How to Plan a Successful Company Retreat

Most companies know that an off-site company retreat can be a great moral booster and help employees focus on team-building and goal setting. However, in today's still shaky economy, businesses also want to make sure that company retreats are both productive and fiscally responsible.

Instead of whisking employees to expensive resorts or expensive weekend-long gatherings, more companies are keeping their retreats close to home, opting for local venues that don't require extensive travel or overnight stays.

According to Jean Hoesing, general manager of the Ramada Sioux Falls, more area businesses are booking local conference facilities for corporate retreats, usually for a day or two. The Sioux Falls hotel's proximity to the Interstate, state-of-the-art conference facilities and catering services have made the Ramada a popular venue for business retreats. But once a venue has been decided on, there are still plenty of other decisions to make, including:

• Goals: Determine clear goals for the retreat, and communicate them to attendees ahead of time. If employees understand the purpose of the session, they can arrive prepared and ready to tackle the issues.
• Agenda: While most experts recommend aiming for 80 percent work and 20 percent play at corporate retreats, an agenda gives attendees a better of idea of what needs to be accomplished. Plan the most work-heavy activities mid-morning, when brains are sharpest, and mix in breaks between activities. Make sure attendees know the schedule is only tentative, to keep from stifling productive conversation or idea flow.
• Facilitator: It may seem natural to delegate the facilitator role to the company president, but this may make attendees uncomfortable expressing their ideas openly. Instead, choose a respected but relatable figure within the company to lead discussion.
• Team-Building Exercises: When performed just for the sake of doing them, team-building exercises can be a huge waste of time. If you must incorporate them, be sure the activity has a point, and a take-away that relates to employees' day-to-day work.
• Guest Speakers: Consider inviting someone in the industry to give a guest presentation or sit in on a brainstorming session. An outsider may be able to lend a new perspective to the discussion, sparking new ideas and helping to generate enthusiasm.

And finally, when the retreat is over, be sure to send a full recap and action plan to attendees - and other employees who stayed behind to hold down the fort. To be a truly successful event, employees must leave feeling that progress has been made and there is a clear set of steps to move forward. Summarizing these plans will help all employees see the value in your off-site corporate retreat.

The Ramada Sioux Falls is a premier South Dakota hotel offering standard guest rooms and spacious suites for both family and business travel.