Reconnecting Teams and Reshaping Work Culture with a Multi-Day Offsite Retreat
2.5 days
34 pre-session interviews
32 in-person and 2 remote participants
We only had two-and-a-half days to reunite a distributed team that had been disconnected for the entirety of the pandemic. They were facing chronic turnover and other significant challenges, and this in-person event would bring everyone back together in Toronto – including some international team members!
The main focus of the retreat was on team building and team connection, which included developing a healthy workplace culture that serves the whole team. To achieve this, we interviewed all 34 attendees prior to the event, in order to understand their perspective and hear their ideas.
Neolé was tasked with creating a robust 2-day agenda to tackle the challenges this team was facing. These included:
- heavy workloads and a high pressure work environment
- operational challenges and silos
- lack of connection and trust
- conflict and negativity impacting culture and morale
- poor communication and transparency.
The planning began less than two months before the retreat day, so we had a lot to accomplish in a short period of time. Two team members were unable to travel and had to be included in key activities as remote participants.
The in-depth interviews with team members and leaders were integral to giving the Neolé team a good sense of the challenges the teams were facing and insight into existing team dynamics, while also allowing us to build trust with the participants. We also worked very closely with the planning committee to co-create the experience. The Neolé facilitators put a lot of thought into the design and flow of each day. Every team building activity was followed by a meaningful debrief, and our facilitators introduced ways for team members to appreciate each other. There was a mix of fun, as well as deep and genuine conversations. It was important that participants developed a sense of pride in their work as a team, and that everyone fostered a gratitude and growth mindset.
Here are a few things that worked really well:
- Participants received welcome gifts and clear pre-session communications that heightened their anticipation and excitement for the event.
- We had a Wall of Transformation up during the entire retreat and participants contributed post-it notes throughout the two days on how to build their “preferred workplace culture.”
- Participants received journals in their welcome package, and the agenda made room for individual journalling and self-reflection throughout the retreat.
- We produced a summary report with key recommendations for the team leader based on our confidential interviews with all team members, as well as our observations during the in-person retreat.
During the retreat, it was clear that everyone was thrilled to come together as a team, and also spend time with their leaders. As the event unfolded, the space was filled with smiles and laughter. We saw regional team members move out of their silos and create strong bonds with new team members. We also watched a safe space emerge, where team members were comfortable being vulnerable and sharing personal experiences.
We provided a final report to the client with recommendations on how to continue to sustain a healthy team culture. These concrete recommendations will help ensure the positive forward momentum continues. We truly believe that this team retreat kick-started a healthier culture and more cohesive team.
If you and your team may benefit from a Team Retreat, or are interested in learning more about our services and how we can help your hybrid team thrive, book a discovery call today!
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© Neolé 2022
Don’t miss the opportunity to get free resources, tips, and invitations to our events focused on maximizing wellness, creativity and engagement in hybrid and remote workplaces
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Keeping people connected
© Neolé 2022