An employee retreat is typically a full day of helpful interaction that involves the entire staff or department, usually at a location near your facility.

It is issues-based in that the agenda is shaped by how you want your circumstances to change. We listen to that directive and shape a specific event.

Typically we’ll survey employees (and perhaps clients) in advance of the retreat.

These are provided on location. Each is fashioned differently, but the typical retreat is one full-day (or two half-days, starting with an afternoon and finishing with the following morning) and involves role-playing, instruction, impromptu drama, directed discussion, and exercises that build teamwork and creativity. We can also review “best practices” for firms of your type, helping people see things differently in the process. Retreats are usually held to improve personal interaction and thus morale; shore up weak spots (e.g., how to make your work strategic or how to sell your services or the typical life of a job); or anything else that needs to be accomplished and non-traditional means are deemed more effective. Occasionally retreats are offered simply to break the routine and pause for a day. Note that while we include some "different" things to make them more interesting and keep the participants engaged, the purpose is more learning than team-building--if you are looking primarily for emotional team-building, we're not going to be a good fit. Our retreats are more about building consensus and learning.

Often a Total Business Review is a useful first step, since this provides the necessary backdrop to understanding your company. From this process usually emerges key areas on which to concentrate at the retreat as we aim for very specific results. It is not, however, required, and many firms have us facilitate retreats as our first point of contact.

Recharging is a useful by-product of the employee retreat process. We have specific exercises and “ways to think” that enhance the experience. More importantly, everyone is encouraged to interact at the same level.

Finally, some events are not so much retreats as they are training. In those cases, the agenda is a compressed version of one of our dozen or so seminars.

Location. Invigorating site near your office.

Duration. One full day, either morning/afternoon or afternoon/morning.

Deliverable. Hours of industry leading engagement that follows written agenda.

Unlimited Remote Implementation. 1 month.

Participation Requirements. Principal/Finance gather materials for 2 hours. Everyone answers survey for 30 minutes. Everyone participates for 7-8 hours.

Cost. $7,500 fee plus expenses ($1,100-$1,850), estimated in advance.

Terms. Fee and expenses sent with materials, approximately 10 days before on-site portion.

References. Yes.