Planning a team retreat and stumped for ideas on where to go and what to do? Whether you simply want to acknowledge and celebrate your team for all their hard work, or want to focus on developing certain skills, getting outside of your typical office environment is one of the best ways to do so.
Of course, there are a few considerations you’ll have to keep in mind as the coordinator of your company retreat: cost, safety, and practicality. You don’t want to plan something too expensive or complicated to do, or book too many days away in case you start getting on each other’s nerves!
In this article, we’ve put together some ideas for day-long team building events and trips away that are easy to organise, budget-friendly, and sure to bring your team closer together.
Build your team’s resourcefulness with a camping trip
Nothing beats a good camping trip away, but for the homebodies and introverts amongst your team, it can feel a little intimidating. This is where it pays to do your research on your camping destination, as you’ll want to check the following:
Do the campgrounds have nearby toilets and drinking water facilities?
- Are barbecue facilities available or are campfires and camp cooking permitted?
- What landmarks or other points of interest are nearby? A lake for people to swim in or nearby hiking trails would be fun and free things to do during the trip.
- How safe is the area with regard to wild animals, mosquitoes, traffic etc. and what precautions will you need to take?
- What’s the weather like there at this time of year and how can you prepare for the worst?
Aside from your typical recreational activities like swimming, hiking, or fishing, there will be plenty of other opportunities for your team to connect and learn from each other through activities like cooking and sharing a meal and trading stories around the fire.
If you want to dial up the action, you can also organise an archery tournament, kayaking, or ziplining if your campground permits.
Nurture team bonding with a bed and breakfast retreat
If you have a bit more cash to splash, staying at a cosy bed and breakfast or even a farm stay is another great way to show your team how much you appreciate them.
With the comfort of their own room, common areas to break out and socialise, and quiet surrounds, this is the perfect opportunity for teams to get to know each other on a more personal level and, if required, brainstorm and discuss ideas around your business’ strategy or skills training.
You can also invite a subject matter expert or inspirational speaker to deliver a lunch and learn type of presentation, with the added benefit of your team being able to dig deeper into the topic at hand afterwards.
Get hands on with a group class
Only got time for a day trip somewhere? Get your team to vote on a group activity they can all participate in, such as:
- A pottery or paint & sip class
- A cooking or mixology class (chocolate making and cocktail masterclasses are bound to be a favourite)
- Table-making or other wood-work classes
The best part is, everyone will be able to take home something with them to enjoy later!
Make transport as fuss-free as possible with a 25 or 12 seater bus for hire
Now that you’ve cleared everyone’s calendar, you’ve booked an activity, and everyone’s raring to go, the next step for planning your team retreat is to organise transport.
At Rentco, we offer both 25 and 12 seater buses for hire with a range of configurations and inclusions to suit your needs – for example, if you need a UHF radio to stay in touch or a first aid kit on your camping trip, we can equip your rental bus with these.
To enquire about our range of buses for hire, get in touch with your nearest depot here.
