A healthy work environment is essential in having a successful company. But you’ve got to stop and ask yourself this: “What are you, the leader of your workplace, doing to ensure your employees are at their absolute best?” If you’ve found yourself wondering what you can do to 1) break up office cliques, 2) show employee appreciation, 3) ensure your team doesn’t burn out, or 4) all of the aforementioned, consider hosting an off-site retreat in nature.
Photo by Matthias Mullie
5 Benefits of Off-Site Retreats in Nature
You ARE Appreciated
Oftentimes, financial bonuses are given as a token of appreciation to your employees. Of course, a financial bonus is definitely some incentive for an employee to continue doing what they’ve been doing.
However, offering something out of the ordinary such as an off-site retreat in nature is thoughtful and goes a long way toward promoting a healthy workplace environment. It can feel like a reward and show true appreciation for who your employees are and all they contribute to the workplace.
Open Dialogue
Retreating to a natural setting allows your team to share ideas without the same restrictions they may feel while in the office. In other words, an off-site retreat in nature equally serves as a safe zone.
When in the workplace, the freedom to express one’s thoughts and feelings can be stifled by titles. After all, how many people are really going to feel comfortable expressing their woes to the manager when they’ve just witnessed a tense exchange with a difficult customer? It seldom happens.
Truth be told, people are more likely to express themselves when the energy in the room is lighter. Seeing as how that may or may not be the type of energy in your workplace, considering an alternative space can be helpful. Possibly necessary.
Unity
By now, you may be privy to some cliques in your workplace. While having a team that gets along an be conducive to each individual’s well-being and the company’s success, cliques are detrimental to the work environment.
Why are cliques harmful? Well, the most significant reason is this: those not in the clique feeling inadequate and/or unworthy. If these feelings don’t stem from the act of not being “one of the girls/guys”, it might be from the bully behavior/antics that generally form within cliques.
As a general rule, no one should ever be made to feel bad about themselves, nor should they remain in an environment that contributes to these feelings of unworthiness.
The first step in creating a healthy work environment is to nip these cliques in the bud. Off-site retreats in nature are perfect for this. They create an opportunity for the workplace leader to begin fostering healthy relationships with and between her employees while engaging in lighthearted fun.
Personal growth
Off-site retreats in nature are fantastic for promoting a healthy and creative work environment. They’re also great for encouraging personal growth.
When given an opportunity to step outside of one’s comfort zone and engage in new activities with team members, individuals are able to do some self-exploration and learn new things about themselves. This newfound awareness not only benefits the individual but eventually pours over into the company as a whole.
Additionally, hosting an off-site retreat in nature is a great way to boost creativity within your team. In fact, a 2012 study from the University of Utah found that “people immersed in nature for four days boosted their performance on a creative problem-solving test by an impressive 50 percent.”
Everyone comes out happier, healthier, and more creative after spending time in nature. What more can you ask for?
Rejuvenation
It isn’t uncommon for individuals to experience burnout from time-to-time, especially during busy seasons. But, just because it’s not uncommon does not mean it should be expected or accepted for that matter.
Avoid burnout and instill some life into your workplace environment by getting your team to connect in a natural environment. According to a recent study, urbanization “is associated with increased levels of mental illness, including depression.” You can offset contributing factors to mental illness by gifting your team with an off-site retreat.
Here at The Pines Resort, we pride ourselves on space that feels like your home away from home. In this case, it’s your office away from the office sans the typical busyness.
Our award-winning, one-of-a-kind front mountain retreat setting on Bass Lake in the Sierra Mountains creates the ideal team-building culture. Additionally, the benefits of staying at The Pines Resort during your off-site retreat in nature exceed those of hosting a retreat at a traditional hotel or resort.
Benefits of Hosting Your Off-Site Retreat at The Pines Resort
Spacious Chalets
There are 51 cozy, spacious,, two-story chalets located on the hilltop and in close proximity to all of the available amenities. Furthermore, each chalet is part of a duplex so your team can share the space and continue to build their relationship long after the activities end.
Each chalet includes:
- Full Kitchen
- Dining Island
- Sofa Bed (located in the living room)
- 2 Queen Beds (both located in the bedroom)
- 2 LCD TVs (one on each floor)
- Patio w/ BBQ
- Adjoining Duplex Door
- Full Bathroom
Nearby National Forest
You read that correctly. Home to Mariposa Grove — which in turn houses some of the largest Giant Sequoias in the world– Yosemite National Park is a short 17-mile drive away.
Don’t worry, you won’t all have to drive. In fact, your team can catch the YARTS for a day of a hiking along beautiful trails and witnessing incredible views while connecting with nature and each other.
Specialty Dining
Sitting down to enjoy meals together has long been a way for people to connect. And, since this is a company retreat, gathering to enjoy delicious food is especially important.
Work alongside our team to create unique dining options and reap the benefits of thoughtfully curated meals for your team!
While staying at The Pines Resort in Bass Lake, your team will be within walking distance to the following amenities that make our resort ideal for team building:
- On-site Marina
- Plenty of Activities (For a complete list of Bass Lake activities, download our Bass Lake-Yosemite Activity Guide. )
- Waterfalls and trails
- Short, direct drive from Los Angeles (4 hours) and San Francisco (3.5 hours)
- Pines Village: A shopping center with everything you and your colleagues may need while on-site
Hosting an off-site retreat at The Pines Resort in Bass Lake will your team rejuvenated. In fact, hosting an off-site retreat with us is the equivalent of taking a breath of fresh air, both literally and figuratively.
Simply leave your information here and our group sales manager will call you to begin planning your perfect retreat!
