The Return of the Corporate Retreat

Posted by Megan Smith on Jun 10, 2021 5:11:25 PM
Megan Smith
Find me on:

As vaccination levels rise and many areas of the country begin to fully reopen, business owners may find themselves wondering: Should we have a company retreat this year?

CRR held our annual firm retreat this week, and speaking from our own experience, it was a welcome return to normalcy as well as a much-needed chance to regroup and refocus after a year unlike any other.

Although there are still health risks to consider, your employees may be excited by the idea of attending an in-person event after so many months of video calls, emails and instant messages. The challenge is planning a retreat that’s safe, productive and enjoyable.

The Planning Process: 3 Steps to Success

Step 1 - The Agenda
First, nail down your primary objectives in advance. Determine and prioritize a list of the important issues you want to address, creating a detailed agenda with ample time for each topic. Otherwise, you risk rushing through some items without adequate time for discussion and formalized action plans. This year, CRR sent out an anonymous employee survey in advance of the retreat to get candid feedback on the topics we planned to cover, and to find out what topics employees most wanted to be addressed during the event. Other agenda items to consider include guest speakers, a client or employee panel discussion, or smaller group breakout sessions.

It is also nice to include time for socializing, recreational activities or team building. Mixing business with fun keeps people energized. One way to find the right mix is to consider scheduling work sessions for the morning, and fun activities later in the day.

Step 2 - The Budget
Determining your agenda and available resources early in the planning process can help you better estimate what your costs will be. When preparing your budget, be sure to consider the cost of the event venue, travel and accommodations (if necessary), food and beverage, any audio visual equipment you will need, possible employee gifts or company-branded items you'd like to include, as well as the cost of speakers, activities and entertainment. Always expect unforeseen, last-minute expenses (like cash tips for servers or bartenders).

Step 3 - The Venue
While the hospitality industry is generally trying to rebound from the very difficult downturn it suffered because of the pandemic, the demand is also currently very high for the same reason. With weddings and corporate events on hold for the last 16+ months, event venues are already starting to book up for the summer and beyond. If you are thinking of hosting an event in 2021, you should start the venue selection process sooner than later.

When selecting a venue, consider the tone that you’d like to set for the event. Will it be formal, with high-level presentations from leadership? Technical, with educational or training sessions? More casual, with interactive discussions, break out groups, and open feedback from employees? Selecting a venue that aligns with the tone of the event can help employees manage expectations and feel more comfortable participating.

To further make employees feel at ease, you might want to focus on venues with outdoor facilities to minimize health risks. You could hold sessions mostly outdoors (weather permitting, of course) where employees can spread out a bit. CRR took that route this year, hosting all of our sessions and meals outdoors under a large tent typically utilized for weddings at our selected venue.

Reunite and Reenergize

Holding a company retreat can be a great way to reunite and reenergize your workforce after an uncertain year. As convenient and practical as video meeting technology may be, there’s nothing quite like seeing each other in person. If you have questions about the corporate retreat planning process, or how CRR executed our 2021 firm retreat, leave a comment below, I’m happy to help!

Topics: Business Advisory, Small Business