Staff Retreat for Philadelphia Companies

Pocono Valley, located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, is the area’s most beautiful site for company field trips and corporate retreats. From a 40 acre Lake with Pedal Boats, Kayaks, Canoes, and Row Boats to 2 Olympic Size Heated Swimming Pools, Pocono Valley has it all. Some of our “fun” activities include 4 Beach Volleyball Courts; 15 Tennis Courts; Mini Golf; Zip Lining; and many more.

Why Have a Staff Retreat in Pocono Valley?

The Pocono Mountains, in northern Pennsylvania, have long been a favorite vacation spot. This place has wonderful natural resources and attractions all year round. In the spring and summer, visitors may walk, fish, kayak, boat, or swim. The sweeping mountains are ablaze with magnificent leaves changing hues in the fall. In the winter, the region provides skiing at many resorts. The region has now become a wonderful place for gaming as well.

Staff Retreat Ideas for Philadelphia Companies

Success factors

The best venue doesn’t ensure a fruitful retreat. For that, you and your team must plan and organize:

Prepare assignments for the retreat. Ask each staff member to prepare materials or activities for at least one agenda topic. Delegate responsibilities for guiding conversations and achieving consensus. Include post-retreat follow-up in their tasks.

Create a deliberate agenda. The retreat’s agenda should define each meeting’s objectives and topics. Scheduling agenda items helps keep meetings on track, but don’t try to complete too much in one session. Set priorities for your agenda and stick to them, but be flexible enough to examine new ideas or undiscovered difficulties if they occur.

Details matter. Anyone who has read retreat assessments knows what bothers participants the most: room temperature, seating, and food quality. Animal comforts matter!

In long meetings, ensure sure no one needs to strain to see or hear the leader, the audiovisuals, or the other participants. Change the room arrangement or seating allocations after lunch for full-day sessions. A new viewpoint implies improved focus.

Plan for midday and midafternoon breaks to refuel. Sugary foods give individuals a quick energy boost, whereas complex carbs fuel lengthier talks. Most groups desire juices, flavored drinks, fresh fruit, and yogurt. If you’re serving lunch, save the dessert for the afternoon break.

Set the tone. Check your cell phones and anything else that buzzes at the retreat. Then determine the retreat’s ground rules. Stress the value of openness, collaboration, and tolerance. Décide on how to address issues while maintaining secrecy. Remind participants that it’s okay to question and criticize ideas, but not individuals. Examine the session format and facilitators. Prefer consensus, majority rule or “what the leader says goes.” Explain how brainstorming works and how much participation is expected. Finally, include the participants in defining success criteria.