Fun and easy one day company retreat ideas
Fun and easy one day company retreat ideas
BoomPop Team · 10/21/2022
Week-long team offsites may be the most popular option, but shorter events can still make an impact. Here are one day company retreat ideas that prioritize team building.
If you’re looking for a tool to foster new connections and excitement among your team, a one day team offsite may be the solution. Team offsites are invaluable for inspiring new ideas, nurturing wellbeing, and breaking up the mundane. During times such as the long, holiday-free months between New Year’s and Easter–or any long work quarter–a one day retreat can revitalize teams and actively reduce existing burnout.
Planning a successful one day company retreat means pinning down exactly what will make an impact on your team. What goals do you hope to accomplish with your team offsite? What activities does your team need to effectively reset and recharge? Knowing the answer to these questions is the key to planning an offsite that fits your team perfectly. Don’t wait – start planning at least 3-6 weeks prior to the big day so that you can reserve venues, restaurants, and special activities (think rock climbing classes or wine tasting!)
For easier planning, we’ve compiled a few of our favorite one day retreat ideas.
One day company retreat - Fun and connection
If you’re unsure of how to plan a one day offsite, begin with identifying an overarching goal to accomplish. Building new experiences as a team is an attainable goal with a huge pay off. In 2019, 77% of people surveyed by the Institute of Leadership and Management stated that building relationships with colleagues was pivotal in terms of job satisfaction.
If your team is distributed and coming together in-person for the first time, making these connections is more important than ever. Ease your team in with a catered breakfast followed by a fun team-building activity. Shape your agenda around activities that your team hasn’t done before. For the adventurous crowd, think tomahawk throwing or ziplining the Redwood forest. For those who’d prefer indoor team building, a cupcake baking class is a great way to connect while also taking care of dessert.
When it comes to creating a special dining experience, choose unique restaurants. In Greenwich Village, NY, spend the evening at Tokyo Record Bar, where you will select a vinyl playlist to compliment your seven-course tasting menu featuring sashimi, oysters, and even popcorn. Or, dine at 71 Above in Los Angeles, CA, which boasts a 360-degree view of downtown Los Angeles and the city skyline.
A lot of these suggestions work great for large teams, but if your team is on the smaller side, we’ve discussed 4 tips that will help you plan a more cozy offsite.
One day company retreat - Learning and development
A one day offsite focused on the learning and development of your team can help everyone recenter and align with purpose.
Consider researching qualified speakers that you can book for training sessions. Choose a professional familiar to your industry, or who is an expert in a more universal specialization such as mindfulness in the workplace, resilience, or communication. Better yet, bring in your own team to train others on areas specific to your company.
Ideally, this training should be hands-on to prevent lots of yawns, and last no more than three hours, so that the rest of the day can consist of discussing what you’ve learned and decompressing.
While the primary focus of this offsite is learning, it’s important to integrate fun here as well. To keep things interesting, book multiple speakers for shorter bursts of time, and fill in the gaps with competitive games or team building exercises.
There are so many different ways that teams learn, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Communicate with your team about the areas where they would like to grow and how they would like to spend their one day retreat for a unique and fulfilling experience.
One day company retreat - Rest and recharge
One day offsites allow precious moments to recharge and highlight the importance of overall wellness. Stressed team members cost companies $600 more than the average in healthcare services, adding up to over $300 billion annually. Investing in your team means investing in your company.
It’s no surprise that the venue we would suggest for a restful one day offsite is calming and serene, such as the beach or a mountain retreat. Spending time in nature has been found to improve immune function and alleviate depression. An environmentally rich offsite is also the perfect backdrop for a restful painting workshop or a calming swim in a lake.
Allow your team the comfort of a catered dinner in a private space rather than a bustling restaurant. Dining experiences can take place outside at a long, catered picnic table (who doesn’t love a barbecue?) or indoors by a roaring fire.
When creating an offsite centered around rest, you also have the chance to provide educational workshops on meditation, body awareness, and compassion. Your teams will feel better connected to themselves and form stronger bonds with each other. Carving out meaningful moments like these is the key to leaving a lasting impact on your team.
Plan your company retreat
Whether you opt for thrilling or restful, a single day offsite will make a big difference to your team’s productivity, happiness, and overall success. Talk with a BoomPop offsite expert today.
Featured resources
8 Steps for Planning Your Company Retreat
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