How to get the most out of your next staff retreat
Retreats or getaways are an ideal way to get staff together in a relaxed and informal setting so that they'll feel good about each other and work together more effectively. Retreats are an excellent strategy for empowering staff and having them work together productively as colleagues. But this cooperation will only occur if careful attention is paid to organising the experience. So the following suggestions are offered...
1. Be convinced that a retreat is the answer.
An away-from-work retreat can provide a rewarding experience for staff in several ways:
- Longer blocks of time are available for in-depth discussions and problem-solving activities.
- The relaxed environment, with a minimum of disruption, fosters high responsiveness and involvement.
- Since status and authority roles are minimised, communication channels free up and problems are addressed on a more co-equal basis.
- Flexibility and creativity are more likely in this environment as a result of traditional organisational patterns and values being waived.
- The experience itself becomes the catalyst for individual and group commitment to action after the retreat.
In summary, a retreat is an ideal experience for team-building (the setting gets people feeling good about each other) and problem-solving (uninterrupted time allows work issues to receive focused attention).
2. Select an appropriate time.
Almost any time is a good time for a retreat - an evening, a weekend, a long weekend. What is more important, however, is to know why you're getting out of the workplace environment - to become reacquainted as a staff, to grapple with a knotty work-related problem or two, to undertake specific training, and so on.
3. Select an appropriate location.
Venue selection is usually related to budget. Consider your needs in terms of participants, working areas, meals, recreational facilities, accommodation, travel, and your ability to finance the event. The location can range from an evening at a staff member's home to a week at a luxury hotel. In deciding, consider the facilities available from a variety of providers - universities, government, conference centres, local hotels, or religious institutions. Staff members may even make their homes or holiday houses available. Talk with colleagues who have been to retreats.
