December is the season for office retreats and corporate events in Nigeria. As the end of the year approaches, our inbox is clogged with requests from corporate organizations, of various sizes, looking to unwind after a busy year. It’s a great way to appreciate and reward your employees for all the hard work they’ve put in for the year, conduct appraisals and also develop various strategies for the next year. Corporate retreats also foster team and skill building.
“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”
Like every other important event, to get maximum satisfaction from your corporate retreats, you need to draw up a proper plan. Here are five key things to have at the back of your mind when planning a corporate retreat:
1. BUDGET
A budget is key to planning a retreat. Take a look at the finances of the company and see what kind of retreat works best at that time. The company size is very crucial to your budget. Can we afford to fly everyone out of the country or do we have to scale it down to doing it locally? An organization with a budget of $5,000 and staff strength of 10 employees can afford more than one with the same budget and 20 employees. These are the “hard” questions which need to be answered. Your budget will help you determine your next step.
2. GOALS
What do you intend to achieve with your retreat? Team and skill building? Staff appraisal? Staff appreciation? Trainings? It’s all up to you. It’s important to know and understand what the goals are which will help in planning adequately.
3. GIVE OPTIONS
Employees should most times have a say in the corporate retreat locations/destinations. Once you’ve nailed your budget and your goals, you can narrow your options to at least two locations where employees can pick their favorite spot. It shows their opinion is valued and the retreat is being planned within their interest.
4. HIRE A PLANNER
Having a competent tour planner/experience curator, like Naija Nomads, is crucial to having a stress free retreat. No employee likes doubling up as a planner. A lot of work goes into planning retreats and no employee has fun doing it.
5. SIT BACK, RELAX AND ENJOY!
We know it’s weird spending a weekend or even a day with people you see at work everyday. But I don’t want to spend a weekend with the uptight girl from marketing! The uptight girl from marketing might just be a totally different person outside the office. Having an open mind is key to enjoying every aspect of life and this shouldn’t be any different.
Is your office or an office you know looking to have a retreat by the end of the year but not sure what exactly to do? You don’t have to go far, we are just a call away. We’ll help you plan it perfectly with you stressing yourself.
