Retreats That Work

Good – and Bad – Retreats

Mention “retreat” to a roomful of employees and you’ll elicit a range of responses from eye-rolling to wide grins. Spending a couple of days at a hotel with colleagues and supervisors is not everyone’s idea of a good time. But retreats are not vacations. They are work, and their purpose is to improve morale, address issues and concerns, change attitudes and behavior, and solve problems in the workplace. Participants should be able to speak honestly without fear of reprisal. Retreats that organizations hold for the wrong reasons – to reward employees, promote an agenda or exert control – can have serious negative consequences. Well-executed retreats can be enormously beneficial. People return to work refreshed, energized and anxious to apply their new knowledge.

As an outside consultant or internal facilitator, you must work closely with your client – the individual ordering the retreat. Designing a retreat without sufficient input is like trying to paint a portrait without a model. Learn about the client’s objectives and determine whether he or she has reasonable expectations. The client should willingly offer you all the materials and resources...