Remote work

Today's corporate offsites are not the same as those of yesteryear. Pre-pandemic, these retreats were akin to glorified field trips or, for some companies, ...

TravelBank, a company that provides digital tools for travel and expense reports for small- to midsize businesses, says its clients have become more flexible about accommodations, activities, and travel logistics to save costs. “Of all the things that may change or may vary in terms of where we allocate capital, investing in the growth and development of our people is not one of the areas that will suffer as a result of market fluctuation and market shifts,” he says. How do we really optimize on these experiences we already have in person?” Ask employees if they’re interested in attending a similar offsite in the next year, what leaders should do differently, and for thoughts on specific sessions. But the company also makes room for different functions to “cross-pollinate,” Evanich says, and offers development opportunities such as one-day trainings for managers. Evanich points out that offsites also provide a unique opportunity to build employee loyalty and employer branding, especially for remote workers. One of Thriver’s larger clients—a tech company with global offices where some employees work in-office and others remotely—hosts satellite offsites or retreats in its major hubs. Still, many companies view retreats as a key investment in talent strategy. “We realized right away [that] engagement, belonging, all these connections, are not going to be the same. Leaders should also factor in employee feedback at every step of planning and implementation. Remote-first organizations are also increasingly using offsites in lieu of regular operational meetings, like quarterly leadership planning, and investing in more frequent get-togethers because they aren’t spending money on office space. The San Francisco–based company has held over 150 offsites since.