How to Craft a Team Retreat for Productivity and Connection
The impact of our environment on our productivity and well-being cannot be overstated. A cluttered space often translates to a cluttered mind, hindering our ability to give our best each day. It sounds like an exaggeration, but it’s true! Recognizing the importance of disconnecting from our daily workspaces, the PeopleForward Network team recently returned from our second annual retreat, an experience that not only rejuvenated us but also helped to strengthen our team bond.
One of the key elements of our retreat each year is immersing ourselves in nature (we have created the tradition of renting a cabin in the woods!). Breaking free from the monotony of our regular workspaces and computer screens, surrounded by fresh air and the quiet of nature serves as a catalyst for a refresh and mental reset. We were able to really embrace the face-to-face interaction that we rarely get as a completely remote team. Don’t get me wrong, we LOVE our remote work and our team thrives that way, but there is so much genuine connection that just can’t be replicated on a Zoom call.
We spent time learning from each other, better getting to know one another and ourselves (shout out to the Clifton Strengths and Why.os assessments!) and just having a great experience getting some well-deserved downtime as a team. Each of us gained deeper insights into each others’ strengths, motivations and purpose. It’s a real eye-opener when you finally understand why you do things the way you do!
Because we believe so thoroughly in the importance of an annual team retreat, we wanted to share our retreat agenda as a sample for you to create your own rejuvenating experience. Take a peek below!
The Why:
- Bonding/Relationship Building
- Learning from Each Other
- Sharpening Ourselves
- Discussing Priority Business Topics Without Time Constraints
- Getting Away from the Everyday…be in Nature
The Agenda
Day 1:
- 11 AM – Arrival, get settled
- Noon-2 Lunch + Discussion
- 2-2:15 BREAK
- 3-4:15 2024 Goals + Opportunities to Improve
- Love/Hate – Good/Bad Exercise
- All team members add to our list of challenges/problems to solve
- Review 2024 Goals + Discuss
- 4:15-4:30 MOVEMENT BREAK
- 4:30-5:15 Brainstorm our BOLD Manny initiative to launch this quarter
- 5:15 Debrief the day, prep food, eat/drink, and have fun!
- Dinner
- Pamper Ourselves- Spa Session
- Thought-Provoking Questions for Great Discussions
- Hang out and enjoy our company/the cabin…a.k.a. just have FUN!
- Favorite Movie/Character Exercise
Day 2:
Do as you wish with your morning until….
- 7:30-8 Optional Prayer Clock Session
- 8-8:30 Optional Move Our Bodies (hike, stretch, etc.)
- 8:30 Breakfast & Team Member Teachings
- Life Wheel + Morning Routine
- Crafting Emails That Get Responses
- 9:45 BREAK
- 10-1 High Vibe Tribe Experience
- 1-2 Lunch & High Vibe Tribe Reflection
- 2-2:30 Health Chat
- 2:40-3 BREAK
- 3-3:45-4:30 Team Member Teachings
- Learn About Impact Filters
- Team Ai Discussion
- 4:30 BREAK
- 5:30 Dinner – Vietnamese Yummy-ness & Celebrating Team Member
Day 3:
Do as you wish with your morning until….
- 8-8:30 Optional Yoga
- 8:30-10 Team Discussion
- How We Collaborate to Help Each Other
- Optimizing Monday.com and Slack
- 10-12 Brunch
- Brunch Chat: Full client overview (helping all of us understand our client workload) + Further discussion on the problems we want to solve
- Noon Dismissal – there is no hard check-out time, you leave when you want to leave
