Category: Corporate Event Venue

The Benefits of Changing Your Company Culture to Attract Talent

Most job seekers want to work for a company that values and inspires them. If your business doesn’t meet that description, you might need a change in your company culture if you want to recruit top candidates. 

Learning how to create a positive and healthy company culture can help you attract and maintain talent. Here’s a review of how you can benefit from a corporate culture change to attract talent, and the role that a corporate event can play in making positive adjustments.

Why Company Culture Matters for Recruiting

For many companies, hiring is a significant struggle these days. The current U.S. unemployment rate is at a historically low level. In this environment, workers feel empowered to leave their jobs for greener pastures. According to a recent Gallup survey, half of all workers in the United States are open to leaving their current positions. The number one category of reasons they give for wanting to leave? Shortcomings in their current employer’s “engagement and culture” can include things like insufficient opportunities for development and advancement, unreasonable job expectations, and a lack of recognition for their contributions and achievements. 

Today’s employers cannot count on filling positions with qualified candidates simply by offering competitive wages and benefits, although that is still a prerequisite. To attract and retain talent, they need to ensure their businesses are desirable places to work. And for some, that means taking a hard look at their company culture and making positive changes.  

Steps Toward Positive Culture Change

It’s not realistic to expect a company’s culture to transform overnight. For most businesses, change is a process that includes listening, deliberating, and making tangible efforts to show a commitment to transforming company culture to attract and retain talent. A corporate event venue can facilitate those efforts, and some steps towards changing your company culture that can lead to benefits include:

Listening Sessions

Gathering employees in a safe, neutral setting where they can share their thoughts on company culture can be a productive step toward making a change. It’s easier for workers to air their criticisms when not surrounded by the trappings of workplace hierarchy. Holding a company meeting and listening session at a corporate event venue, away from the demands and structure of an office or job facility, can lower barriers and facilitate frank, honest conversations about what needs to change to attract talent and keep current employees on board.

Leadership Retreats

The same goes for meetings among company leaders to discuss which changes to implement and how to accomplish them. You’ll want to get your leadership team together to discuss which ideas from the listening sessions are worth pursuing and to devise workable action items for changing company culture for the better. Holding that gathering at an off-site venue gives executives and managers the chance to focus on those questions without distractions and to collaborate creatively on solutions.

Corporate Events

Holding an event for current or prospective employees can be an effective way to demonstrate your commitment to a more positive company culture. Get-togethers at purpose-built event venues offer a perfect environment for socializing, team-building, and collaboration. A top-quality venue can provide a range of amenities and activities accessible to your entire workforce. This generates meaningful opportunities for group and one-on-one interactions that reinforce and demonstrate your company’s high-quality culture as a place to work.

Partner With Frogbridge Events to Make Positive Changes to Your Company’s Culture

Corporate culture matters more than ever to your prospective and current employees. Attracting talent takes more than offering competitive pay and benefits. Recruiting the best candidates takes a commitment to building and maintaining a strong, supportive company culture. A premier corporate event venue can help you take proactive steps to hear what your workforce wants, plan effective strategies, and demonstrate meaningful change. 

Frogbridge Events in Millstone Township, New Jersey, is that kind of venue. Our 86-acre company event facility offers amenities perfect for holding any type of corporate gathering, from an all-hands listening session to a leadership retreat to a company-wide day off. Contact our experienced planners online or call (609) 208-9475 to start making positive changes in your company culture.

How Spending Time Outdoors Can Improve Productivity

Stereotypically places of poor lighting, cramped desks, and minimal privacy, today’s workplace is now shifting into a more creative and flexible environment. Workers are demanding better treatment, working conditions, and atmospheres that are conducive to productivity.

While spending time outside might seem counterproductive, doing so can be well worth the wellness and productivity boost that’s gained through outdoor activities. It can also assist with better employee-employer relationships. An “International Journal of Environmental Health Research” report shows that just 20 minutes in a park can result in huge well-being enhancements. Workers that spend their lunch hour outdoors, can easily achieve a short midday walk and still leave enough time to enjoy a nourishing lunch.

How Does Outdoor Time Improve Productivity?

According to Harvard Business Review, happier workplaces are more productive workplaces, and going outdoors offers the opportunity to create this happiness. There’s a strong association between time spent outdoors and productivity too — many studies have found being exposed to nature strengthens people’s memory and sharpens their attention.

Some ways that spending time outdoors can boost productivity include:

1. Provides Stress Relief

When teams have opportunities to get outdoors and connect in nature, it can be a strong antidote to the type of prolonged stress that’s seen more and more in the workplace. With company nature retreats, teams can unplug both literally and metaphorically from types of day-to-day routines that often encourage unsustainable behaviors and decrease productivity.

Teams will often return from these types of nature retreats feeling rejuvenated and invigorated both as a group and individually. They frequently report that their sense of cohesion, connection, and performance continued once they returned to the workplace. They also report feeling an expanded perspective and a greater sense of clarity, which are both invaluable during uncertain and complex times.

2. Provides Balance

Going outdoors can help you find balance and relief, particularly if you experience stress regularly that easily distracts you from your day-to-day tasks. In fact, research shows that exposure to sunlight strongly influences energy levels and mood, and both variables are frequently correlated with productivity. Similar to how food is the body’s molecular information, sunlight is energetic information that informs our cells and brains to function and be awake while also setting conditions for the body’s metabolism. 

3. Supports Creativity & Attention Span

When it comes to sports, it’s widely recognized that rotating intervals of high intensity with rest and recovery are important to sustain high performance. Now, while the workplace is hardly as physically demanding as the world of athletics, it can still be emotionally and mentally intense, particularly in the present operating environment. As reflected in the Great Resignation trends, high levels of burnout and exhaustion have consequences that continue to repeat worldwide. 

However, it’s not enough for people to only discipline themselves to take time off of work to rest and recover. What’s equally important is what they’re doing during these rest periods. Spending time in nature helps with things like:

This time spent outdoors shouldn’t be seen as a vacation from building essential skills like these, but rather as a foundational resource for the team and individual development.

Boost Productivity With These Company Outdoor Activities

Here are some fun ideas you can try to get the team outdoors and into nature.

1. Company Picnic

Company picnics can foster collaboration, improve morale, and show your team your appreciation. You may have certain individuals in a bigger office environment who have never spent a whole lot of time together. Therefore, inviting them to meet and engage in activities and games on a company picnic can help to foster more collaboration and productivity between departments.

2. Outdoor Company Retreat

Company retreats not only foster better collaboration but also help foster new ideas and innovation by immersing participants in a more relaxed, alternate atmosphere. You can decide on the activities to include in your company retreat and how long you’d like it to be. The goal here is to create effective, thoughtful getaways.

On your company retreat, you can schedule outdoor activities such as hiking, boating, and perhaps something a bit more adventurous, like zip-lining. The exercise along with the fresh air will help your team members energize and make time for them to socialize with their colleagues.

Improve Team Productivity With Frogbridge Events in New Jersey

At Frogbridge Events, we specialize in organizing events and activities that encourage team morale and productivity. No matter what you require in a workplace event, we can likely help. We’ll handle all the nuts and bolts of company outdoor activity or event details no matter what size of team you have.

Whether you’re throwing a company picnic, a nature walk, or a full-blown company retreat, let Frogbridge Events help you. We help you bring the venue, activities, and catering together that you’ll need to make your outdoor company event truly memorable while promoting productivity. Call us at (609) 208-9475 or fill out our contact form to learn more about our venue for group events, parties, company retreats, and other special events in the surrounding areas of New Jersey.

How to Incorporate a Company Retreat Budget Into Your Company’s Yearly Budget

A memorable company retreat can be the ultimate difference between a dull, boring company and an interconnected, dynamic company culture. Company retreats are by far some of the best perks in the workplace available. 

Company retreats have been shown to increase productivity, boost morale, help workers renew their enthusiasm for the job they do, and bring people together. While this sounds good in theory, there’s typically one question that comes to mind during the planning of a company event – how can the company create a reasonable budget for the company retreat? Below are five tips to help you incorporate a company retreat budget into your annual budget.

5 Tips to Incorporate a Solid Budget for your Company Retreat 

The initial step in your attempt to run a fun, smooth, and productive company retreat is to look over your budget. Keep in mind, you don’t need a ton of money to create a memorable company retreat – you just need to do a little smart budgeting so you know precisely how much to allocate for each aspect of your event.

1. Set Goals and Requirements 

Your goals will detail what you’re looking to accomplish during your company retreat and can also focus on the “vibe” of the retreat. On the other hand, the requirements are your must-haves. These typically detail things like space limitations, transportation, or even food allergies. Some goals you may wish to consider include: 

  • Connecting new employees with colleagues in their own department
  • Creating an organic way for members of the team to bond outside the workplace
  • Announcing a new internal program launch
  • Bonding your remote team in-person

Factoring in certain goals and requirements can give you a good starting point.  

2. Location 

With location, this doesn’t necessarily mean the venue – it may also mean the town, city, province, or country where your offsite company retreat will take place. Depending on the location chosen, the costs of staying there, as well as the expense of getting there, will vary. 

3. Implement the Quarter Rule 

Regardless of how decisive you are on the amount you spend on your corporate retreat, it’s likely that you’ll fall into some confusion and doubt, particularly if you’re planning a retreat for the first time. To avoid this, you’ll want to split your retreat budget into several categories to ensure you’re accounting for all aspects of the event. These include transportation, accommodation, activities, and meals.

Once you put these components into place, it will be much easier for you to incorporate your retreat budget into your overall yearly company budget, and there won’t be any surprises later on. Strategically planning out your budget for your retreat will help you figure in expenses for things like daily meals and beverages, the length of the retreat, and costs of other activities. 

4. Factor Miscellaneous Costs into your Budget 

While it’s ideal to take all essentials into account that may constitute the company trip, you should also budget in any extra costs that could potentially arise down the road. You should allocate 5% of the company retreat funds into your budget plan as a substantial consideration. This will ensure you won’t need to dip into the finances you set aside for other aspects of the trip.

5. Compare All Your Options 

You may also want to compare all cost options when budgeting for your company retreat. Doing this can help you ask essential questions that can make deciding on the location for your retreat accessible and decrease the expense of your budget. To choose a location that fits into your budget, you’ll want to compare several different locations and take into consideration the cost of their activities, meals, and accommodations. 

Choosing the Right Retreat Venue 

There’s no doubt that everyone would love to go on an amazing corporate retreat — and the venue is the biggest and most important component of this. Whether you’re planning on hiring out a converted facility event area for the day or investing in an overnight retreat at a spa resort, the venue is likely going to be what your team remembers the most.

Therefore, it’s always a good idea to do a small amount of benchmarking before you commit to any one venue to allow you to get the best price-quality ratio for precisely what you require. Some essential things to consider about the venue you choose include: 

  • The amenities available
  • The accommodation choices it offers
  • Will the venue be able to cater to all of your requirements?
  • Is it difficult to reach?
  • What types of catering options do they provide?

These are only some of the many questions individuals will need to ask themselves when planning a retreat and choosing a venue.

Let Frogbridge Events Help You Plan Your Next Company Retreat 

Planning and budgeting for a company retreat is challenging. Planning a corporate retreat on a budget can be particularly difficult. You need to secure a venue, arrange transportation, organize accommodations, and ensure you have everything you require to ensure your team has a good time. Fortunately, you don’t have to deal with all of these tasks by yourself. 

Hire the professional services of Frogbridge Events to come in and coordinate everything you require for a fun and successful company retreat. Call us at (609) 208-9475 or fill out our contact form on our website to learn more about the variety of company event packages we offer, including planning out a company retreat on a budget.

Five Accessible Games for Your Next Company Retreat

The inclusion of the entire team is one of the most important aspects of team building. When planning your retreat, you want to be sure that the activities that you choose do not exclude anyone with mobility issues or other special needs from participating. The whole idea of team building is demonstrating to your team the positive effects of working (and playing) together. Carefully choosing games that are tailored to everyone on your team is essential.

In order for any company retreat to be successful, all the participants must feel comfortable in the location, events, and team-building exercises. Some employees may hesitate to participate if their necessary needs make it difficult for them. Frogbridge Events can help you figure out how to incorporate accessible games into your next company retreat.

What Accessible Games Can You Incorporate?

There are many types of games that you may work into your corporate retreat that make them accessible for all. Some examples include:

1. Starting With An Ice Breaker

Depending on the size of your group, a great icebreaker is the “Who Am I?” game. Each employee is given a name tag that is pinned to their back. The name on the tag is that of a famous person or character. That employee must ask other guests questions about the person on their tag until they can correctly guess the name. For example, on Sally’s back is the name of Donald Duck. She might ask others if she is a real person or a fictional person. Is she male or female? Old or young?  Limit the questions to one per person so everyone must speak to multiple employees. You can give prizes for the quickest guess, the most questions asked, or even the name who best represents the employee. 

2. Getting to Know You

This game is especially fun if your employees are a bit unfamiliar with each other. You can describe something about one of the employees and everyone must guess who you are describing. The more obscure the fact, the better. If you are bringing together salespeople from across the country who seldom get to interact with each other, it can be fun and very interesting to see what they would guess. An example would be, “This person has been to all fifty states.”  Each person would write down who they think that would be.  The one with the most guesses wins and can receive a prize.

3. A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Depending on the size of your group, split into teams of five or six people. You could play a company version of Pictionary, where the teams guess what one member is drawing. Get creative with words that have some connection with the company, such as the location, what they do, or something familiar to employees. You can also choose from movie titles, current events, or famous names or places. 

A variation of this for larger groups is charades, where one person acts out the clue and the others must guess the word or phrase.

4. Truth or Lies

Truth or Lies is a great game for everyone and is perfect for getting to know others on your team. Each member of the team writes down four statements about themselves. Three of the statements are false and one is true. The team members must guess which is the truth and which are lies. By making the truth obscure enough that others will not guess, the team members will then know a hidden fact about their teammates. This is especially fun when all the members are somewhat familiar with each other. 

You can also change this game up by giving participants four statements, with only one being true. They could center around their location, their company, or even their boss.

5. Learn Together

Classes are a great way to bond with others. Though not really a game, it can be fun and rewarding. Consider a painting class, for example. Instead of having everyone paint the same object or scene, have them paint different items that somehow fit together. This requires teams to create a storyline and work together to tell the story.

Other learning opportunities may include collecting and identifying plants or leaves and scrapbooking them, planning a menu and preparing the meal, setting up an ice cream or hot chocolate bar, and preparing food for other teams or any number of ideas that can be fun while learning something new.

The Expert Event Planners at Frogbridge Events Can Help Plan Your Company Retreat

At Frogbridge Events, our event planners can help plan your next company retreat and help you organize an event for all your attendees, regardless of their special needs. We can customize an event, designed just for you on our 86-acre resort, which highlights the beauty and natural wonder of all that the garden state has to offer.

Whether you are planning for a small group or for a larger crowd, our event planners can find the activities and settings chosen just for you. Call us at (609) 208-9475 or contact us to get started.

A Guide to Making Your Next Company Retreat More Accessible

Company retreats are a great way to get people out of the office and into a creative and collaborative space. But if you’re planning a company retreat, it’s also important to make sure that it’s accessible to all members of your team.

With the right planning, you can ensure that your next company retreat is accessible to everyone and that every member of your team can enjoy the experience. Also, if you need further help planning an inclusive retreat, Frogbridge Events is here to assist or answer any questions you may have.

How to Make Your Company Retreat More Accessible

Here are some strategies for making your next company retreat more accessible so that all members of your team can benefit from the experience. 

Know Who You’re Inviting

As you start planning your next company retreat, keep in mind the people that you are inviting. Do you plan to invite the whole company or is it a retreat for just one department? This will dictate the venue size. Also, be mindful of the accommodations that the people you’re inviting need. For instance, if a team member uses a wheelchair, you will want to opt for inclusive activities instead.

You may find out that some staff members that do not need any accommodations at work may have other limitations for activities outside of their usual duties. When sending out emails about the upcoming retreat or invitations, you can also let attendees know who to contact if they need any special accommodations.

Ask for Team Member Input

You can also get team members involved in the planning of the retreat so they can express any concerns or preferences with you before you finalize the schedule. Perhaps you can decide on a group of possible activities and send out a poll to the group to see which ones they would like to participate in at the retreat. This way, you can create a retreat based on what attendees want to do. 

Not all accessibility concerns center around wheelchair ramps and ADA compliance. Some staff members might not be comfortable with loud noises or heights. Without finding this out in advance, you wouldn’t necessarily know this when planning your retreat. Ultimately, you want to plan a retreat team members want to attend. Involving them by soliciting input can improve engagement and make it more accessible.

Check for Accessible Hotels

If your retreat includes an overnight stay, be sure to ask hotels about their own accessibility accommodations. Most hotels will abide by and comply with ADA standards. However, it is always a smart idea to verify that ADA-compliant rooms will be available to your team, if needed, when you book the stay.

Make the Event More Accessible

Retreats often require temporary structures, such as gazebos and tents. Fortunately, there are ways to make temporary events more accessible. For example, if your company retreat will have staff members from around the globe attending, it is possible that there could be language barriers that could prohibit full participation. You could have an interpreter available at the event to facilitate communication and participation for all team members.

Also, if your event will have temporary structures, it’s important that there are accessibility ramps where needed, along with ample space between chairs, tables, and other items to allow ample room for a wheelchair to pass through. While permanent structures and buildings may have accessibility features such as an elevator and ramps, you may need to ensure that temporary structures do too.

Recruit a Team of Event Planning Experts at Frogbridge Events

Event planning can be a difficult process if you are trying to incorporate new ideas and make adjustments for a broader audience. Fortunately, you can get help from a team of event planning experts who have plenty of experience creating more accessible company retreats. 

At Frogbridge Events, we work with companies to plan their retreats while focusing on their main goals and making each event accessible to their audience. Let us work with you to plan a company retreat that is right for all of your participants. Call us at (609) 208-9475 or use our contact form to discuss your next event.

Remote Companies: How They Benefit From Corporate Retreats

Remote companies are becoming increasingly popular due to their ability to create a more flexible and cost-effective work environment. However, remote companies face unique challenges that many traditional companies don’t have to worry about, such as communication, collaboration, and culture. Corporate retreats can help alleviate these challenges and provide a platform for remote companies to work together and build relationships. 

Corporate retreats can also help remote companies develop shared values, establish clear goals, and create better collaboration between team members. Frogbridge Events can help provide an excellent opportunity for remote companies to come together and create a cohesive team that is ready to tackle any challenge.

How Do Remote Companies Benefit from Corporate Retreats? 

There are multiple ways that remote companies can benefit from a retreat, such as:

Form Stronger Workplace Connections

Work retreats can be a great way to bring your remote employees together and help form a stronger workplace connection. Team retreats give members the opportunity to socialize and have some face time with each other, something that is often lost when working from home. By encouraging employees to come together in person, it can help create an environment for brainstorming ideas and team-building activities.

Build a Healthy Workplace Culture

A work retreat also allows for company culture to be further developed and nurtured. Especially now after the COVID-19 pandemic, where most of us are still stuck in our personal lives at home, retreats offer a much needed change of scenery and the chance to connect with colleagues without having to worry about the pressures of working from home. 

In addition, it’s a great way to reward employees for their hard work and dedication by giving them the chance to escape their day-to-day duties while still being able to stay connected with their teams. Retreats intend to provide employees with an opportunity to relax and recharge their batteries after the stresses of the workweek.

Host Fun Activities to Foster Camaraderie

Corporate retreats typically involve fun activities such as hikes, zip lines, scavenger hunts, and other creative initiatives that bring out everyone’s competitive spirit. The goal is to create a sense of camaraderie among team members as well as build trust with leaders so everyone can work more effectively when they return to their day-to-day roles. 

Encourage Innovation

Attending a company retreat can be a great way for employees to collaborate in person, build relationships, and explore creative solutions to workplace issues. By providing an opportunity for employees to come together and share their knowledge in an informal setting, companies can also benefit from increased innovation and new ideas that may not have been explored otherwise.

Working together in new environments often forces teams out of their comfort zones and encourages them to think outside of the box when it comes to solving problems or coming up with creative solutions. Some positive outcomes of corporate retreats include increased team morale, improved communication, increased productivity, and better problem-solving skills.

Help Remote and Dispersed Teams Bond

Face-to-face retreats are a great way for remote teams to come together and bond. A company retreat is an important first step in creating a strong team dynamic and company culture, especially for startups that are fully remote. By bringing the team together in one physical place, they can discuss their work face-to-face and really get to know each other. This can be especially helpful when working with people in different time zones, as it allows them to build relationships outside of their normal work schedule.

Get the Most Out of Your Corporate Retreats with Frogbridge Events

Going on a retreat to recover, recuperate, and regroup can be a highly effective way of improving relationships within your company. However, the retreat must be planned with patience and care. There are plenty of ways that you could run into issues if you plan the whole thing yourself. Fortunately, you don’t have to do all of your own event planning.

At Frogbridge Events, our goal is to plan events that attendees remember and that also directly align with your company’s goals. We have extensive experience planning a variety of events for corporations. Call us at (609) 208-9475 or use our online contact form to discuss how we can make it easy to plan your next corporate retreat.

6 Ways to Encourage Shy Employees to Participate in Company Activities

Corporate retreats help build your employees’ morale, improve collaboration, and increase productivity in your business. However, you’ll have to find ways to engage all your employees to achieve these benefits, as participation is a key part of the success of any company activity or task. 

Most company events are designed for an engaged workforce, which is fine for extroverts, but not for employees who may have a shy disposition. Unfortunately, shy employees may need help to actively participate in company activities. Frogbridge Events can help you engage all of your employees, along with assisting with any other questions you may have. 

6 Ways to Encourage Shy Employees to Participate in Company Activities

As a business owner or manager, it’s best to know how to get all your employees excited about your events and how to make them comfortable enough to participate. Here are six ways to encourage shy employees to participate in your company’s activities.

1. Host Events They Are Comfortable With

Shy employees are more likely to engage in activities they are familiar with and comfortable with. Therefore, when planning a corporate retreat, you should ask all your employees what they might want to do so that you can choose accessible activities that everyone can enjoy and excel in.

It’s also important to involve your shy employees in the planning process. Let them make crucial decisions like the event format, time, location, and catering. A person is more likely to participate in company activities they planned themselves. Additionally, you should take time to understand situations that make your shy employees feel threatened and provide better alternatives. The goal is to ensure company activities meet the needs of all employees, including shy ones.

2. Create a Safe Environment

Your company events should also have different ways for employees to be engaged. Rather than forcing employees to participate in things they are uncomfortable with, provide options so that all employees can contribute in a way that’s most comfortable for them. When shy employees feel more in control, they’ll overcome their fears and feel more confident when participating in an activity of their choice.

Giving them choices creates a safe environment for them to overcome their fears and have fun. The more opportunities shy employees have to engage, the more comfortable they will be participating in company activities.

3. Limit Group Members

Team-based activities are a great way of making your company retreats memorable and enjoyable. However, some shy employees may have difficulty participating in crowded environments. Therefore, when sorting your employees into teams, you’d want to limit the number of participants in them. This will encourage all the team members to participate in the given activities.

When creating teams, assign shy employees to colleagues they are most comfortable working with. Having familiar faces around them allows them to thrive, have fun, and enjoy the opportunity altogether. Alternatively, you can simply allow them to choose their team partners. Team building activities featuring smaller groups of people foster collaboration and allow the shyer members to break out of their shell.

4. Share the Plans in Advance

Quiet people don’t like surprises and usually feel intimidated when suddenly put into the spotlight. They need time and space to prepare and plan for things, rather than deal with surprises. Therefore, throwing new activities at them may significantly discourage them from participating. Share the agenda in advance of whatever company activities you plan on doing so that your shy employees can mentally prepare themselves for the big day.

You should keep them informed as much as possible and let them know in case of any changes. When the day comes, they will be well-prepared and ready to engage in the activities planned for the retreat.

5. Use Incentives

Incentives can help encourage almost every employee, including the shy ones, to participate and feel motivated. By incorporating incentives such as gift cards, movie tickets, free meals, and coffee mugs in your company event, you’ll not only bring them to the event, but also encourage them to engage.

You should ensure that the incentives align with what your employees care about. This ensures that you select an incentive that shy employees find truly motivating, which may involve some research and planning. 

6. Foster Cooperative Competition

Sometimes your shy employees need a little push to get out of their comfort zone. Therefore, your company retreat should include engaging and competitive activities to motivate and inspire your employees to achieve certain goals. This creates a healthy competition that allows your employees to encourage each other, achieve milestones and celebrate successes.

Many people enjoy activities that allow them to win and outdo others. Therefore, as positive peer pressure and polite competitiveness take over, your employees will be more motivated to participate in company activities.

Contact an Experienced Corporate Event Planner at Frogbridge Events

Participating in company activities can be a huge challenge for shy employees. They tend to feel more uncomfortable in various social circumstances and are mostly seen as actively disengaged employees. However, you can engage them by planning an introvert-friendly retreat. That’s why you should let corporate event planning experts at Frogbridge Events handle everything for you.

We have the facilities to help you create a welcoming experience for all your employees. Call us today at (609) 208-9475 or contact us online to talk with one of our event planning experts to learn how we can simplify your retreats and encourage employee participation.

How to Prevent Alienating Anyone During a Corporate Retreat

A corporate retreat can bring many benefits to an organization, from building a robust and cohesive culture to improving overall performance. However, one of the potential challenges to having an effective corporate retreat is alienation. Alienation happens when employees feel isolated from the activities at the retreat and their colleagues. This disconnection causes a feeling of meaninglessness and distances your employees from the objective of the retreat.

Alienation can significantly affect a corporate retreat, making it less effective. Therefore, employers must take various steps to prevent this from happening. Frogbridge Events can help you figure out ways you can avoid alienating anyone during a corporate retreat, along with anything else you need during the planning process.

How Can You Prevent Alienating Anyone During a Retreat? 

Employees often feel alienated when they are not free to approach their bosses. Rather than acting as if you’re above the workforce, approach your employees and engage in one-on-one conversations with them. You should maintain open communication, consider their feelings, and regularly check in with everybody. 

Remember also to find ways to address any concerns that might arise during the retreat. Building closer relationships with your employees will create an atmosphere of safety and trust. There are also many other ways to make sure you don’t alienate your employees at a retreat.

Involve Everyone in Making Decisions

Corporate retreats are opportunities to bring your employees together so that they can have a great time. Therefore, you should make them feel like they own the event. Keeping them in the dark and making decisions without their input creates alienation. Consider everyone’s suggestions when making crucial retreat decisions, which will help make your employees feel included.

Encourage Team-Building Activities

Without team-building activities during a corporate retreat, your employees may feel bored, disinterested, and isolated. Team bonding activities allow workers to interact with each other and foster good working relationships. Therefore, you should incorporate time for engaging activities such as team-building games.

You should also allow free time so your teams can converse naturally. Remember to keep introverts in mind when designing group activities to avoid alienating them. Prioritizing meaningful interactions ensures everyone participates in the company’s activities.

Respond to Each Employee’s Contributions

Employees feel isolated when their contributions are not acknowledged. Work retreats give the staff a chance to build confidence. Therefore, making them feel powerless could significantly affect them. They may have great ideas that could spice up the retreat, but since they cannot implement them, they may feel separate and not part of the team.

Appreciate every person’s contributions and encourage them to take on new responsibilities like planning part of the retreat’s activities. This will boost their self-esteem, crank up creativity, and make them feel part of this life-changing experience.

Respect Their Boundaries

Acknowledge that you have different employees with different personalities. Forcing your workers to do things they don’t want to during a retreat pushes them further away and creates a sense of fear. Refrain from making sarcastic statements, as they undermine trust. Respecting your employee’s boundaries will prevent them from feeling isolated and undermined.

People who are afraid are less likely to revel in the retreat experience, which undermines the purpose of the retreat. Encourage employees to respect and embrace each other so that everyone is comfortable and open to a new adventure.

Avoid Playing Favorites

Playing favorites with a section of your employees will make the others feel left out. Give all your employees equal opportunities, and avoid giving special attention or treatment to specific employees during a corporate retreat. Instead, appreciate and encourage everyone to have a good time.

Paying equal attention to all your members will encourage them to actively engage in company activities. Everyone will feel more comfortable around one another when none of their colleagues are treated much better.

Make Sure the Venue is Welcoming

Another critical factor in having an all-inclusive corporate retreat is choosing the right venue. You should select a venue with fun activities and amenities to cater to your varying employee needs. Frogbridge Events and our venue is welcoming to any and all companies wanting to have a retreat for their employees, and we can help with any planning questions you may have as well. 

Let Our Professional Event Planners at Frogbridge Events Help You Plan an Enjoyable Retreat

If not well-planned and managed, a corporate retreat may frustrate your employees and make them feel alienated. That’s why when planning your next retreat, it’s best to hire skilled event planners at Frogbridge Events who understand the ins and outs of running events.

With many years of experience, our corporate event planners can manage all aspects of your company outing. We can help you create a one-of-a-kind retreat with fun options for all your employees. Call us today at (609) 208-9475 or contact us online to learn how our experts can help you make your retreat an enjoyable one for everyone.

How Long Should a Corporate Retreat Be?

A corporate retreat is a getaway that brings together people from different departments, locations, and backgrounds. The goal is to foster collaboration, innovation, and new ideas by immersing participants in an alternate, more relaxed environment. A corporate retreat can be anything from a few team-building activities over the lunch hour to an extended stay in a remote location with limited cell service, no internet access, and no distractions. 

This means it’s up to you to determine how long you want your retreat to be and what activities you include. Here are some general guidelines for planning and executing a corporate retreat and specific ways to adapt traditional concepts to your unique needs.

Determine What Your Goals are for the Retreat

When planning a company retreat, first think about your goals and objectives. What do you want to achieve as a team? What kind of environment do you want to create? Once you have a clear idea of your goals, you can start planning the retreat. Remember that a company retreat differs from a team retreat or a team member retreat. It should be more unstructured and allow for more employee bonding and connection.

Work or Recreation?

When planning a company retreat, deciding whether the focus will be on work or recreation is essential. Different amounts of time can be allocated depending on the company’s needs. However, both should be considered to create a well-rounded experience for employees.

Figure Out How Much Time You Need

First off, decide on the length of your company retreat. Will it be a day trip or an overnight stay? If you’re planning on having an unstructured retreat, consider making it a weekend so your entire team can get away and bond. If you’re worried about losing productivity, consider having your retreat during a slow season or for remote companies, plan it around a holiday. Prioritize getting everyone on the same page and use the time to brainstorm and plan for the future.

The length of the retreat will depend on several factors, including the size of your company and the amount of time you have available. Consider a retreat that lasts several days if you have a large company. If you have a smaller company, a one-day retreat may be sufficient.

Where Will You Have It?

Your retreat location may dictate how long your retreat needs to be. There are several factors to consider, such as whether the retreat will be held indoors or outdoors and whether it will be local or further away. Other considerations include the size of the group and the budget. Once the location is decided, start thinking about activities that will take place during the retreat.

Factor in Transportation Time and Costs

Company retreats are a fantastic way for teams to bond and get to know each other outside the office. However, one downside is that travel time can take away valuable bonding time. If your company retreat is in a remote location, consider booking transportation in advance so your team can relax and enjoy the ride together.

Contact Us for Help Planning Your Corporate Retreat

Planning a corporate retreat can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Getting the length right is just one part of the whole planning process. Fortunately, you can make it easier to plan corporate events by getting help from an event planner. 

Before you start working on your next corporate retreat, call Frogbridge Events at (609) 316-5901 or contact us here. We specialize in corporate event planning and can help you get everything for your next event right. 

Joyful employees strategizing together.

Best Ways to Incorporate Your Employees’ Interests Into a Company Retreat

Corporate retreats are an effective way to build teams that are better at communicating and collaborating. However, the quality of corporate events hinges on buy-in from the participants. If your employees are not adequately engaged, they won’t want to participate in your event or get any benefit from it. The key to getting employee buy-in is to base the event on their interests. 

Get Your Employees Interested in Your Company Retreat

Here are a few of the best ways to incorporate your employees’ interests in a company retreat:

Ask Your Employees What They Would Like to Do

The most important part of planning your retreat is to find out what your employees want to do. Depending on how long the retreat is and how many employees you have, you can choose a few different methods to conduct this poll.

The best way to get every employee’s opinion is to conduct an online survey. You can also have an open forum meeting, with an anonymous voting system, or host a virtual town hall event.

Let Them Choose the Activities

Once you know what your employees want to do, you can start to plan the activities. You can choose a variety of activities that appeal to a wide range of interests. Keep the activities relevant to your field or business. 

You can use company-related activities as a way to build camaraderie between departments. When choosing activities, make sure they are appropriate for your audience. 

While it’s important to let your employees share what they want, you also need to manage expectations. If a significant number of employees want to go skydiving but that is not a safe activity for a team of employees, you may want to suggest something else.

Go Somewhere They’ll Enjoy

When choosing a destination for your corporate retreat, the most important thing to consider is the interests of your employees. You should also consider how far a wide range of employees can travel without breaking the bank. 

When deciding where to take your corporate retreat, you can choose a location that meets a wide range of interests. One example is taking your company to a sporting event. Sports events are a great way to foster a competitive spirit between departments, especially if you choose a game that has a mixed departmental team. 

Another option is taking your team to a music festival or artistic event. These types of events are perfect for employees who want to experience something new and see new things.

Base the Trip on Something You Can All Enjoy Together

One of the best ways to incorporate your employees’ interests into a company retreat is to base the trip around a shared passion or interest. You can choose to base your trip on a cause your company supports. Taking your employees to a cause that they feel strongly about is a great way to foster a sense of unity and camaraderie among your team members. 

Another way to base the trip on a shared interest is to base the trip on a shared hobby. If you and your employees share a common hobby, you can use the trip as a way to collaborate and build stronger bonds between team members.

Find the Right Partner for Planning Company Retreats

If your employees are not adequately engaged, they won’t want to participate in your event or get any benefit from it. The key to getting employee buy-in is to base the event on their interests. Now that you know what you need to do to make your next company retreat a success, you can focus on having fun and fostering a sense of teamwork and camaraderie between your employees.

Make your next event a massive success by partnering with Frogbridge Events. We specialize in planning events for companies. Call us at (609) 208-9475 or fill out our contact form to schedule a talk with our event planners. 

Excellent place for events of any kind.
– Xavier V.