How to Plan an Awesome Team Building Retreat

Team building is the glue that keeps a good company together; any successful CEO will tell you so. Still, team building can also be pretty embarrassing and awkward for the employees when it’s not done right. Kumbaya around a fire pit with everyone trying not to make eye contact with each other? Not a very good idea. On the other hand, team building retreats are amazing, and they can be just the thing that your employees need in order to make real connections with each other. 

What is it and what do I get?

Simply put: a team building retreat is a gathering of the company’s employees out of offices that are organized by the company in order to improve communication and cooperation in the workplace. They can be held in rural locations away from the city, but they can also happen in another city too during or after business trips. These retreats allow people to have fun and work with each other on something other than the company’s projects. As fun as they are, retreats should also be challenging and should give the employees a chance to work together on an unusual task and try out different activities. In the end, employees deepen their communication and strengthen their existing relationships with each other.  

Paris

People usually associate Paris with romantic evenings and call it “The City of Love”, but the French capital has a lot more to offer. Those who are looking to try a more involved style of events will soon discover that Paris is the perfect place with many great options. There are so many things you can do: from leisurely cruising down the Seine to catacombs, vampire museums, and themed parties that happen all over the city and make you feel like you stepped back in time. This is especially important for those who have spent long hours giving presentations and holding meetings because it allows employees to get a taste of what France is really like. 

Barcelona 

Barcelona is one of those places people say you have to visit at least once in your lifetime. Spain is known for its love of good food, great music, and partying, and the city of Barcelona perfectly captures it all. There is so much that can be done and gained from a well-organized corporate travel to Barcelona: your employees could have a night out and enjoy a flamenco show, they could prepare their own paella, and try delicious and tasty tapas. Another great activity for team bonding is “Escape Room”, and fortunately, the city is full of them so everyone can test their strengths with unusual challenges and have an unforgettable time.

London

London is one of those destinations that simply can’t be missed in the world of business: so many fairs, expos, and forums are taking place there, that your company and your employees will find yourselves there at some point. You can use the opportunity to enroll your team into a real-life spy school and have them get a taste of what it’s like to drive fast cars, play poker, and learn to handle weapons. Not only is this terribly exciting, but it’s also very useful as it places your employees in unusual situations where they learn to rely on themselves and their instincts. They will be able to learn all sorts of things: to start a fire, shoot from a crossbow, break codes, and even try hand-to-hand combat. 

Planning and organizing a good team building retreat is not a small feat, and it doesn’t come as a surprise to find out that it takes a long time and a lot of effort. Still, no matter how challenging your plans might be, the reward is going to be worth it. There is nothing better than witnessing your employees connect with each other in a real and meaningful way because this is exactly what every workplace needs in order to function better.