Now that getting together in person is an option again, it might be time for you to consider setting up a retreat for your team. Work retreats involve taking team members off site to enhance teamwork and give focused attention to business goals.
It may be hard to imagine that there’s room for pulling away from the daily demands of work to spend an extended amount of time on issues that don’t directly impact day to day operations. Frequently, however, it is the failure to work on the less urgent, but still important things, that makes the day to day grind more challenging.
There are several benefits of having a work retreat and numerous things you can do to enhance their effectiveness.
First, the benefits.
By calling a timeout on the standard work tasks of your team, you are allowing them the opportunity to adopt a broader perspective on the work they do. It’s a chance to reflect on what’s done well, what needs improvement, and how it all figures into the larger mission and vision of the organization. Just as painters must occasionally step away from the easel to see how their detailed work plays on the larger canvas, so too, should your teams be given the opportunity to step back to get a broader perspective.
Also, work retreats are generally good for strengthening relationships between team members. While we have learned to make do with virtual meetings, nothing can replace the connection that comes with meeting in person. Given the isolation and disconnect that has characterized many work relationships during the pandemic, the opportunity to interact face to face can bring renewed and much needed energy to teams.
Finally, if the agenda for your team’s retreat is strategically planned, organized, and facilitated well, members will leave feeling excited about the work that lies ahead. Everyone will be on the same page with a clear understanding of the goals and the path to meet those goals. This enhanced motivation is just what the doctor ordered for feelings of stagnation as it provides a valuable boost to morale. Retreats are particularly useful when a company is trying to make changes to its organizational culture.
Stay tuned! Next week, we will give you some pointers for making your work retreat a success.