Some businesses approach a corporate business retreat as a way to lure their employees into extending the work week. While a corporate retreat center may offer tons of bells and whistles, if no one puts actual heart into the planning of the retreat, with specific goals for developing better work relationships within the company, then the retreat will be nothing but a waste of time for everyone.

Making the most of corporate retreat centers doesn’t mean just getting some extra work done; it means cultivating a work environment that spawns creativity and brainstorming that just can’t manifest from behind a desk. Consider the following in order to obtain the desired retreat results:

1. Make sure that the business retreat location and events are something that everyone will enjoy rather than just another office or conference room setting.

2. Invite employees from all departments to corporate retreat centers, rather than just executive-level staff, so that you foster diverse and creative ideas.

3. When all else fails, hire a facilitator to plan the ultimate corporate retreat.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Plan a corporate retreat that everyone will enjoy

Your employees spend 40 hours a week or more working, so generally they don't want to leave their families for a corporate retreat weekend unless it is absolutely necessary. Making the trip appealing to their interests is a great way to start. Plan a variety of activities so that employees can choose something that is appealing to their individual personalities. While you may think it's a good idea to keep the activities a surprise, you're probably better off letting everyone know ahead of time to generate motivation about the corporate retreat location and events.

I recommend: BusinessWeek provides an article that further advises how to make corporate retreats something that your employees look forward to. Visit Corporate Retreats for various articles covering retreat planning, venue selection and even retreats for specific management levels.

Obtain the results you desire with a successful business retreat

The whole point of a corporate getaway is to find time to brainstorm new ideas and projects to further the success of the company. This first requires that you invite a diverse group of employees. Don't save the retreats just for top managers; invite people from every department, at all levels. This will provide a diversity of ideas you wouldn't have otherwise. Ask attendees for confidential lists of concerns or ideas for the company before the retreat. Once you're there, create a trusting environment, where people feel they can be honest. Additionally, while it may be tempting, don't avoid conflict during meetings. Disagreements are sometimes the best way to know how everyone feels so that you can reach a great compromise.

I recommend: Adventure Associates provides a variety of teamwork-oriented activities, complete with descriptions and photo galleries of past participants. Read more about successful design principles for business retreats on EzineArticles.com.

Hire a consultant to find the perfect corporate retreats centers available

If you find yourself stumped on where to go or what to do, there are plenty of corporate business retreat planning firms available to help. These firms do everything from plan and organize activities that build teamwork to find corporate retreat locations that fit your capacity needs and desired environment. They can plan every minute of the retreat or just give you pointers to get you on your way.

I recommend: Visit Meeting Facilitators International for detailed information on how it can plan a corporate retreat that meets all your goals and expectations. The CEO of Lefko Group has a hands-on approach to fulfilling each client’s retreat-planning needs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The most successful business retreats are those held on a regular basis. Consider hosting retreats every quarter rather than just once a year. It gives employees something to look forward to more frequently, and motivation usually means better work results.

A corporate retreat offers companies a number of benefits for both the employees and the organization. You can choose the corporate retreat location that works best for you and customize your experience to help you achieve your corporate goals.

Some of the benefits of business retreats include:

1. Improved staff communication.
2. The chance for your employees to learn effective stress reduction techniques.
3. Increased creativity and motivation.

Corporate retreat locations are available all over the world. Look for a corporate retreat facility that fits your needs in terms of program length, location, activities and cost.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Decide on your goals

Before you begin looking at corporate retreat centers, define what you want to accomplish at the corporate retreat. Are you trying to improve communication? Foster team building for a new group? Bring together staff members for a planning session? Knowing your goals ahead of time will help you choose a corporate retreat location that can help you reach those goals.e goals.

I recommend: Talk with professionals at Gatlinburg Corporate Retreat to plan a business retreat that will help you meet your goals. Experts at Inner Work begin with a needs assessment to help you choose the best retreat for your team.

Ask your employees about corporate retreats

Find out what would make them want to go on a business retreat, what activities they'd like to do and what locations they'd prefer.

I recommend: Compare the different retreat options in Texas for you and your employees. The Leaders Institute offers corporate retreats ranging from half-day programs to 4-day ones.

Look for activities that your employees will enjoy on business retreats

Although you can't please everyone all of the time, look for activities that assist your employees in achieving overall organizational goals. Sometimes stepping outside the comfort zone can be a good thing, it's more beneficial if your employees have a sense of input in activities at the business retreat.retreat.

I recommend: Clayoquot Wilderness Resort can help you design a team building retreat in British Columbia. Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort allows you to customize your retreat experience with the input of your employees.

Choose the facilitator at the corporate retreat center carefully

An external facilitator often brings a level of objectivity to the proceedings that anyone in the company can't match. If possible, look for someone who can participate in several business retreats with your company over time, which will allow you to start at a higher level of team building.

I recommend: Locate a facilitator based on your overall goals at the corporate retreat. Horizon and Co. can provide a facilitator for your retreat and help you plan a retreat to meet your needs.r your retreat and help you plan a retreat to meet your needs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Keep in mind that less is often more when planning a corporate retreat. Remember to plan some down time in so everyone can relax. You don't want so many activities that you rush from one to the next without time to reflect or accomplish your goals.

Corporate retreat centers are a great place to take your employees for a variety of reasons. Getting out of the office presents a great way for employees to get to know each other.

There are many different choices when it comes to a corporate retreat location. Different types of settings offer different moods, so make sure that you choose the business retreat center that works best for what you want to do.

Some of the reasons you may want to go on a corporate retreat are:

1. For training. Corporate retreat centers for education and training are a great way to either train new employees or teach experienced workers a new set of skills.

2. For bonding. Some corporate retreat locations focus on building relationships among your employees. Once they go through these team-building exercises, it will be easier for them to work together in the office.

3. For a reward. Your employees work hard and sending them to a corporate retreat center is a great way to reward them for their work. You may want to set this up as a challenge, where the employees who produce the most revenue get the prize.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look for local corporate retreat centers for education and training

If your budget is tight or time is short, consider looking for a corporate business retreat center that's close to your office. You can make your retreat a day trip and won't have to worry about providing employees with lodging and food for an extended period. This offers plenty of time to hold a training workshop.

I recommend: Premier Resorts offers several locations across the U.S. Check their website to see if there is a retreat center near you. If that's not a possibility, eXpandRetreats.com offers a searchable directory of retreat locations.

Learn team-building skills at a corporate business retreat in the great outdoors

Nature-based business retreats are a popular choice for team building. It forces employees to work together to build their site, cook food and do other planned activities.

I recommend: The Adventure Guild offers adventure-based camps and retreats. Activities include group games, hiking and rock-climbing. The Mountain Lodge in Telluride allows you to work on team building while hitting the slopes.

Encourage participation by choosing an exotic corporate retreat facility

When a retreat seems more like a vacation, employees are more willing to participate and get excited about the trip. It may cost a bit more, but participation will increase.

I recommend: BusinessKnowledgeSource.com lists ideas to help encourage participation in meetings. However, employee participation won't be much of a concern if you consider hosting your next corporate retreat at Hale Mana on Hawaii's island Kauai. Alternatively, Windsong Sailing Charters offers team-building retreats aboard their ships.

Plan a meeting at a business retreat center

A successful retreat starts with good planning. Make sure that you take the time to plan goals for your retreat, so that you can accomplish something worthwhile.

I recommend: Corporate Training Success lists six important tips for creating a successful retreat. If you're worried about the cost of the retreat eating into your budget, take a look at CorporateRetreats.com, which offers simple suggestions for cutting the costs of a business retreat.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Think about who is going to pay for the large corporate retreat. If you expect employees to pay their own way, make sure you choose a location that is affordable for all.

Corporate retreat centers are popular places for holding a business retreat, to help employees get away from the hustle and bustle of work, to step back and view their work together and plan ahead for the future. Whether the goals for corporate retreats focus on team building, staff appreciation, or strategic planning, many corporate retreat centers offer activities and resources to meet your needs.

When looking for a corporate retreat location, it is important to decide what your goals are for your event and plan a budget accordingly. Prices for conference retreat centers can start at $55 to $70 per person for a day retreat and go up to $300 to $350 per person for an overnight stay with recreational activities, food and lodging.

Here are some areas to consider for corporate retreat centers, pricing and costs:

1. Corporate retreat facilities, amenities and activities

2. Lodging and meals at your corporate retreat location

3. Business retreat packages that include meeting space rentals and audiovisual equipment

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Factor in costs for recreational activities at your corporate retreat facility

Many corporate retreat locations have various recreational activities for leisure and team building during your corporate retreat. You will want to consider the kinds of activities that are available at the corporate business retreat site and factor in whether the costs for these are included in your stay or are available at an additional fee.

I recommend: Depending on the time of year that you plan your team building corporate retreat at Voyageur Quest - Algonquin Park in Ontario, Canada, there are additional costs for snowshoes, cross country skis, dog sledding, canoe rentals or guided excursions. These activities are additional per-person costs that range from $25 to $150. Harpole's Heartland Lodge and Resort offers recreational activities for its corporate retreats, ranging from horseback riding to ATV riding or even hay rides. These activities range from $7 to $40 on an hourly basis.

Research rates for lodging and meals at your corporate retreat center

Your accommodations and meals at your corporate retreat center will drive a large portion of your budget, so research the prices and costs accordingly. Many corporate retreat centers offer group rates. You will want to check on whether meals are included, what meals are included, and consider catering costs for your business retreat.

I recommend: Westerbeke Ranch Conference Center offers discounts for mid-week reservations (from Sunday to Thursday), with prices ranging from approximately $120 to $140 per person per day. Westerbeke Ranch offers more discounted prices with a larger group stay. Meals range from $14 to $24 that can be added to your retreat pricing. Cedar Creek Conference Center offers accommodation rates ranging from $100 to $120 per night for a single or double occupancy room. They also offer dining options for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with breakfast prices starting at $10 per person to dinner prices for $30 per person.

Look into corporate retreat packages that include the cost of your meeting space and equipment

At corporate retreat centers, there may also be costs associated with renting out a meeting space along with any audiovisual equipment needed. Often, retreat centers may bundle these additional services into corporate retreat packages which may be more cost-effective than pricing everything separately.

I recommend: Granlibakken Conference Center and Lodge offers meeting packages starting at approximately $150 to $160 a night per person, which includes lodging, meals, meeting spaces and audiovisual equipment for your meeting. The Lodges at Historic Banning Mills offers several meeting packages for day meetings or overnight retreats. The day packages start between $50 to $60 per person per day for food, use of a meeting space for eight hours and use of a flip chart. The overnight package runs from $170 to $260 per person and also includes use of meeting facilities and a flip chart and marker board.