Sound the retreat

Have you ever found yourself wondering what everyone else is getting up to on their days off?

Do you ruin your own holiday with niggling fears your best managers are off seeking new roles with rival companies?

It’s time for you to take a break… and bring the gang.

The notion of a company retreat has become almost as dated and tempting as Grampa Jack’s bag of boiled sweets – especially in these times of belt-tightening budgets and ever taller targets.

But taking time out can still be a great way to promote your own leadership skills, while discovering hitherto unseen talents in your employees.

Who knew Kevin from accounts could limbo dance or that Stacey from HR was a wonder woman on water skis?

While promotions, workplace improvements, bonuses and benefit packages are all fantastic ways to incentivise and retain top employees, setting time aside to create a happy team builds a force that works together for a profitable business.

So, sound the retreat!

Being invited out of the office environment and transported to a different location – even just once a year – works wonders for morale and motivation.

And it doesn’t have to be a five-star fortnight in the Seychelles. Scotland has just been voted the most beautiful country in the world by Rough Guides, so a stay-cation North of the border is a sure-fire winner that won’t leave your financial director crying into his cullen skink.

Whatever you do, don’t bill your retreat as a workshop. This throws up images of mandatory fire walking, painful paintballing in the rain or, worse, role playing with Brian, the HR Manager who should have been on Broadway.

Choose an environment where everyone feels comfortable and offer activities that are fun and entirely voluntary.

The mission is to meet the ‘real people’ in your business. When you spend all your time with colleagues in an office setting, the po-faced professionals are often the only versions you’ll get to know.

A relaxing retreat, however, can uncover talents such as empathy, creativity and humour…all qualities that, once recognised and encouraged, can be of immense value to your business.

Remember those niggling fears that Smithers & Co could be eyeballing your sales stars? Well, offering a retreat in a stunning location as a perk could be the difference between retaining your game changers or losing them to your competition.

Of course, it may be your current board doesn’t share this enlightened view. Just when was the last time you were able to arrange a weekend away?

Hmm. Thankfully, there are Management vacancies on jobs24.com that really will take you places.

Or you could place some job ads of your own and inject some new talent into your organisation. Advertise now with jobs24.com and reach all the best candidates, who might be more up for thinking outside the box!

Posted on April 18, 2019