There’s more to work than working … right? Team building and strategic breaks are a part of the creative and productive process, and planning a team offsite can be a great way to spur creativity. Bring your team to an out-of-office destination to enjoy some time together and crack open some broader ideas than the day-to-day workload usually allows.
Here’s how to plan a team offsite along with tips to get the most benefit from your meeting.
What Is a Team Offsite?
A team offsite is a meeting away from the office that focuses on big-picture strategy and interpersonal connection. Offsite meetings can help foster better working relationships as teams take time to regroup and refocus on the goals and missions at the core of work projects.
Team offsites often involve fun leisure activities. These could include a group hike or a night away with the team to refresh.
Benefits of Team Offsite Activities
The value of a corporate offsite is clear as soon as you arrive and see your team shake it up and collaborate in new and creative ways. Rejuvenation is a key part of an offsite team meeting, especially for high-impact teams that are always putting in long hours.
Make it a goal to see the following kinds of benefits during your team offsite:
- Coworkers who usually don’t work alongside each other getting to connect and share information
- Regrouping to focus on your original mission or goals
- Brainstorming for the future and setting long-term goals
- Room for creativity and sharing big ideas that may not get discussed during the day-to-day grind
- Relaxation that will lead to fresh eyes on projects once back in the office
Team Offsite Planning: Tips With Do’s and Don’ts
Team offsite planning can be overwhelming, so it’s a good idea to look at some do’s and don’ts from experienced experts. Consider these important suggestions during the planning stage to get the most out of your offsite ideas [Placeholder URL].
Do’s:
√ Define clear objectives for the offsite: Why are you holding an offsite? What do you hope to achieve? Clear objectives make the most of the cost and time invested.
√ Gather input from team members before planning: Team members may have unique views about what should be addressed at an offsite, so see what they have to say during the planning stage.
√ Set a purposeful agenda for the event: Even though a big part of the offsite is the chance for less formal interaction, set a purposeful agenda to add a bit of structure to the meeting.
√ Choose the right venue for team dynamics: Choosing a location away from the office can help bring new perspectives, but you still need a space that’s conducive to team dynamics. Find the right space with breakout rooms, technology solutions, and fun perks like snacks to make your meeting comfortable and productive.
√ Select an experienced facilitator to guide discussions: You may want to work with an outside party to help tailor discussion plans. Facilitation can assist you in cutting through the small talk to get to the deep issues your team may face.
√ Manage logistics of travel and accommodations: If your team must travel a distance to the offsite, find ways to coordinate group travel. This is another area where you may need to tap an experienced facilitator or business travel agent to help with the planning.
√ Communicate pre-event details with participants: A quick agenda via email to your team can help manage expectations and provide details for participants before the offsite.
√ Create a mix of business discussions and team-building activities: Offsites are ideal for balancing business with pleasure. While you may spend the morning reviewing yearly data trends and sales projections, follow it up with something like team-building guided yoga. This bonus time for informal team leisure is what will bring rejuvenation to colleagues.
√ Schedule time for informal networking opportunities: Even colleagues working on the same project may not get a lot of crossover in their roles. But getting to know each other and alternative perspectives can help team cohesion.
Don’ts:
∅ Pick random activities and icebreakers: Instead, design activities that promote collaboration and creativity.
∅ Forget to plan for breaks: Offsites can be intensive and you want to keep everyone’s energy levels up. Strategic breaks can bring some leisure into your offsite.
∅ Wait to check out tech when you get there: Instead, ensure that the proper technology and equipment are in place before you head to the offsite so there are no frustrating delays with presentations or a lack of access to digital materials.
∅ Let meetings be unstructured: From the outset, establish ground rules for discussions and participation. This helps make sure contributions are more valuable and that everyone understands the expectations for their participation.
∅ Forget to take notes: Document key takeaways during the offsite so you can implement these back at the office.
∅ Fail to develop a follow-up plan for accountability: You may reach great conclusions and make plans for new actions during your offsite. But unless you can enforce a plan for accountability, there’s a chance a lot of your work won’t carry back into the office.
∅ Be afraid to ask how it went: Solicit feedback from participants for improvement, especially if this was your team’s first offsite. Find out what went well this time and what could be better next time.
Find the Perfect Venue for Your Offsite Team Activities
Planning a team offsite can be labor intensive, so take some of the burden off your hands when you work with Industrious. Our meeting rooms and coworking spaces are stocked with the tools you need to lead both the fun and the functional parts of an offsite meeting. Located across multiple popular cities, Industrious spaces give you easy access to overnight accommodations, entertainment locales, and event spaces to provide a well-rounded offsite experience.
Book a meeting room today at your preferred Industrious location. With experienced partners taking care of the location, you can concentrate on offsite experiences and bring the best benefits to your teammates.