7 Benefits of a Corporate Team Building Retreat

Corporate team building activities have been around since the 1920s. This is when Australian psychologist, Elton Mayo, discovered that employee productivity was greatest amongst employees that trusted and supported each other.

Since then, companies have been going out of their way to build strong relationships amongst their employees. This has been through informal activities like team lunches as well as formal activities led by trained facilitators and coaches. 

Lately, many companies prefer taking their team away from their office for a corporate team building retreat. The traditional team building format has become monotonous and cliché for many employees. So companies are trying out different ways to bring diverse employees together and turn them into unified, productive teams.

Read on for more information on corporate team building retreats and how they can benefit your company. 

What Is a Corporate Team Building Retreat?

A corporate team building retreat is an organized company event for employees that takes place away from the organization’s premises. Retreats are paid for and coordinated by employers as an investment to build greater team engagement and cohesiveness.

The retreat can take place over a few hours or even over several days. Some companies even organize weekend getaways for employees and their families to bond over fun activities in a serene environment. 

Companies should organize retreats at least once every quarter to help prevent employee burnout and boredom. Some employers may have a limited budget to work with but not all retreats have to be costly. Something as simple as having a corporate potluck picnic at a free park could do wonders for your employees’ morale.

For overnight retreats, you may also consider a camping retreat rather than a hotel getaway to keep costs down. But no matter your budget, going all out to spoil your employees does pay you back in many ways. Keep reading to learn 7 great reasons why you should organize a team-building retreat for your company.

1. Create a Cohesive Team

Corporate teams are a combination of many different personalities made to work together to achieve a common goal. Because each employee is an individual with desires and quirks, many conflicts occur at work. The only way these teams can achieve their set goals is if the employees learn to trust, understand and tolerate each other. 

One of the main reasons why companies pay for team building retreats is to increase teamwork and team alignment. Most clashes between colleagues happen in the workplace, so the office may be too charged to have a positive team-building event.

Employees may also be tired of seeing the same faces in the same environment, and the last thing they would want is to spend more time together for team building. But the same employees would be happy to take part in a team building activity away from the office in a fun or exotic location. 

2. Allow Yourselves to Reflect

Most top performers agree that taking some time away to reflect is one of the main reasons for their success. All the actions we take should be guided by a higher purpose or goal, so it's important to think deeply and identify one’s purpose and direction.

Taking your team away from the office to a relaxing environment may give them a chance for introspection. They may need to think about why they are doing what they do. Are they happy in their current position? Are there any changes they need to make to be happier?

Other than this, a retreat may be a great opportunity for them to review previous performance and come up with new strategies and goals. Employees will be able to have better ideas and fresh perspectives in a new environment, away from the monotony of their office. A retreat environment also allows your employees to think outside the box and formulate creative ideas.

3. Improve Staff Health and Wellness

Employee burnout is a very common occurrence in most modern companies. Once an employee gets it, their productivity drastically reduces, and they can become a danger to themselves as well as the company. Company retreat team building gives employees a chance to relax and get rid of stress.

Employees also have a chance to clear the air and sort out grievances or issues they may have been having with other staff. Employers are often unaware of how much stress their employees are under. Strained relationships with teammates, managers, or supervisors may also be taking a toll on employee mental health.

A few hours or days away from the office in a relaxing environment could do wonders for your team’s mental health. The opportunity to clear the air may also eliminate or reduce the strain some colleagues may be experiencing. 

4. Increase Employee Engagement and Productivity

Retreats are often fun events that take place in locations where employees may not voluntarily go by themselves. Perhaps the locations are off the beaten path or above the budget of employees.

So those that get the chance to go on a company retreat to a coveted location feel very lucky and valued. This can help increase their productivity, engagement, and loyalty to your company. 

5. Reward Great Performance

A team building company retreat can be a great way to recognize and reward high-performing teams. When a team exceeds its targets and increases the company’s revenue, it's only fair to share some of these profits with the people responsible. Company retreats have long been one of the best ways to show this appreciation. 

Most organizations have ebbs and flows of activity over a calendar year. The busy periods can be extremely stressful leading some people to quit. This increases the workload burden on those that are left behind. Once the busy period is over, employers should take this time to thank their hardworking employees by taking them out on a retreat.

After several months of grueling work, the last place employees want to be is in the office. So, a few days of fun in a beautiful location will help them forget the previous months of stress and hard work. After the retreat, they can come back fresh and ready to face another few months of activity.

6. Create Great Team Memories

The best team building retreats are often talked about years after the event. Many fun things can happen when a group of colleagues goes away to a fun location for a day or two.

We have all worked at a place where team members still reminisce about a colleague that got into funny mishaps while at a retreat. Or perhaps a team achieved a seemingly impossible feat that still gets talked about. All these shared memories help to build a strong team as shared experiences are part of what brings people together. 

7. Uncover Hidden Talents

The office environment puts employees into certain boxes and roles. The receptionist only answers the phone and welcomes guests. The software engineer only sits at their desk coming up with new programs.

But maybe the receptionist is a great guitar player and singer that used to be in a popular band. Or the engineer makes a great southern barbeque that will keep people's mouths watering for days. You may have never known all this if you didn’t go out on a weekend getaway with the team.

Company retreats take people out of their shells and allow them to display their hidden talents and personality traits. These talents may be skills that you need to get your company to the next level. However, it is hard to bring them out when employees are in their normal office environment.

Team Building Retreat Ideas

Now that you know the benefits of corporate team building retreats you may be wondering where to take your team. As mentioned earlier, team building retreats have become quite popular so several companies organize different types of corporate trips, team building activities, and retreats.

They range from hiking activities to beach resort hotel activities and even camping trips. Whatever retreat you choose, your employees’ safety should be a top concern. Choose low-risk locations and activities to reduce any chances of accidents.

It's also important to consult your legal team when planning any retreats to ensure that you are protected against any liabilities. 



Reap the Benefits of Corporate Team Building Retreats

After months of hard work, employees get tired and bored of their work environment. Every few months employers should break the monotony and energize their employees by taking them on a team building retreat. While a team building retreat cannot fix bad corporate management or deep employee issues, they are still a great tool for improving productivity.

Many companies have found corporate team building retreats to be very effective in reducing employee burnout and generating new strategies and ideas. Corporate retreats can also increase employee health and well-being as they help to eliminate stress. Check out more articles on our website for some great ideas on corporate team building retreats that you can organize for your employees.