The key to the perfect corporate retreat is careful planning and clear communication. A successful retreat can lead to amazing strides in your company culture, morale, and even in cross-team collaboration. Read through our step-by-step guide to make your work retreat planning process easier!
1: DETERMINE THE GOAL
As part of the planning process for your work retreat, determine the purpose of the retreat and what you would like your team or company to achieve as a result of it. Perhaps you’d like for your team members to get to know each other better, or maybe the retreat is an opportunity to bring together traditionally siloed teams so that they can inspire one another and further collaborate once they’re back in the office. Whatever your mission, communicate the end goal with your business partners early on and this will help guide the following decisions.
2: CREATE THE GUEST LIST
After you’ve determined the purpose of the retreat, begin to create the guest list. Determine if there are additional teams that are suited to join and if there are potential collaborations that could ignite if certain teams were introduced. Who will be the retreat facilitator? Who in your company is best suited to conduct a keynote? Is there an executive that many of your team members feel unfamiliar with whom you may want to include? If there is an outside speaker in mind, contact them early on in the process to determine their availability and pricing.
3: SELECT A DATE AND VENUE
Now that your goal and guest list are finalized, it’s time to select a date and venue. If you’re working with an outside speaker, highlight their availability and compare it against the company’s typical process flow. For example, if the end of the quarter is typically busy for your sales teams, see if the speaker is available near the beginning of a business quarter. If your team is small and agile, you can use tools like Doodle or take a poll to find a date range that is best suited for everyone. If finding an open date for everyone won’t be much of an issue, you can start by picking a venue rather than a date. Common questions you might ask about the potential corporate retreat venue include:
- Will the venue accommodate my entire team? If the team splits into more than one group for separate activities, can the venue accommodate smaller rooms?
- Are the accommodations adequate in availability? What are the food options available on or near the location?
- What activities and scenery are close to the venue?
- What is the weather like during the time of year we plan to visit?
- How far is the venue from the workplace? Is there easy transportation to and from the office? Is there ample parking for my team?
- Is the venue transparent about their costs for accommodations, food, audio/video equipment, and so on?
At Spirit Mountain Casino, we make planning for a corporate retreat incredibly easy. Our conference facilities sales kit has all the information you need on our comfortable accommodations, decadent menu items, A/V equipment rentals, transportation, and so on. Grand Ronde, Oregon is adjacent to larger cities that have plenty of activities for your team too, such as nearby museums and parks, golf courses, and numerous specialty wineries. In our casino, you’ll find some of the trendiest slot games; table games favorites like blackjack, roulette, craps, Let it Ride and Pai Gow; a state-of-the-art poker room; plus Keno! The options for team-building activities and fun group outings are endless at Spirit Mountain Casino.
4: CREATE AN AGENDA
Making the agenda for your corporate retreat is where a lot of the fun will come in: what sessions will be available? Who will speak at these sessions? Which team-building activities will you employ? Where will they be hosted? Once you’ve nailed down the potential tasks, narrow them down further by selecting which ones best suit the objective of the retreat. After that, schedule everything: events, meals, travel time, etc. This can be easily done through tools like Google Calendar or even with pen and paper! One tip: ensure you’re leaving room for downtime! You don’t want to wear out your team or not give them the opportunity to explore the new environment.
5: FINALIZE THE MENU
Once the agenda is ready, you’ll have a better idea of what meals will happen where: in the venue vs. at another location. You’ll also want to consider dietary restrictions, religious restrictions, general preferences, and allergies. Common dietary preferences include gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, nut-free, soy-free, egg-free, and shellfish-free. You can conduct an intake via a poll or work with your food vendor to ensure there are options for every type of diet.
At Spirit Mountain Casino, we make it easy to cater to numerous dietary preferences and lifestyles. Our new multi-outlet food service area has multiple, exciting options your company can choose from. Whether it’s boxed or plated, we make it easy to satisfy the needs of your team! Have lunch on the go at a nearby park or sit down and enjoy a fabulous dinner from our award-winning chefs. Browse our catering menu today to get an idea of how flexible our menu options truly are!
6: COMMUNICATE FREQUENTLY
Now that everything is tied up, be sure to communicate with your team often. The event invites should go out immediately upon the selection of the venue and date, and a calendar invite should follow. In your communications to your team, including the expectations set for the trip, possible discussion topics, what to pack, and how transportation will be managed. Once menus and keynote speakers are set in stone, send out teasers to get your team excited for the upcoming trip! In all your communications, be detailed, positive, and apt to respond quickly! This way, your company retreat planning process will be smooth sailing.
For a no-brainer venue choice, check out Spirit Mountain Casino in Grand Ronde, Oregon. Our casino features top-notch restaurants, bars, and plenty of nearby attractions. Learn more about our conference facilities today or contact us at GroupSales@spiritmtn.com if you have any questions.
