Dan
Corporate offsites are making a comeback. According to the recent study “The State of Corporate Travel,” team offsites have once again become the top reason for business travel. Whether it’s a response to an increasingly distributed workforce or part of the normal process of strengthening team cohesion and alignment, hosting a corporate offsite is likely on the horizon for most team leaders.
Despite the spike in demand, corporate offsites are still, nevertheless, looked upon by many as a bad use of company time and a drain on productivity. Many of these events are marred by uninspired hotel settings, offsites that feel like extensions of traditional office meetings, and full-day events packed with an endless rotation of presentations in chilly ballrooms. Despite the best intentions, these gatherings often fall short of expectations and people dread that invitation arriving in their Outlook Inbox.
But wait…there is a silver lining: It turns out that most successful offsites succeed because they avoid the very mistakes that poorly run offsites consistently commit. And by understanding these common mistakes, you can design and host an amazing team offsite that your leaders will be talking about for years to come.
In the following sections, I will share the seven deadly sins of corporate offsites and then I’ll share specific practices that you can employ to ensure that you avoid them.
Below are the seven deadly sins and guidance on how to prepare for each of them:
#1: Offsites that Bore People into Submission
#2: Offsites that Lack a Clear and Widely Understood Purpose
#3: Offsite Agendas that are Overstuffed with Activities
#4: Offsites that Feel Like an Olympic Marathon
#5: Offsites that Focus too Much on Business Outcomes and Not Enough on People Outcomes
#6: Offsites that Don’t Go Off Your Site
#7: Offsites Facilitated by Participants Not Trained to Run Offsites
#1) Offsites that Bore People into Submission
No offsite is going to be a success if your participants spend most of their time looking at their phones or concocting reasons to take an “urgent call”.
When an offsite is invigorating, you know it from the body language of your participants. Equally, you know when you’re losing your audience. People start to slump over, yawn, or have that glassy eyed stare. More subtle is when your participants are slow to respond to questions or there is little to no participation in discussions.
So, what’s the root cause? Here are the three biggest culprits that set your offsite up to be a snooze fest and the deliberate practices you can introduce to fix it.
Imbalance of Presentations vs Interactive Exercises:
When you have a stream of lectures with limited interaction with participants, you’re sure to lose the engagement of your participants. Research has shown that for every 30 minutes of instruction and theory, you need to balance it with 30 minutes of interactive exercises. To combat boredom, you need to carefully balance the amount of formal and structured information sharing with activities that encourage discussion and interactivity.
Activities aren’t Built for Fun:
In the corporate world, we have a tendency to assume that fun and work are opposites. The result is that the exercises and activities at many offsites are very traditional and not very playful. But actually, the most effective activities blend play and purpose together seamlessly. It is a form of corporate alchemy that many people get wrong. The best agendas balance business strategy with play, teambuilding and activities that inspire creative thinking. To take it a step further, I recommend that you tap into the power of behavioral science and game design. Think about every interaction as a potential game. Games engage participants and have been shown to enhance cognition and engagement. By turning traditionally mundane presentations or a basic facilitated exercise into a game, you will entertain AND engage you participants.
Poorly designed environment:
The physical setting of the offsite plays a significant role in its success. A location that is uncomfortable, distracting, or not conducive to focused work can detract from the experience and make it difficult for participants to stay engaged. While I strongly recommend running session in more non-traditional settings that are different from your everyday office setting, sometimes you aren’t afforded that luxury. But don’t worry. There are numerous elements that you can change that will make the offsite environment conducive to play and productivity. Reassembling the room configuration so it feels more open has an immediate impact. Another simple thing to do is bring in purposeful decoration. Chair covers change the look and feel of the room and inspiring posters can be plastered around the room, making an immediate mood impact. Pumping in surround sound, positive themed music at the start of the event, on breaks and at the end immediately signals that things are going to be different.
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#2) Offsites that Lack a Clear and Widely Understood Purpose
I can count on two hands and 1 foot the number of offsites and workshops, I’ve participated in where people whispered to one another: “What are we doing here?”
If you’re not certain why you’re hosting an offsite, what will your attendees think?
All too often, teams make a significant investment to bring people together, but skip the critical step of being intentional on what they plan to achieve. When attendees are not clearly briefed, they are likely to leave the event feeling indifferent or worse yet, frustrated.
So, ask yourself before you start planning:
Once you determine your goals, you can break them down and choose the appropriate metrics to track your performance. Here are three deliberate practices that you can follow to ensure alignment on purpose and goals:
Sponsor Alignment Sessions:
Before you put a deposit on a ropes course, I strongly recommend conducting a set of fact find sessions with the sponsor as well as the key stakeholders. To learn how to design and prepare a fact finding session, CLICK HERE. The session is crucial to make sure that you are focusing on the strategically significant issues, you’re aligned on priorities, and you’ve designed what the experience should feel like.
Participant Briefing:
Hosting a short 30-to-45-minute participant briefing session will go a long way to building alignment with participants. We never host an offsite without conducting a participant briefing. This sets expectations for participants and prepares to know:
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- Who is attending?
- Why you’re hosting the offsite?
- What are the outcomes you want to achieve?
- What does the agenda look like and what types of exercises?
- What pre-work or preparation is required?
- What kind of time commitment do you need to make?
Repeat the Goals:
Even if you’ve already told people what to expect before the session, don’t assume that people were paying attention or remember. Include a pithy reminder of purpose, goals and outcomes in your emails, calendar invites and various notifications. Business leaders are easily distracted by the hustle and bustle of the job and will need constant reinforcements and reminders. And when you’re in person, you absolutely must start off your offsite, whether there is a welcome reception or a morning kick-off, with a playful way of reminding them of the goals and purpose.
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#3) Offsite Agendas that are Overstuffed with Activities
Ah, the ambitious organizer’s paradox: the drive to cram as much action into an offsite as humanly possible. It makes sense! Who wouldn’t want to turn a couple of days into a whirlwind of productivity, bonding, and inspiration? However, there’s a fine line between a dynamic experience and sheer exhaustion. If your team members need to book a spa retreat just to recover from your event, you might have stepped a little too hard on the gas pedal. Remember, an offsite should be a boost, not a burnout.
Here are the three most common ways to accelerate offsite burnout and wear down your attendees and what you can do to avoid it:
Cut the Breaks:
In the spirit of accomplishing a glut of business activities, teams will shorten or even eliminate the breaks. Who needs downtime when you can power through with caffeine and sheer willpower? Humans aren’t machines, and even machines need to cool down now and then. As a rule of thumb, I never exceed 90 minutes of focused time together without inserting a 15-20 minute break. And the break shouldn’t be a break from one job to do another job that you’ve left behind. It really needs to be a break. I would very clearly signal that the breaks are there to relax, take in fresh air, have a snack and have a few laughs. Give options for people on the break so it truly feels like mental sorbet and it freshens up their minds. In addition, working lunches are a definite NO. Sometimes you need to compromise but you can be assured that if you don’t take proper breaks and a lunch, people will languish and lose focus.
Save time for Me!:
Not every activity should be social. Allow people to have “me time”. One of the biggest gripes that I hear from introverts (which is more than 50% of the workforce) is that offsites suck their energy by being around other people non-stop. Some folks crave a moment alone for a brisk walk, a quick FaceTime with their loved ones, or maybe just a nap that doesn’t involve dreaming about flip charts and icebreakers. Deny them this and watch as their enthusiasm slowly deflates like a sad balloon.
Team-building overkill:
We all want to foster friendships and camaraderie, but when team-building activities stack up like a never-ending game of Jenga, things start to wobble. Too many trust falls, obstacle courses, and kumbaya sessions can turn from fun to fatigue in record time. Let’s face it, even best friends need a breather. So, sprinkle those bonding moments throughout the agenda like chocolate chips in a cookie—enough to make things delightful, but not so many that they overwhelm the entire experience.
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#4) Offsites that Feel Like an Olympic Marathon
According to a 2023 research study on team offsites, the average length of a team offsite often exceeds the recommended maximum of 1 ½ days. This happens in part because team offsites generally happen once a year, or even less frequently. And therefore, the organizers feel the pressure to cram every possible activity and agenda item into a single event.
The end result: You end up with an offsite that extends for multiple days and/or an agenda so packed that it leaves little room for breathing, let alone thinking. When the offsite drags on, you risk having team members trickle in and out like extras in a movie scene. An overdone offsite can also create stress for team members with families or other commitments. While a multiple day offsite can feel like a getaway for some, for others it can be an erosion of their work/life balance. The longer the offsite, the steeper the opportunity cost. And while the intent is noble, humans can only stay focused and productive for so long before their brains start waving the white flag.
So, what can you do?
Increase the frequency and shorten the duration. I consistently find that shorter, more focused offsites deliver the goods without the exhaustion. By narrowing the scope and shortening the duration, teams avoid the drain and strain that come with prolonged absences from everyday life. After all, the best memories and insights come when everyone is in sync, not when half the team is stuck in transit or watching the clock.
Here are three deliberate ways to host shorter, more frequent and higher impact offsites:
The Rotating, Hybrid Offsite:
One of the most effective models that I’ve hosted with a client is a rotating the offsite location so that groups from different regions/locations can attend live while others participate remotely. In this model, you split the event into physical and virtual segments. Participants who are within a reasonable commute to the offsite, meet in person while others join remotely for specific segments. This approach reduces travel time and expenses while allowing more flexibility for participants who might not be able to attend the entire event in person. By incorporating a few interactive technologies to bridge the gap between in-person and remote attendees, everyone is engaged and has the opportunity to participate.
Offsite Piggybacking:
Another clever way to increase frequency of your offsites is piggybacking a team offsite around an existing conference or internal event. I’m a big fan of using this strategy since it maximizes your team’s time and budget. Here’s how it works: By scheduling the offsite either just before or after a conference that team members already plan to attend, you can capitalize on the convenience of having everyone in one place, reducing travel costs and logistical hassles. This approach allows your team to benefit from the insights and networking opportunities offered by the conference while also dedicating focused time to internal goals and discussions. For internal events, like a year-beginning meeting, combining the offsite ensures that strategic planning and team-building happens when everyone is already in the mindset of looking ahead and setting goals. It’s a smart blend of external learning and internal strategizing, making the most of your team’s efforts and creating a seamless experience that balances inspiration with practical action.
Replacing a Traditional Standing Meeting:
One last strategy is turning a regular standing meeting into a half-day offsite that is nestled between your longer offsites. The offsite doesn’t need to go far. It can be hosted at a nearby venue or somewhere atypical that injects energy and fresh perspective into the team. Instead of gathering in the usual conference room or hopping on a video call, you retreat somewhere new to dive deeper into topics that might be rushed in a typical meeting, allowing for more in-depth brainstorming and strategic planning.
By expanding the format, you give the team a chance to focus more on big-picture thinking and long-term goals, while also breaking free from the constraints of everyday office routines. This approach not only revitalizes the meeting but also creates a connective bridge between team members that will only grow stronger when they attend a somewhat longer offsite together. That way your people will depart your offsite feeling satisfied and wanting more.
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#5) Offsites that Focus too Much on Business Outcomes and Not Enough on People Outcomes
A team offsite without purpose is like a ship setting sail with no destination in mind—sure, you might have fun splashing around, but eventually, someone’s going to ask, “What’s the point?” Too much emphasis on fun and games will leave some participants wondering if the offsite is just a glorified vacation and a bad use of their time. On the flip side, if your offsite is all business and no play, it can feel like a marathon of brainstorming and strategy sessions that leaves everyone longing for a nap. The magic happens when you strike the balance between purpose and play. By blending strategic planning with moments of genuine team bonding, you can turn your offsite into an inspiring adventure that energizes your crew and sets sail towards both business outcomes and people outcomes.
Here are three deliberate practices that can help you balance the business and people outcomes:
Intentional Play and Game Design:
I am a big believer that fun and work are not enemies on the opposite side of the battlefield. They are allies that haven’t discovered that they’re fighting for the same side. Having spent years designing workplace games for adult education and to help solve strategically significant challenges, there’s no better way to mix these two goals. Games and playful activities create an engaging environment where team members can break down barriers, build trust, and strengthen interpersonal relationships in a relaxed setting. Playing adapted versions of games like Bingo, Jeopardy! or Cards Against Humanity tap into the principles of adult learning by encouraging active participation, fostering creativity, and promoting problem-solving skills.
When designed with purpose, games can be aligned with specific business outcomes, such as enhancing collaboration, improving communication, and encouraging innovative thinking. By integrating play into offsite agendas, your guests not only learn but they will also laugh and build memorable experiences that strengthen personal relationships.
Experience vs. Activity:
Many offsites are punctuated with some kind of shared team experience. Whether it’s a dinner or a team building activity, oftentimes people host an activity that feels like it’s more of a check-the-box exercise. In other words, by virtue of just coming together we hope that it’s enough to build cohesion. But creating an experience means crafting an environment where people genuinely connect, laugh, and learn from each other. It’s about adding subtle extra touches that make the activity memorable, like a fun theme, a creative twist, or a shared goal that everyone is excited about. When you create an experience, you’re not just hosting an activity, you’re building stories that people will talk about long after the event is over.
Harness Small Collisions:
A recent study found that a key driver of increased interaction between two employees after a company offsite was less the offsite, but more whether they took a randomly assigned taxi journey to the offsite together beforehand.
These small, shared experiences create the human collisions that we often avoid. They are ripe for organic conversations that are unlikely to happen in a formal work environment, helping people discover common interests, build trust, and break down hierarchical or departmental barriers. These small interactions lay the groundwork for stronger relationships, as people are more likely to continue engaging with each other during and after the offsite. By looking for and facilitating these kinds of experiences, your team can create the people outcomes that fuels comradery and productivity for the months to come.
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#6) Offsites that Don’t Go Off Your Site
One of the biggest gripes teams often have about offsites is not going offsite. Afterall, even the most stunning office is still…well, the office. It screams “business-as-usual” and can keep everyone stuck in the same old mindset. That’s why it’s essential to break free, even if it’s just a hop, skip, and a jump down the block to somewhere fresh and exciting. Sure, team-building activities and icebreakers work inside the office for training sessions or staff meetings, but the real magic happens when you whisk the team away from the usual grind, both physically and mentally.
I know it’s easier said than done. Logistical complexities and budget can be a matter of concern when it comes to hosting an offsite. But your offsite doesn’t need to be hosted for 3 days at the Ritz Carlton (although I’m not opposed to the Ritz). Simply being away from the office can inject a new energy and provide a much-needed break from the daily routine, opening up space for growth and development. Plus, when it comes to building relationships, stepping outside those four office walls lets team members see each other in a new light, away from the usual workday hustle.
Here are a few ways you can get offsite without breaking your budget:
Swapping Office Space:
Encourage employees to tap into their personal networks to find unique meeting spaces. Someone might have a connection to a great location. This can uncover hidden gems, such as a friend’s studio, a family member’s event space, or a local business willing to host your team. Create a suggestion box or hold a brainstorming session where team members can propose potential locations based on their contacts.
Partner with Local Businesses:
Collaborate with local cafes, restaurants, or breweries that might offer their space during off-peak hours at a discounted rate. These venues can provide a relaxed and informal atmosphere, and you can support local businesses in return. Approach business owners with a proposal highlighting mutual benefits, such as exposure or potential future business from your team.
Uncommon Community Spaces:
Explore local community centers, libraries, or schools that often have meeting rooms available at a low cost or even for free. These spaces are typically underutilized during weekdays and can offer a change of scenery without costing much. Reach out to local community organizations or educational institutions to inquire about available spaces and any associated fees.
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#7) Offsites Facilitated by the Participants Not Trained to Run Offsites
Facilitating your own leadership offsite is like trying to be the host and guest at the same party—you’re bound to spill something! Your offsite needs to feel different and be different. And it starts with making sure that you are involved as participants and not as the hosts.
There’s no doubt that your people know your challenges, goals and people better than anyone else. And chances are, there are 1 or 2 team members who are capable facilitators. But when you turn your team offsite into a DIY project, you likely to confront several big issues.
For example, I’m generally handy when it comes to fixing things around the house. But when it comes to a major house project, I recognize that someone who has the training and repetition with their vocation is going to get the job done faster and more precise (and then I won’t have my wife yelling at me). The same goes for facilitation. Lots of people dabble with facilitation. But professional event facilitators bring a host of specialized tools and techniques that will ensure the event is more objective, has less biased discussions and don’t end up overlooking key challenges or innovative solutions.
When team members facilitate their own offsite, existing interpersonal dynamics and conflicts can surface, potentially derailing discussions and undermining team cohesion. An external facilitator brings neutrality and can mediate conflicts effectively, keeping the team focused on the objectives. Without this impartial presence, some voices can dominate the conversation, preventing equal participation and collaboration.
Nevertheless, teams can be reluctant to rely on a third party offsite facilitator for many reasons: Control, Contribution and Cost. But there are many ways to ensure that your team is actively involved without getting sucked into leading your own offsite.
Here are three ways:
Offsite Planning Team:
You can still exert control and put your imprint on the design and facilitation of the event without leading from the front. For many of our team offsites, we recommend the client forms an agile Offsite Planning Team. The team reflects the different stakeholders of the team. It ensures that as a client you have your say and contributes to the design while still being able to be present in the offsite. Additionally, during the offsite, I often recommend that we have at least 2 pre-coordinated, planning team check-ins to ensure that the event is happening the way the group wants and to make any in-the-moment course corrections.
Active Participation:
Another way to actively involve the team and infuse their expertise is involving key team members as team captains. In the role of team captain, the team members are responsible for limited breakout facilitating and providing guidance during the offsite. It invites the team to play a role without having to own the overall management.
Longer-Term Relationship:
Offsites are financial investments. But just like any other financial investment, it’s wise to think of the investment as a longer-term investment versus a one-time expenditure. When there’s a longer relationship, the cost can be amortized over numerous events. Not to mention you build a rapport with the facilitators and a trust that helps. By creating an ongoing, retained relationship, you establish trust and can negotiate favorable financial terms given the volume of committed events.
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