A new business travel trend is emerging, with small remote businesses choosing retreats to meet as a team without an actual office. Many of these retreats focus on fostering connections with the team instead of entirely focusing on getting work done.
As a remote business owner, getting your team to connect outside of getting projects completed can take time and effort. So what do you do? Plan a retreat!
A retreat is a great way to get everyone together in one place so that you can bond and work on projects face-to-face. It’s also an opportunity for your team members to relax and enjoy themselves together outside of work.
The key is to encourage everyone to spend time with each other outside of their usual routine. Sedona is the perfect place to plan your small business retreat, with various team-building activities like jeep tours and horseback riding.
Gather Your Team Together
Planning your small business retreat is an opportunity to bring everyone together so you can build relationships with the people you work with daily.
A retreat is a critical time to get each team member and yourself together so you can relax, have fun, and focus on the future of your business.
It’s also an excellent opportunity to build relationships with the people you work with daily. When planning your retreat, ensure that everyone who needs to be there will be able to attend (this should include remote employees and those who live nearby). Consider travel and how the company’s budget can incorporate it.
Choose A Location for Your Small Business Retreat
When planning a business retreat, it’s crucial to consider the location. It should be a location that your team is excited to visit. You want to choose a place that will allow everyone on your team to get away (and relax) together. It should also be a place that won’t cost too much for every team member to come with you.
The Sanctuary at Sacred Mesa has plenty of options for small business retreats. The location offers a variety of rooms and plenty of common areas for your team to come together and still have the personal space to keep everyone comfortable.
Create an Itinerary for Your Small Business Retreat
If you bring everyone together, it’s essential to ensure you have an itinerary that addresses everything you’d like to accomplish. Here are the steps to create a schedule for your retreat.
Step 1: Identify Your Goals for the Retreat
What do you want to accomplish during your time together? Do you want to allow your team to learn more about each other? Do you want them to develop a plan for improving processes or operations within your company? Do you want them to brainstorm new ideas for products or services? Whatever it is, take some time to write down those goals. You can use words like “increase employee engagement” or “discover opportunities for cross-pollination” if that’s helpful.
Step 2: Set Up a Schedule for Each Day of the Retreat
Now that you know what you want from this retreat, it’s time to start planning exactly what it will look like. For example: if one of your goals is “increase employee engagement,” then maybe you manage employee engagement by planning activities that organically encourage conversations and shared experiences.
Step 3: Incorporate Training and Communication
Even if the goal of your retreat is as simple as increasing employee engagement, having everyone in person is a fantastic opportunity to incorporate training. It improves how your employees engage with whatever content is presented and how they interact.
Your small business retreat itinerary should include a few hours explicitly dedicated to training. This is where you can take advantage of the fact that all of your employees are present and get real business done.
Step 4: Add Some Inspiration
Make something inspiring out of your business retreat. You know that your team is full of talented and creative people. Now’s the time to bring that creativity to life. Whether you’re taking a spontaneous trip to the top of Devil’s Bridge, exploring Sedona, Arizona, or simply enjoying some downtime in nature with your colleagues and friends, this retreat is your chance to make something fun happen that will leave everyone feeling energized and motivated.
A guest speaker (in-person or virtual) can be a great way to inspire your employees, and it’s good for them, too. Having someone who has achieved success in their field can help them realize what they’re capable of and give them valuable advice on how to achieve their goals.
Step 5: Schedule Unscheduled Time
While you need to be prepared, you don’t want to overwhelm your team with too many activities. Every moment of corporate retreats doesn’t have to be planned, and your team will likely need time to rest and reset.
And don’t worry about making sure it’s perfect: there are plenty of opportunities for people to talk and relax. You want everyone to have fun and get to know each other, but if it feels like the retreat is more work than play, people will feel stressed out and tired instead of rejuvenated and ready for the next phase of growth for your company.
Host Your Small Business Retreat in Sedona, Arizona
The Sanctuary at Sacred Mesa is the perfect place to bring your team together and have a small business retreat. With a beautiful landscape and private yet spacious accommodations, you’ll be able to focus on team building and bonding while enjoying yourselves.
We know how difficult it can be to find the time and money to plan a retreat for your small business, but it’s worth it! A corporate retreat is a great way to encourage team bonding, come up with new ideas for products or services, recharge their batteries and get ready for what’s next in this exciting journey called entrepreneurship.
Reserve the Sanctuary at Sacred Mesa in Sedona, Arizona, for the most beautiful company retreats.