Company retreats are organized events that employers oversee and coordinate, where employees are invited to spend a few hours (or days sometimes) with their co-workers and management staff. Since these are often off-site events, they can be a way to have fun and build camaraderie in the workplace. Every day can be a bit of hustle and bustle, but getting away from that periodically, if only for a few hours, reminds employees why they began working for the company in the first place, truly putting everything back in to perspective for them.
Why Host a Corporate Retreat?
Burn-out is very common and once employees begin to feel it, it becomes difficult to steer them back on the fast-track to meeting goals and increasing productivity and efficiency on a day-to-day. It becomes a nine-to-five responsibility that employees, especially in today’s climate, aren’t looking for. Give them a reason to go to their job, and when they forget that reason, remind them with a company retreat. It has many other benefits like team building, fostering creativity, and empowering them.
These events are also the time for discussing previous goals with employees and setting new ones. A new place brings a fresh perspective, and with that employees will be better able to reach new goals and feel motivated to achieve them once back in the office.
How Often to Host Corporate Retreats?
Companies may host these organized events one to two times a year, however some find that quarterly multi-day retreats are what keeps a bright mindset in the office. It doesn’t have to be a large expense, either, depending on where you’re looking to take them and for how long. For instance, it can be a few hours at a team building camp or a couple of days at a dude ranch, spending time in the stables and the outdoors in the morning while the company allocates time in the afternoon for speakers to come out and speak on a certain topic, building more morale among the employees. Company retreats are a way to bring employees together in a mutually-beneficial setting that allows for fun and work. It’s the true work-life balance that more and more companies are working toward achieving.
Attendees are typically employees (i.e., not independent contractors), because it enables the group to mix and mingle and focus on why they’re there in the first place — to reignite their interest in their job and the company. In short, company retreats may be just what your company has been looking for, a way to bring employees together for a while and renew their passion for their jobs again.
Legal Considerations
It is important to keep in mind the legal nuances that come along with company retreats so you can limit liability and protect what matters. A local licensed employment lawyer that represents employers, like HR Legal Logistics, can help navigate those nuances for a proactive approach when planning. We are available for contact today.
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