Planning a successful corporate retreat or business event can be time-consuming and stressful—not only do you need to find a convenient venue large enough to accommodate all your employees, but you also need to arrange workshops and activities, such as keynote speakers or team-building activities. Luckily, with a little planning, you can host a corporate retreat that both entertains and educates.  

Infographic with ideas for corporate retreat activities

Planning a Successful Company Event  

Corporate retreats have wide-ranging benefits—from providing opportunities for employees to travel to fostering a productive company culture back home. In fact, around 79% of US workers state that business travel helps them stay focused, productive, and happy, while 34% state that corporate retreats help them cultivate new and exciting ideas.  

Leveraging tried-and-true retreat strategies helps maximize the event’s impact on your workforce while keeping workers entertained and enthusiastic about developing their professional skills.  

Coordinate Activities and Workshops 

The first step to a successful retreat is deciding what kinds of workshops or activities you want to feature at your retreat. If the goal of your event is to help your workers recharge, consider including more fun, team-building events, like company baseball games. If you’d rather focus on professional development, consider arranging a keynote speaker or skills workshop. 

Generally, it’s always a good idea to include at least a few non-work-related activities as part of your retreat to keep employee morale high and allow workers to rest and recharge.  

It’s also important not to overbook the agenda. A retreat is meant to leave people feeling refreshed, not burnt out. A schedule is necessary but keep a healthy balance of work activities and free time. 

Find and Book a Company Event Center 

After you decide which activities you’re going to hold, look for a suitable venue. The ideal event space will vary depending on the size of your team and the types of activities you’ve planned. A small team can hold team-building exercises in a conference room without issue, but larger teams may require a ballroom or similar space. Look for an event space that can support your vision and is also located close to essential amenities, like airports or hotels. 

Secure Transportation and Lodging 

Perhaps the most complicated aspect of planning a retreat is logistics, including how your team will get to the retreat and where they’ll stay.  

Company retreats that are held close to home are easy—just have employees drive themselves to and from the retreat every day. If your company is covering employee milage, notify employees of this ahead of time. If the retreat is being held over an hour away, however, you need to factor in overnight accommodation. Look for a hotel close to the event center that is both affordable and large enough to accommodate your team.  

Some event venues (usually hotels) offer on-site accommodation. If your chosen venue does not offer lodging services, you might need to arrange transport for your team to and from the event center. 

Notify Your Team 

Once everything is planned, provide your team with all the relevant information about the event, including dates, times, and whether or not the retreat will involve overnight travel. People have busy schedules outside of the office, so it’s important to give plenty of advance notice, especially for multi-day retreats. 

Plan Your Corporate Retreat with Blackberry Ridge 

If you’re searching for the perfect event center to host your corporate retreat, Blackberry Ridge Golf Club may be just the place. Our stunning property boasts a spacious clubhouse, dedicated event center, restaurant, and golf course perfect for a range of company events—from relaxing getaways to development workshops.  

Contact our professional event staff to start planning your retreat today!