Whether you’re running a company of five or 500, changing pace with a retreat will re-energize your team, encourage cross-departmental collaboration, and strengthen internal bonds. Team building retreats also help people overcome their fears, encourages inter-departmental employees to work toward a shared goal, exposes coworkers' hidden talents, and overall creates a stronger-knit team.
The Planning Process
When planning your company retreat, it's important to truly think through your business' goals. Whether you'd like to establish trust among team members or challenge employees or inspire thoughtful conversations between those who normally don't work together, establishing these goals ahead of time will help you plan your team building retreat.
Choosing the right venue is an important part of the planning process. A great team building retreat venue will provide you with the tools to keep your group focused on creativity, teamwork, and generating better business results once they return to work.
Team Building Examples
- Archery – Archery is a fun activity that anyone can master quickly. Once instructed on the basics including how to safely handle the bow and arrow and where to aim, participants can be divided into teams to compete against one another. This team building event harvests confidence and friendly competition.
- Rope Climbing – Rope climbing is a classic team building activity that encourages trust, communication, and team problem solving.
- Lake Activities – Activities on the water foster leadership, team building, interdependent and independent thinking, and communication skills. From lightly competitive kayaking to water-polo competition and paddle boarding, these team building activities offer employees the opportunity to flourish in a positive, team setting.
Unique Venues' Retreat Centers
Pali Mountain Retreat
Located only 90 minutes from Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego Counties, Pali Mountain Retreat is a year-round conference center and is ideal for team building retreats. It offers a variety of indoor and outdoor facilities and holds up to 600 guests.
Quaker Ridge Camp & Conference Center
As a 501c3 non-denominational Christian year round rental facility, Quaker Ridge Camp & Conference Center offers a wide array of activities suited to team building retreats depending on the season, including horseback riding, a low ropes team building course, a high ropes challenge course with an 800 foot zip line, archery, riflery, disc golf, basketball, volleyball, putt putt golf, whiffle ball field, horse shoes, tetherball, broom ball, and ice skating. Quaker Ridge Camp & Conference Center is located at 8,500 feet elevation in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and surrounded on three sides by the Pike National Forest with gorgeous views of Pikes Peak and holds up to 300 guests.