The “Rebirth” of the Corporate Retreat

The world has changed just a bit in the past few years, to say the least. Despite all of these changes, one thing remains true for the majority of us: we still have to work.

As the world pushes to adjust towards a new state of “normalcy” in both the home and office, old challenges still remain. How can you keep a tired work staff motivated? How can you better integrate new staff into your corporate culture? And how can we get all of these parts moving together at a speed that’s good for business and employees alike?

It may sound a bit bold, but perhaps its time to look a corporate getaways and off-site meetings as a great stepping stone for progress.

A recent McKinsey report entitled, “The Comeback of Corporate Travel: How Should Companies be Planning,” notes that 72% of executives report that their companies have started to adopt permanent remote-working arrangements for at least some of their employees. Furthermore, about 70% of executives said that their companies will employ more temporary workers than they did pre-pandemic. Almost 40% of the United States workforce now has the opportunity to work from anywhere.

In reading these statistics, it comes as no surprise that many companies are happy to accommodate their workers while eagerly relinquishing their office space and in turn not having to pay the large overhead required to maintain in-person space. At the same time, employees are relishing in the freedoms of not battling a morning and evening commute, rolling out of bed and working in the comfort of their pajamas, and having more flexibility in their work times, among other benefits. Companies still recognize the importance of live, in-person, face-to-face meetings. Given the ever-growing number of remote workers, however, they’ve been forced to assess the challenge of creating connection and relationships among colleagues when they are not in one physical location together. Herein lies a great opportunity for rebirth of the corporate retreat.

In the Axios article, “Corporate Retreats are Now a Must,” founder and president of Aperio Consulting Group, Kerry Goyette, explains, “After over a year of working from home and not having these tiny little social interactions, people are starting to feel a crisis of belonging. If companies can get together even for a half-day retreat or a weekend upstate, those moments of physical colocation are like rocket fuel to the process of creating trust and a sense of belonging.”

A number of new companies have popped up in recent years in response to the growing demand for booking corporate retreats. Take, for instance, NextRetreat which states on it’s website, “Even remote teams always reach peak performance when they come together. Team spirit goes up, productivity skyrockets, creative juices are flowing, team motivation is on the rise and communication is as fluent as ever. Add a beautiful sunny location to the mix, top it up with work-ready, team-friendly accommodation, and you’re all set for some of the most productive time of the year.” There is also Troop which, “delivers a scientific, algorithmic and data-driven

approach to designing the most effective global meeting and events strategy for your team, saving time and money while significantly reducing your carbon footprint.”

We hope it goes without saying that Woodloch is the perfect place to host a corporate retreat. For over a decade, Woodloch has been a premier and unique destination for meetings and special events. Our inclusive packages make for easy planning; beautiful accommodations, delicious meals, and nonstop activities, amenities and entertainment are built right in. And through our unique array of home-grown, team-building type activities, pristine natural surroundings and unrivaled hospitality, guests leave Woodloch with a renewed sense of connection with their own group… which is what it’s truly all about!