Corporate Retreats: Reconnect and relax to initiate innovation

Gone are the days of soggy sandwich trays and forced fun; corporate retreats in a post-pandemic world can look and feel a lot different to the traditional strict itineraries set in a stale conference centre. 

At Beechmont Estate our corporate retreat experience can bolster mindfulness, genuinely relax your team and put them in a space that’s purpose built for creativity, clear thinking and productivity.

If you’re considering getting the team together, perhaps for the first time in months, consider doing it away from the office for a unique and productive experience. 

Here’s five reasons why:

The workforce is more split than ever before

In a remote working world teams are working independently more than ever. You may have multiple offices in multiple cities, you support remote and flexible working, or lockdown after lockdown has forced you to send your workforce remote.  

These unexpected times have meant that more often than not, face-to-face meetings are strictly organised rather than happening as part of the day, and water cooler conversations are a thing of the past. 

Bringing together the whole team means you can facilitate and initiate in-person relationship building, in a relaxed setting. We’ve been collaborating as teams through screens across the world for months now, but what would happen if you set your team a challenge to overcome across the days of the retreat? Ask us about workshops we can organise and see how collaborating in real life can lead to more increased productivity on-line in the future

Make newbies feel like part of the family

On-boarding new staff looks different these days, sometimes your HR department isn’t even in the same state you’re working in. While some companies have gone to extreme lengths to ensure staff are welcomed and feel like part of a family, it’s difficult to show culture online and make connections like you would in an office. 

A corporate retreat can be a great way to induct new staff into the company’s world. This rings true for companies big and small – a simple good morning or hello in a corridor can be critical to feeling part of the company. At the Estate we can help you plan an induction session to make sure your new staff members are welcomed to the team.

The value of team bonding

Some things never change – and the importance of team building and bonding is one of those. But this doesn’t have to be lame, or have a forced connection to work either. 

Make your corporate retreat an opportunity to recognise employees across the board – introduce the Payroll Officer to the Chief Financial Officer, or encourage managers to sit down with the People and Culture team to truly understand the company’s state of play. 

Our corporate retreats give people plenty of opportunity to chat in a relaxed setting – no name tags or speed-networking; at Beechmont Estate we want to provide good food and drinks in a comfortable environment where people can build relationships by sharing the sunset view over our paddocks or bonding over a book review by the fire in the lounge. 

Having a corporate retreat can break down the siloed communication in a company through the very simple act of bringing everyone together.  While this sounds traditional – you’ll find that the biggest bonds are made through activities. 

This definitely doesn’t need to be a trust exercise or a ropes course (but we know a good one, should you be that way inclined) – at the Estate and in Beechmont there are activities to suit every taste and style. We’re talking hiking, horse riding and polo for the more active, or cooking lessons, yoga and spa treatments for those seeking relaxation. There’s nothing to say you can’t mix both either – just tell us your preferences and we’ll do the rest. 

A long lasting effect

Showing employees that you care enough to plan a corporate retreat will have lasting effects. In the lead up the anticipation of the trip will trigger increased motivation – it’s a talking point, and something to be excited about – this in itself markets your company as one that cares about its employees’ mental health and productivity.

Similarly following the trip, the energy and excitement of lessons learnt and strategies created will resonate with employees back in their day jobs. You’ll find people reflecting on memories and referencing actions all thanks to the organised retreat. 

Is the burden really worth it?

Key to ensuring the success of a corporate retreat is not skimping on the organising or details. We recommend you appoint one person to be event manager and handle all of the details. 

At Beechmont Estate we can take the leg work out of organising the finer details for you. We’ll tailor your group’s itinerary to what you want and need – from food, to activities and meeting spaces – once we know your dates and your numbers, leave the details to us.

Find out more about our corporate retreats or book a private tour.