How to plan a successful corporate retirement
Most companies know that an off-site company retreat can be a great morale boost and help employees focus on team building and goal setting. However, in today’s still unstable economy, companies also want to ensure that company withdrawals are productive and fiscally responsible.
Rather than taking employees to expensive resorts or expensive weekend gatherings, more companies are keeping their retreats close to home, opting for local venues that don’t require extensive travel or overnight stays.
According to Jean Hoesing, general manager of the Ramada Sioux Falls, more businesses in the area are reserving local conference facilities for corporate retreats, usually for a day or two. The Sioux Falls hotel’s proximity to the interstate, state-of-the-art conference facilities, and catering services have made the Ramada a popular location for business retreats. But once a venue has been decided, there are still many other decisions to make, including:
- Goals: Set clear goals for the retreat and communicate them to attendees in advance. If employees understand the purpose of the session, they can arrive prepared and ready to address issues.
- Schedule: While most experts recommend targeting 80 percent for work and 20 percent for play at corporate retreats, an agenda gives attendees a better idea of what needs to be accomplished. Plan your most intense activities for work in the middle of the morning, when your brain is at its highest, and mix breaks between activities. Make sure attendees know that the schedule is just an attempt, to avoid stifling productive conversation or the flow of ideas.
- Facilitator: It may seem natural to delegate the facilitator role to the president of the company, but this can make attendees uncomfortable expressing their ideas openly. Instead, choose a respected but relatable figure within the company to lead the discussion.
- Team building exercises: When done just for the sake of doing them, team building exercises can be a huge waste of time. If you must incorporate them, make sure the activity has a point and a conclusion that relates to the daily work of the employees.
- Guest speakers: Consider inviting someone from the industry to make a guest presentation or participate in a brainstorming session. An outsider can bring new perspective to the discussion, generate new ideas, and help generate excitement.
And finally, when the retreat is over, be sure to send a full summary and action plan to attendees and other employees who stayed behind to keep the fort. To be a truly successful event, employees must leave the feeling that progress has been made and that there is a clear set of steps to move forward. Summarizing these plans will help all employees see the value of their off-site corporate retirement.
