreat energy drop.
Some of your employees will have family problems that come up during the retreats. Parents can sometimes have a hard time finding good childcare for overnight trips! Team members might also feel uncomfortable missing important events at their home. These personal anxieties can distract them from being fully involved in the retreat experience.
How Do You Plan a Successful Retreat?
When you plan a corporate retreat, you'll want to keep the whole process in mind. Start by figuring out what you hope to achieve with it. Maybe you're looking to build team relationships or develop new skills together. Whatever your goals are, they'll guide your other decisions. Once you're clear on your goals, you can set up a budget that makes sense for you. What's great is that your budget should cover everything from the venue and travel to the meals and activities.
The location that you pick matters quite a bit for your retreat's success. Look for a place that's easy for everyone to reach. Usually, it fits the feeling you want to create. Do you want to spark some creativity? A peaceful mountain lodge works wonderfully for this. Do you need a more structured training environment? In fact, you can choose a well-equipped conference center instead. Always check that your chosen venue has the right spaces and equipment for your planned activities.
Don't overpack your retreat schedule – it's a common mistake that can ruin everyone's experience. Just remember that your team needs some breathing room between the work sessions to rest and process the information. Maybe you should mix up the business discussions with some fun activities throughout the day. Make sure to leave some open time in the schedule to unwind or to connect with each other naturally. Why would you rush from one session to the next when real relationships frequently form during the downtime?
Let your team know about the retreat plans with lots of advance notice. Send out the schedule, some helpful packing suggestions, and a clear outline of what they can expect - this early communication helps everyone prepare mentally and practically for the trip ahead. You'll also find that quality pre-retreat information tends to build up anticipation and positive energy for the event.
You should choose activities that work well for your entire team. Remember that not everyone enjoys climbing up walls or hiking on trails. Try to create some options that respect the different physical abilities and personal interests within your group. Try offering some alternative activities during the adventure segments. When you plan, you show all your team members that you appreciate each of them equally.
One more thought is that you can reach out to the people who attended the previous retreats and ask them what they liked and didn't like. Their honest feedback helps you avoid repeating the same challenges. You can send out a quick survey or have a few casual conversations to gather some thoughts. Your team will like seeing their suggestions shape the next retreat experience.
Remember to follow up with everyone after they return from the retreat. The real results come when your team actually applies what they learned when they return to the office. You should plan some ways to keep the momentum going once the work routines resume. You can schedule some check-in meetings, create small accountability groups, or set up a shared document where people can track their progress on the retreat goals. How will you turn the retreat plans into some long-term workplace improvements for your team?
How Can You Lower Your Retreat Costs?
You don't need to spend a fortune on your corporate retreats! More and more businesses are now picking staycation-style gatherings instead of expensive destinations. When you stay local, you can save on travel costs while still giving your team that refreshing change of scenery they need. Just remember to actually meet at a nearby park or a famous restaurant, or even give your office a makeover with some easy decorations for a completely different feel.
Time matters more than you might think for your retreat. If you plan your retreat during off-peak seasons, you'll save money. Hotels and venues like to lower their prices when the business slows down. You'll find better deals on pretty much everything - the rooms, the meeting spaces and even the catering. The experience stays the same. But the cost doesn't hurt nearly as much.
Where you stay can affect how much you spend on your retreat. Why not rent a large vacation home instead of separate hotel rooms? You'll usually pay less per person, and your team will get to try a different setting. Everyone can cook their meals together and hang out in a place that feels like home instead of a sterile conference room – this setup naturally helps people connect in ways that traditional accommodations don't.
You'll see that food costs pile up fast during longer retreats. Take this tip: Try creating a meal rotation system where small groups take turns making the food for everyone. Will this save you money? Yes. But it also turns the cooking into a fun team-building exercise. Your team members can work together in new ways, and everyone shares some responsibility for making the retreat successful. People frequently remember these cooking sessions more fondly than the formal activities.
You don't need to hire those expensive facilitators or buy any fancy equipment for your retreat activities. Have you considered some easy options like nature hikes, board game tournaments, or DIY workshops? These can engage your team just as well as the expensive alternatives. Your own team members probably have some talents they don't get to show at work. Basically, send out an email asking who might want to lead a morning yoga session, teach a cooking technique, or share another skill. People often love to share what they're passionate about.
Transportation tends to take a big chunk of your retreat budget. You can set up some carpooling or rent a single van instead of having everyone drive separately. You'll save some money and reduce your environmental impact at the same time. The drive itself can become a helpful part of the experience, and it can give your team members extra time to talk and connect before they even arrive at the destination. Some of the best conversations happen during these shared rides.
You could be surprised to learn that shorter retreats often create better results than longer ones. When you limit your event to just one or two days, your team tends to stay energized the whole time. Nobody gets the chance to burn out or start missing their normal schedule. A tighter schedule also pushes everyone to make the most of their time together.
Build Stronger Bonds with Your Team
What you need to know is that planning a successful team retreat will take some effort from you. But you'll see some real benefits when you get it right. Your team members will connect, come up with fresh ideas, and talk more freely away from the office. Yes, these events do need time and money to set up. But you'll probably find that better communication and stronger team relationships make it all worthwhile. When you bring everyone together somewhere new, you'll create positive changes that last long after you're all back at work.
Your previous retreat experiences have probably shaped your team in ways you can see. You might have watched your quieter team members speak up during the activities or seen some good ideas come out during casual coffee breaks. Truth be told, these real connections make the planning work worth it. Team members who feel okay about sharing what they think and learning from one another are already building stronger teamwork.
You might want to think about creating some spaces where your team can grow together. If it's your first retreat (or maybe your fifteenth!), you'll want to improve how your team connects in ways they can't during their normal workdays. Ask yourself what kind of setting would help your team work well together. What could be stopping them from talking more openly? You want to create an experience that feels helpful – instead of just being there.
Believe it or not, you can learn quite a bit about your team's habits by watching how they all talk amongst one another during the retreats.
Our Interpersonal Influence Inventory shows you your natural influencing style and how it can affect your coworkers. This tool helps you figure out if you tend to be assertive, passive, or aggressive when you talk to others so you can see how others might see you. Once people understand these patterns, they can communicate much better at the retreats and back at the office!
