Planning a Retreat? Check this out.

Organizations should regularly conduct retreats for their people. Retreats are venues where the participants can relax and strengthen their bonds with one another. When you plan a retreat, consider the retreat’s budget, location and agenda.

Budget

The first step is to set the budget.

Is the organization shouldering the entire cost of the retreat? Are the participants required to pay an additional fee?

Determine the answer to these questions in advance. Then, decide on a fixed fee per participant and determine how many are willing to attend.

When you get an idea of the overall budget, determine how much will cover the retreat’s basic expenses like venue, activities and food. Depending on your budget, participants can go directly to the venue and shoulder their own transportation. The organization can also provide common transportation for everyone and include it in the retreat’s budget.

Location

Organizations typically prefer exotic locations where participants can be freed from the monotony of their daily surroundings. Since retreats are venues for relaxation, choose a location that will offer plenty of physical space and offer a relaxing ambiance.

The location should also offer physical activities like swimming, horseback riding, hiking and the likes. The best retreats always involve some form of physical activities where the participants can bond and relax.

Agenda

Retreats rarely last for more than a week. The ideal time is usually three to four days. People don’t have enough time to block off an entire week from their schedules. They usually have difficulty getting away from their responsibilities – both at home and in the office. Take this into consideration when planning the date and length of the retreat.

A short but meaningful retreat is better than a long one. There could be guided activities that participants will do together. However, the agenda should be light and include plenty of time for personal rest and relaxation.

Participants should not be working while on a retreat. Make sure that any distractions such as smartphones and laptops are banned from the entire retreat.

You can also hire a retreat facilitator to craft an agenda and make sure participants adhere to the common activities.

Plan a Retreat Ahead

Plan a retreat at least 6 months in advance. This is important if you want the highest number of attendance. Participants should know of the event ahead of time so they can already block their schedule. Once a date is set, you should begin scouting for locations that can accommodate your preferred date.

If planning a retreat is too cumbersome for you, you can always enlist the services of a professional retreat planner or check out our existing featured packages.