Summer barbecues, a retreat at an exclusive spa/golf club, a picnic at the beach, a cruise to Mexico — all are good ways to unwind during your time off. They are also ways companies try to give employees a chance to meet away from work. Holding an off-site event for all employees or for a particular group for annual planning, brainstorming, team-building, socializing and relaxing can be a good way to get employees to "think outside the box" about their jobs and the company.
Liability Exposure
It can also be an HR nightmare waiting to happen. Use of alcohol, particularly when hotel stays are involved, can be an instigator of policy and legal violations, starting with sexual harassment and other improprieties. Everyone can share at least one horror story of things going wrong at a company event — from one coworker making offensive comments, all the way to sexual harassment or even assault. Alcohol may be the instigator, but employees may also feel a sense of freedom away from the office and turn their self-censoring monitors off.
Remind managers and supervisors that work rules still apply, even away from the office, and that they are exposed to personal liability if they endorse or fail to correct inappropriate behavior. Provide all employees with copies of your handbook to refresh their memory concerning appropriate behavior. Give careful thought to what you intend to accomplish at the retreat, then communicate the goals to all employees and follow through. Limit access to alcohol — including hotel minibars — and have a time-specific agenda to guide employees through their day.
Company Ethic
Before planning a retreat or off-site event, consider what the company wants to accomplish and whether a retreat is an appropriate vehicle to reach those goals. If so, then select a location that suits the needs of the group. If the topic is fiscal planning, brainstorming and setting specific goals for the next year, a picnic on the beach may not be conducive to discussing and recording ideas. On the other hand, if you want to give your employees a reward for a good year, a conference center may not be the best setting. In any event, make sure employees know what is expected of all participants and pick a location that helps accomplish the stated goals.
Also, know why you are planning the event when you plan it. If it is an opportunity for employees to relax, do not schedule focus groups, team meetings or homework. If it is a working retreat, set specific goals and prepare your agenda accordingly. What company ethic are you trying to promote with the retreat — one that encourages "work-life balance," or one that says, "put in as many hours as possible?" If it's the former, a three-day working retreat that does not include families will not communicate that message. There are companies that offer on-site day care services at any location, so you may be able to have a "working" retreat and downtime all in one.
Regardless, a retreat is an opportunity to remind employees of your corporate ethic and how they fit into it — it should be a positive experience for everyone.