The world of work looks different than a few years ago. According to Gallup’s annual State of the Global Workplace report, about 60% of employees feel emotionally detached from their jobs, while 20% claim being miserable at work. This is due to a number of factors, including the stress of the pandemic, generational change and other economic and societal factors.
While the challenges are too many to solve in one report, it’s become clear that employers need to rethink employee wellbeing and engagement. Similarly, if you’ve been thinking of hosting a conference or event to reconnect your team and boost innovation, productivity and engagement, gone are the days of fickle fun, bland notepads and drinks tickets.
A good alternative, beyond the grey walls of conference centres, is to book an overnight or weekend company retreat. At a time when employees are feeling increasingly isolated and with the increasing absence of casual watercooler conversation, a company retreat can boost morale and improve productivity, while allowing your team to relax and regenerate.
If you’re considering getting the team together, consider doing it away from the office for a relaxing experience. And if you’re looking for something bespoke, why not opt for a holiday home over a hotel and add an element of boutique quirkiness, with a few additional benefits, such as:
Bring the family
Gone are the days of employees spending extended time away from their families during work trips. At a time when work-life balance is more important than ever, your employees will be more inclined to accept and engage in a company retreat that caters for families.
Holiday homes are the ideal setup for families, as they include multiple rooms, more space and flexibility, and are often close to attractions and amenities. Employees’ families can enjoy activities outside the group if you want to organise team building or company-focused sessions.
Home away from home
Renting a holiday home instead of a hotel means that employees will be able to enjoy the creature comforts of home, but without the responsibility that comes with cleaning and maintenance.
Many holiday homes include Netflix, Wi-Fi, board games, books and other recreational gear to ensure employees (and their families) are comfortable, relaxed and have the opportunity to enjoy some downtime without the need for additional admin and logistics.
Change of scenery
Humans are creatures of comfort. We thrive with routines. However, when it comes to the work environment, too much monotony (i.e. the same home or work office every day) can negatively affect productivity, motivation and creativity.
Booking a holiday home offers a break from such monotony, as, unlike the cookie-cutter design of hotels or motels, it can offer employees a different and unique environment to exercise their creative muscles, challenge thinking and help them relax – all aspects that boost productivity and engagement.
Some holiday homes include private beach access, are situated near beautiful walkways etc, so you can think big and plan your experiences around the unique location.
Team bonding
While the assumption is typically that a company retreat would be task or strategy-focused, you want to offer opportunities for your staff to relax, bond and engage.
If your team typically works remotely, this is especially important as a relationship-building opportunity. If you’re planning your retreat, make sure you choose a holiday home that accommodates your group size with suitable bedding layouts, as well as the activities you want to do. Organise easy bonding activities such as assigning team cooking responsibilities, as well as more intentional team-building activities.
You can also centre your activities around the location and scenery. Near the beach? Organise a morning company yoga session. Walking distance from a waterfall? Plan a hike and a shared lunch. You can explore locations with an open mind, or if you have a specific idea of the feeling you want to evoke, there are plenty of options to suit different needs. A good starting point is to keep in mind what you want to achieve, i.e. if you want staff to relax, avoid highly competitive activities.
If you’d like more ideas, Beyonder offers holiday-specific activities and experience packages, including tailored options on request to make sure your retreat is organised and seamless.
Privacy
Holiday homes give you and your team full access to a private property. This is more comfortable and offers an added layer of confidentiality if you’re planning on brainstorming new campaigns or discussing strategic or business-critical information.
In addition to added privacy for workshops and meetings, many holiday home rentals also include private pools, tennis courts and other recreation facilities that are available to you and your team for exclusive use. Beyonder can add an additional level of professionalism to your workshops and meetings by helping with meeting set-up, including projector hire and providing whiteboards and stationery for brainstorming and presentation sessions.
Cost-effective
Organising a relaxing, bespoke retreat for your staff is a luxurious experience, but without the price tag. Booking a holiday home for your company breakaway actually saves money compared to hotels or holiday resorts.
The biggest cost savings will come through self-catering options, or even organising bulk catering options rather than daily hotel or restaurant meals. You can provide staff with one or two meals a day, tea and coffee and encourage them to bring their own groceries for the remainder of the meals.
Booking a single holiday home, with all staff under one roof, is significantly more affordable than booking separate hotel rooms or suites.
Hotels also often charge for additional Wi-Fi use, with typically weaker and insecure public networks. When booking a holiday home, you can choose Wi-Fi as a requirement when searching for properties, and homes often come with unlimited bandwidth and private, secure networks.
Special rates
When organising a company retreat, you can explore off-peak options and often get access to reduced rates, especially if you’re booking during the week.
Many holiday home listings also have hourly booking options, unlike hotels, which means they are a perfect option for workshops or if you need to book a venue for a photoshoot or midday event.
Bespoke touches
While complimentary toiletries, coffee and tea and crisp bedding are nice touches, opting to book a holiday home will enable you to create a much more bespoke experience, with personal touches and the ability to cater to personal tastes (and dietary requirements). This becomes especially valuable if you’re a company that aims to support local or champion sustainability.
Beyonder makes these bespoke experiences simple and effortless by partnering with a curated list of local artisans and providers to provide everything from catered lunches and flowers to dairy-free milk and even baby equipment.
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If you’re looking to book a bespoke company retreat or workshop for an afternoon, overnight or longer, contact us to find out more or take a look at our currently available properties.
