Team off-site best practices: 11 elements that will make them better & more engaging

I started writing this post after an event in Cape Town in June ’23, where I hosted an off-site for around 150 people (the photo you can see above was made by Johann Botha). Working with a beautiful team, we set up a day to support collaboration, and trust, develop a mindset and connection and look at ways to impact the emerging future.

Whenever I am asked to host an offsite, I feel the excitement of designing and orchestrating such events while ensuring we create a meaningful experience.

And in that spirit, after organising off-sites for the past two decades, I considered the factors that make them engaging, impactful, and worth everyone’s time.

What do I mean by off-site?

Moments that teams, departments or entire organisations take a moment to gather, often away from their working space, i.e. “off-site”. This time out is dedicated to building connections, aligning on a shared mission, enhancing collaboration, and developing a solid long-term strategy and action planning. And remember that this time is often an investment done by the employer, not to work but take a moment to be with each other. Not only do I realise this, but it is also the factor that makes me think about how to honour this gathering most respectfully.

The Elements

These upcoming elements are far from all of them. However, generally, designing your session with a team can positively and drastically change how people feel after the day (or days) have passed.

Connecting

I know this is a no-brainer, yet you would be surprised how often a group of people gathers, and they are overloaded (death by ppt) with presentations that could just as well be recorded or done online. During the initial section of an off-site, after a short introduction, help the team members connect on a deeper level.

For example, I begin by asking a few questions individuals share in a speed dating-like format. Questions include “Who are you without name, role, where you come from, and your roles in life?” This question alone can shift the entire vibe while each person shares intimate details about themselves. Another compelling question is to inquire why those attending started working at their current employer and why they continue to work there today; where do their passion and drive come from? These questions, and many more, encourage the attendees to move beyond the conversations about work, titles and roles and create a space for something more meaningful and insightful.

Interaction

Those who have worked with me know I live to make such gatherings interactive, whether speaking, moderating a large-scale event or facilitating more intimate, smaller teams. It’s not only because I enjoy interaction; my experience and qualitative research consistently prove how each person’s involvement increases through interactivity. By creating an agenda inviting each person to think, reflect, write, share, discuss and co-create, you’ll be guaranteed a higher level of satisfaction and positivity by the end of the session.

Stories

We all know that stories have the power to connect us. And it is hard to quantify how much I appreciate and use the power of storytelling in many aspects of my work. Throughout the off-site, introduce moments for team members to share personal stories. This sharing can start with the team leader sharing a story, kicking off the off-site to set a specific tone. If the leader does decide to do so, I help shape or craft such a story to hit its mark and create the atmosphere needed and doesn’t feel gimmicky. Create opportunities for group members to share their stories throughout the day through prompts, small groups and specific questions inviting them to go deeper.

Challenges & Frustrations

There can be hesitation to discuss deeper laying issues during off-site. On the one side, I understand the concern since if a group opens up about its frustrations, it is a can of worms that can be impossible to manage. And that is where a facilitator’s job is to allow the concerns, worries, and frustrations to be given space, thereby allowing venting and paving the way for finding solutions. On certain occasions, I have used a column-based exercise combining appreciative inquiry elements and my approach to transforming frustration. Here is how it works:

Column 1: What are your hopes for the future?

Column 2: What are your biggest concerns?

Column 3: How will you overcome these concerns?

Column 4: What actions will you take?

There are some disclaimers to consider, such as

- Securing buy-in from top-level leadership to avoid squashing these discussions. If I don’t have them on board with this, no matter what people write or share, they won’t feel heard, which may create an unsafer environment.

- Allow people to be vocal about what the concerns are, yet I do make a point that we should keep it to things within their circle of influence (up next when we talk about mindset)

Sometimes, I connect this exercise to the next element, mindset.

Mindset

I will allocate a moment, even if brief, to share concepts like the circle of influence and concern, positive & growth mindset, and taking ownership of one’s responses (i.e. response-ability taken from Viktor Frankl). This context reminds us of our ability to make free, proactive choices. I have seen how team members can shift their approach to issues, contributing to a more productive session.

Group Work

Especially with larger groups (above 20), it is crucial to incorporate frequent opportunities for group work. Groups can be preselected to ensure diversity or can be created randomly; both have their advantages. Once you include group work, make it functional and aligned with the needs on a broader level.

When team members are physically together in a shared space, working in groups, interacting, and sharing ideas, it enhances bonding, creativity, and overall output.

With the columns I mentioned above (challenges and frustrations), I recommend creating groups of four to a maximum of six people and allocating at least 5 minutes per person to share what they wrote, resulting in 20–30 minutes per group to work through a specific task. There is a meticulous structure that helps facilitate this process if you want to have it broken down.

Introverts/Neurodiversity

One often overlooked aspect I am still learning to tackle is the impact of constant interaction and conversation. For some individuals, these activities can deplete them. While others handle it well or even draw energy from it, others may feel overwhelmed and need a break. Finding a balance can be challenging, but here are a few approaches I use and will continue to develop.

- Introduce moments for writing and reflection, even if it’s just for 5 minutes. This moment can help calm the room, reduce energy levels, and provide processing time for those who need it.

- Incorporate moments of silence, whether for 10 seconds or a minute. Extroverts may feel uncomfortable and make jokes, while introverts often appreciate the break from continuous talking.

- Whenever possible, give participants the option to opt out of exercises. Allowing this flexibility allows those who need personal space to take a break and re-engage when they feel ready. The only challenging thing about this is that those that then get on their phone and disengage even more — it’s a tricky balance.

I am also very open to hearing other suggestions if anyone identifying as neurodivergent would like to share.

Documentation

While preparing for and during off-sites, have a system and pre-agreed format to ensure proper documentation. For example, as previously described, I often allocate silent writing moments, which is particularly beneficial for those needing that space to gather their thoughts.

A specific example is what I did in Cape Town; after group exercises, such as the one with writing out columns: we asked the groups to develop a team name and a top three rank of the output and even make a picture and share it on a common platform such as a WhatsApp group or a Slack/Teams channel. These items should be assigned names and proposed timings. During debriefs, I invited the participants to share one significant highlight engagingly, or more if time allows, so the rest could also get some impression of the conversation.

So a few things to keep in mind for documentation

- Take a photo of the flipchart or output.

- Capture a photo of the group (i.e. selfie time) along with the names if they were assigned.

- Have a ‘spokesperson’ assigned as the management can get back in touch if you need more context on the discussions

- Have a moment planned for the follow-up.

Actions & Behavior

One of my biggest frustrations, common in many off-sites, is when there is much talk without any subsequent action. The following week, everyone is back to business as usual, and all the valuable discussions, brainstorming, and ideas dissipate into thin air. To address this, before wrapping up a workshop, I ask the group to individually write down one thing they will do differently or take away from the session.

After the action, I use a feed-forward method to get each person to think of a behaviour they want to work on that will help them work on that action. This translation to behaviour makes it even more tangible ‘how’ they want to perform essential actions. Feed Forward also has the positive side effect of getting others to open up about where they need help and allowing them to help others.

Another activity I have often used is having an accountability partner that works in the same or different team. I have had one for many years, and I know how much it has helped me become a more effective and prioritised human being.

Must do > Follow-Up

Plan something! No discussion. Two to (max) four weeks after the off-site, ensure a moment when follow-up takes place. It can be a town hall, a meeting with your small working group, or the start of a larger stand-up to review the more prominent points that came up during the off-site. This way, the discussion and essential points stay alive and ensure they are implemented as the team sees fit.

(Social) Activity

Sometimes this can feel artificial, yet I encourage each off-site to think carefully about organising some social activity the night before or the moment after we are done after a long day to help decompress. After a session of thinking and discussing, it helps to bring some lightheartedness and playfulness into it. Remember, we are innately social beings that want to hang out and feel like we belong somewhere. This sense of camaraderie continues through organised informal moments.

Other elements to consider

Music

Whenever I host a session, I will play some music if the facilities allow this course. The music should match the needs. I try mellow but upbeat at the start to lighten the mood. During moments of reflection, some Einaudi or relaxing guitar. After a break, some music that encourages moving and some dancing. Each time the music affects one’s mood. I have a few playlists I follow and am slowly crafting my own. During the pandemic, I often did this to get people to enter an online call with music already playing, and you’d see them immediately smile and start bobbing their heads.

Food

Provide good, healthy food options. If you have options for catering, try ordering low-carb, high-fibre fruits and veggies. I have seen how high fats and sugars can get everyone to crash after the breaks, while the lighter/healthier options can moderate that dip somewhat. Plus, there are many tasty options to explore; see what is possible.

Activity

This is impossible to summarise in one paragraph, so I must dedicate this topic to a separate post because there is so much. Yet if the time and space allow it, I will bring in someone, a specialist in boxing, aikido, dancing/body movement, breathwork or some activity that gets people to shift from their minds to their bodies and senses. This activity can also include creativity, arts and crafts or some creation, which helps the team members use another part of their brain. Not only does this help get everyone in a different mind/body space, but it also acts as very connecting between each other.

Last note

Reviewing and adapting these elements to suit your team and off-site objectives is essential. By incorporating one or more of these elements, you can significantly enhance the effectiveness of everyone’s time together and the impact of your team off-site.

This is very subjective, but whenever I step in to design and facilitate such a session, I keep my ear to the ground, put my ego to the side and serve what the team needs. It is not about me; it is about what I am there to do.

Most of all, though, I care deeply about how the team is and where they need to go. I listen and connect with the people that are organising the team event. And I suggest working with someone (i.e. a facilitator) that can take that care and, through their hearts, heads, and hands, bring that into the day.

Anything to add

I would love to hear if you have suggestions you consider a best practice or essential element. If you have an example that you experienced, please share yours in the comment or directly in a message to me.