Corporate retreats have always offered an opportunity to bring people together away from their usual working environment. But the expectations surrounding them have changed considerably, particularly when people are being asked to step away from busy schedules, travel and spend several days with colleagues or business partners.
At BEM, we work across a variety of corporate retreats and offsite experiences, from leadership gatherings and incentive trips to hosted experiences designed around relationships and shared interests. While the reasons for bringing people together differ, there is a growing appreciation for the quality of the time spent together, rather than simply how much can be fitted into the programme.
A beautiful destination and an impressive hotel will always have their appeal. Increasingly, though, the character of the experience matters just as much as the setting.
A change of scenery should feel like a change of pace
One of the attractions of a corporate retreat is the opportunity to spend time somewhere different. Whether that means a countryside hotel, a mountain resort or a destination abroad, being away from the office can create space for conversations and experiences that don't always happen during the working week.
But a change of location doesn't automatically create a different experience.
A retreat that follows the same pace as an ordinary working day, with back-to-back sessions and little opportunity to enjoy the surroundings, can leave guests wondering why they travelled in the first place.
There are occasions when a full working programme is entirely appropriate, particularly for leadership teams making important decisions. Equally, some of the most valuable conversations can happen over dinner, during a shared activity or while enjoying a destination together.
The surroundings become more meaningful when guests have the opportunity to experience them, rather than simply look at them through a meeting room window.
Hospitality has become part of the experience
Corporate hospitality has evolved beyond impressive venues and formal dining, and that shift is particularly noticeable when people spend several days together.
A retreat offers opportunities for hospitality to feel more personal. A relaxed lunch overlooking the mountains, a private dinner in a local restaurant or an afternoon exploring somewhere new can become just as memorable as the main programme.
There is something particularly enjoyable about experiences that reflect the destination. Guests might have travelled somewhere they have never visited before, and the opportunity to discover its food, culture or surroundings gives the trip a character that couldn't easily be recreated elsewhere.
At BEM, we appreciate how much these experiences can contribute to the overall atmosphere of a retreat. They provide a different setting for people to get to know one another, particularly when professional relationships have previously been limited to meetings, emails or video calls.
Good hospitality also gives guests room to enjoy themselves without feeling that every moment needs to be structured around a business objective.
Different people enjoy retreats differently
One of the interesting things about corporate retreats is the variety of personalities brought together.
Some guests will be excited by outdoor activities, new experiences and a busy social programme. Others might be looking forward to a slower pace, good food and the opportunity to spend time with colleagues they rarely see in person.
A ski retreat illustrates this particularly well. For some, the highlight is being on the mountain all day. For others, the appeal might be the alpine setting, mountain hospitality and the social experiences surrounding the skiing.
Neither guest is necessarily enjoying the retreat more than the other.
The same applies to leadership offsites, incentive experiences and company retreats. People arrive with different interests, energy levels and expectations, and those differences influence how they experience the time away.
A memorable retreat creates an atmosphere where people feel comfortable enjoying the occasion in their own way, while still sharing enough of the experience to feel part of the group.
The value of time spent together
Corporate retreats are often described in terms of their objectives: strengthening relationships, rewarding performance, developing ideas or bringing teams closer together.
Those are all valid reasons for investing in time away, but the benefits are not always confined to the formal programme.
A conversation over breakfast might give colleagues a better understanding of one another's work. An afternoon activity can introduce a completely different dynamic between people who usually interact in a professional setting. A relaxed dinner might provide the opportunity for a relationship to develop beyond the occasional meeting.
These moments are difficult to measure individually, but they contribute to how people feel about the experience and the relationships they take back into their working lives.
That is particularly relevant for organisations whose people work across different offices, countries or teams and don't regularly have the opportunity to spend time together.
A retreat worth making time for
As expectations continue to evolve, corporate retreats have an opportunity to become more distinctive, with greater consideration given to the people attending and what they will genuinely enjoy.
There will always be a place for ambitious destinations, exceptional hotels and exciting activities. Equally, a thoughtfully hosted retreat in a more understated setting can create an experience that feels every bit as special.
The appeal lies in the combination of the destination, the hospitality, the people and the time they have together.
For organisations investing in bringing people away from their everyday environment, that time is valuable. A successful corporate retreat should leave guests feeling that the experience was worth making room for in their schedules, with memories and relationships that continue well beyond the trip itself.