A Guide to Organising the Most Memorable Corporate Offsite

Corporate life — two words which are enough for anyone to conjure feelings of being stuck in a rut or perhaps burnout for many. While a 9 to 5 brings a sense of stability, it is easy for employees to lose sight of their abilities and goals.

Corporate offsites help employees to connect better with their colleagues, foster and stimulate their creativity, and build the essence of company culture. Moreover, a corporate team building trip leads to the perfect break from the mundane office environment and rejuvenates employees mentally so that they can work better and contribute efficiently to the organization.

However, planning a corporate offsite may be tricky as it requires extensive planning and careful consideration of various factors.

Need help planning your offsite? In this article, we break down everything you should consider for the ultimate corporate team building trip.

• Underline the Purpose of Offsite 

Before planning the logistics of the corporate offsite, it is crucial to understand the entire purpose or goal of the trip. Whether it is to discuss strategies for the upcoming year, boost the morale of the team, or reset the minds of employees for better creativity, understanding the purpose is the first step in planning a great trip.

When the purpose of a corporate team building trip is clearly defined, it guides other decisions about the offsite, such as making the pick between private villas, locations, activities, and more. Pro tip: Consider taking suggestions from employees about the offsite to understand their expectations and needs to perform better at work!

• Pick the Right Location 

Narrowing down on a location and choosing the right one sets the tone for the entire corporate offsite. While picking the place, it is important to opt for a location which aligns with the objectives of the trip.

For instance, if the purpose of the offsite is to boost creativity and focus on a mental reset, then consider choosing a site which offers a natural retreat and a luxurious stay with ELIVAAS, which will provide employees with a quiet sanctuary to do so.

In case the goal of the corporate team building trip is to ideate and build new strategies for an upcoming project then choose a location which has modern amenities like a conference centre, seminar rooms, and more.

• Plan Food and Refreshments for Employees 

Food is often the highlight of any corporate offsite. It is ideal to take and note down the dietary preferences of employees before heading to the offsite. This way, you can encourage a sense of belonging amongst them, as food will be catered according to dietary preferences while offering a unique touch of regional cuisine.

It is also a good idea to provide ample coffee or tea breaks along with light snacks at regular intervals. This will help keep the workers’ energy levels high and enable them to switch off mentally time and again for optimum productivity.

If you have chosen an opulent private villa for accommodation like the ones offered by ELIVAAS, make sure to speak with the hosts of the property, as they are often equipped with beautiful kitchens for making food and drinks. Moreover, sometimes, the hosts of such luxurious locations offer complementary meals onsite for the duration of the stay!

• Incorporate Activities that Promote Team-Building 

Team-building activities are a great way of fostering better relationships between employees and promoting collaboration. While planning activities for the corporate offsite, it is crucial to plan activities which align with the interests of the workforce members, are inclusive, and strengthen teamwork. Here are some activities that you may consider:

1. Organising Creative Workshops: Pottery class, cooking class, painting sessions, etc.
2. Outdoor Challenges: Hiking, treks, scavenger hunts, ropes courses, flying fox, etc. 
3. Problem-Solving Games: Sudoku competitions, escape rooms, wordle, etc. 

• Encourage Open Communication amongst Team Members 

Open communication is the crux of any good relationship, personal or professional. Hence, when heading out for a corporate team building trip, ensure that you encourage open communication amongst the employees of the organisation. This will help build a safe haven or space for employees wherein they can share and express their ideas and feedback comfortably.

Here are some communication techniques that you can use to foster open communication:

1. Roundtable Discussions: Such discussions allow all team members of the organisation to share their thoughts and opinions in a structured format. 
2. Open Forums: Conducting open forums in a corporate offsite is a great idea to enhance communication, as it provides a platform for employees to raise questions and share insights from work. 
3. Anonymous Feedback: To ensure that the voice of each and every member is heard, install feedback boxes at the location or circulate an online form. This would enable employees to share their feedback about the corporate team building trip and also the organisation in general anonymously. 

• Remember to Document The Offsite 

While planning a corporate offsite for your employees, another aspect to take care of is documenting the experience. Capturing moments at the offsite is important as it enables the experience to be shared with other team members who could not make it to the location. 

Hence, it is wise to designate somebody from the team or perhaps hire a professional to take photos and videos during the entire duration of the offsite! These photos and videos will also come in handy in drafting a summary report for the company.

Takeaway

Let’s agree that planning a corporate team building trip is no small feat! From incorporating activities, curating menus for food and refreshments, and defining goals to encouraging a positive and open environment, there are a myriad of things that need to be taken care of. 

Our say: Half the battle is won if you opt for luxurious accommodations like ELIVAAS’ offering of villas in prime locations such as Goa, Delhi NCR, and Himachal, allowing employees to unwind with their colleagues. 

When you plan a corporate offsite that focuses solely on employees, it ensures that they feel rejuvenated, inspired, connected, and excited to get back to their roles more efficiently! Explore our villas to create an unforgettable corporate offsite experience for your team.