7 Benefits of Offsite Corporate Events

After a long year of not getting together, many companies are looking for ways to boost morale and cement ties between employees. Offsite celebrations, family picnics, corporate retreats, and leadership planning sessions offer many terrific opportunities for teams to do just that.

Getting away from the desk and outside the city can mean big things for your employees and your bottom line. Today, we’re sharing seven positive impacts that hosting an offsite event or team-building activity can have on your company and your team.

No. 1:  Increased employee engagement.

One reason that people quit and leave companies is not feeling connected to the people they work with or the job they're doing. An offsite event provides opportunities outside the office to learn more about employees’ passions, skills, and interests. They help you tap into team members’ intrinsic motivations, leverage what they’re great at, and help you mentor individuals in more meaningful ways - all of which increase engagement.  

An offsite team event allows your team to connect with people they don’t work with regularly. There you can increase engagement by sharing company goals and mission, conducting team building activities, or facilitating brainstorming sessions to solve issues for your company or customers. These kinds of sessions spark creativity and uncover ideas while giving your team members the chance to be a part of your company’s vision and goals, key drivers of employee engagement.  

No. 2: Gain more perspective. 

As a busy leader, you’re often pulled in many different directions, addressing emergencies and putting out fires. That constant state of urgency can make it difficult for you to step back and consider how to scale, grow, or improve your business at a hight level. Offsite management retreats and meetings allow leaders to separate from the distractions of daily operations to gain clarity and develop new products or outline plans for growth. 

It's a good idea to take time away at least once a year. However, many business coaching firms advise leadership teams to get together offsite quarterly to work through your business’ quarterly review and plan goals and initiatives for the next quarter. 

For a one-day meeting, you might choose to meet outside in an open-air meeting space, or overlooking the lake in a private, climate-controlled meeting space. Have meals and breaks waterside and take in peaceful, beautiful surroundings that can help reduce stress and help you gain perspective. 

Lakeside retreats can allow your leadership team to get away and work together while making space for relaxation. Better than a hotel, rentable lake villas and cottages offer you more comfortable accommodations for teams or families and give you ample space and opportunity for work and recreation. Community and private fire pits, picnic areas, patio grills, and lakefront property can help take all the stress out of a work retreat. Rentable boats, golf packages, kayaks, and paddleboards also give you plenty to do together in your off time as part of the experience. 

No. 3: Celebrate team success.

“A person who feels appreciated will always do more than expected.” This anonymous quote speaks volumes about the benefits of showing your team appreciation for all their hard work. Your team has likely overcome many challenges this last year, and that success deserves celebration. 

Team celebrations can show your team how much you care and appreciate their efforts. Some ideas include:

• An informal, family-friendly daytime event on a weekday or weekend with food and drinks, outdoor games, and lake cruises
• A lively nighttime shindig with a DJ or live band, including a high energy awards ceremony, dinner, and dancing

No. 4: Increase employee retention.

It’s hard to keep good people in today’s labor market and you need every advantage. Getting offsite with your team allows you to show the personal side of your leadership team, give recognition, and importantly, get to know the people who work with you. Learning about your fellow team members outside of work can help you develop and demonstrate empathy for them when they need it most, helping you become a better leader who drives loyalty. 

No. 5: Build a strong working environment. 

Team building events aren’t just for getting to know each other. They also help team members learn how to communicate better to solve challenges and build trust.

In Patrick Lencioni’s book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Lencioni outlines how a team can only perform at its best when they have:

• A firm foundation of trust
• The ability to engage in healthy conflict
• Solid team commitment
• Accountability
• A focus on results

Intentional work in this area with a few meaningful team-building activities, coupled with downtime, food, and fun, gives you the makings of a better-performing team that wants to work together. 

No. 6: Boost productivity. 

Getting outdoors and away from the office for an afternoon (or a week) can do wonders for team productivity. For starters, you minimize distractions for the participants during the event, resulting in a more productive session. But also, cutting loose and having fun together outside work helps teams build common ground. 

When back at the office, that common ground can result in unity, allowing the team to work more openly in the same direction. This cohesion leads to reaching decisions and solutions faster, which is a win for everyone. 

Book your next corporate event at Twin Creeks.

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A lakeside meeting or retreat can be a great way to achieve all of the benefits without stressing you out or costing an arm and a leg. Our dedicated corporate event specialists can help you plan the food, fun, and activities that combine to build the perfect event for your group. Contact us today to get started.