Why You (and Your Employees) Should Get Out of the Office

Team Building Out of the Office

It’s fun to fantasize about life without work, but the reality is that most of us would feel bored and aimless, soon longing for the routine we longed to escape. A vacation is satisfying because it’s a goal, something different, not a gift, but something earned.

An out-of-office retreat serves much the same purpose – to create a positive experience that helps employees become happier, more productive, and more appreciative of the everyday. They return to your office with an attitude that makes you proud…and most importantly, helps your bottom line.

Productivity

Speaking of vacations, imagine a life without vacation. Some would call that hard work, and extoll its virtues. But some would call it exhausting, and reality is on their side.

Entrepreneur magazine reported on the positive effects of time off, explaining how six weeks off a year actually increased productivity for a busy entrepreneur. Bob Pozen of Harvard Business School has claimed the same results, saying that we often measure productivity by time spent working rather than actual results.

Now, employee work-life balance is definitely bigger than a single retreat or team building initiative, but a well-timed training event can function as a much-needed break or change of pace. And with careful planning, these events can actually help address real business issues.

Better Retention

In 2010, the New York Times reported on the positive effects of changing the pattern of where you study. The brain associates new information with current stimuli. By changing the stimuli, you give that new knowledge more extensive “neural scaffolding,” increasing the likelihood of retention.

Your employees have likely finished school, but the principle remains the same: a change in setting stimulates the brain. This aspect of offsite training and engaging activities is in part why team building experiences can be so effective for both new and seasoned employees.

Team Effectiveness

Inc. surveyed a number of successful entrepreneurs who sponsored team building activities for their employees. Though their methods differed – volunteering, CrossFit, and even a cruise – all reported improved team effectiveness. Their employees are more engaged because their work becomes more personal, creating a greater sense of ownership and accountability.

In today’s world, businesses need to leverage every opportunity to get ahead.  By combining an engaging offsite team building activity with focused business applications, the results become even more impressive. If you’re still skeptical, a study by Learning Technologies Inc has shown 62% visible improvements in communication and time management after a one-day team building event.

If you’re a Chapel Hill-area business and think your employees could use a break (while still addressing your most critical business issues), LTI can help. Contact us today and let’s get your employees out of their seats and fully engaged!