The value of staff retreats — advice and experiences from our team

Like many organizations, Big Duck has transitioned away from a traditional in-office workplace, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This shift has provided us with greater flexibility in operations, the opportunity to hire staff who are located across the country, and many other benefits.

While our team members agree that adopting a remote-work approach is positive overall, it’s not entirely without drawbacks. One of the things that consistently comes up during our all-staff discussions is that people sometimes miss the opportunity for in-person conversation, connection, and shared experiences. To remedy some of what is lost with these interactions, Big Duck has held an annual multi-day retreat since 2022.

We now know from experience that staff retreats require a lot of time and effort to be successful, which might leave some organizations hesitant about planning one at all. Here are some perspectives from the Big Duck team about why retreats are worthwhile based on our experiences — in-person and virtual — at Big Duck and elsewhere.

Any opportunity to get on the same page is valuable

“Now that many of us are working in all-remote or hybrid settings, retreats can provide an excellent time to bring the team together to do synchronous work and big-picture thinking. They can also provide opportunities for the team to connect and have fun together — which strengthens the culture and can help build trust.”
– Farra Trompeter, Co-Director & Worker-Owner

Retreats can support greater power sharing and initiative

“Staff across the organization have facilitated parts of the agenda during recent retreats. This has been a great practice to mix up the voices we hear from, ensure more of the team feels a sense of ownership and accountability for the retreat’s success, and shake up the energy and vibes throughout the retreat — making the experience more fun and engaging.”
– Ally Dommu, Director of Service Development & Worker-Owner

Space can be built to allow for expanded conversations that foster creativity

“Retreats give teams the opportunity to step away from the nitty-gritty and consider the big questions, such as, ‘Are we fulfilling our mission, vision, and purpose in the best way possible?’ Plan for topics and discussion to take a little longer as teams work across departments and consider bigger questions. The openness and spaciousness will allow your team to consider new approaches and ideas to create stronger outcomes.”
– Brenda Perez, Account Manager & Worker-Owner

They can help you approach your work in a new way

“Retreats are a great way to hit the reset button on how we collaborate as a team. Being in a different space shifts the usual power dynamics and opens up new ways for everyone to engage in the same conversations. It’s a chance to set shared expectations and build trust, which is key to making the time together meaningful and productive.”
– Olivia Freire, Director of Operations & Worker-Owner

Retreats are an important way to prepare for the future proactively

“In a recent retreat, we were very clear about how we planned to follow up on each of the topics on our agenda. Fostering creative energy and getting ideas flowing is awesome, but can sometimes leave staff feeling overwhelmed or lost by the end if it feels like ‘just talk’ or that no one knows what to do with it all. It was nice to walk away from our retreat feeling assured that new ideas would be implemented or that we had allotted other spaces to carry conversations forward.”
– Sandy Zimmerman, Design Director & Worker-Owner

There may be an opportunity for an external perspective

“In a recent retreat, we were able to hire outside facilitators (here and here) rather than co-leading by ourselves. It was so helpful to have someone else guide our conversations so that everyone on our team could actively participate.”
– Farra Trompeter, Co-Director & Worker-Owner

At the end of the day, retreats are all about ways you can strengthen your team — which is rarely a bad investment. Just make sure your organization is prepared for the effort and resources that an effective retreat requires.

Big Duck periodically hosts staff and/or board retreat conversations related to branding, guiding statements (vision, mission, values), communications planning, and more. Curious how we can support your next team gathering? Contact us to explore if we’re a good fit.