A startup retreat is like a corporate retreat but for startups! If you’re looking for an efficient motivator for your company, you will have several options at your disposal. A suggestion that many would think of in traditional business is a corporate retreat, but this might feel a little parochial compared to the disruptive landscape that startups normally habituate.
If that’s the case, think again – having a startup retreat comes with a host of other benefits that will breathe some energy into your company and its employees. There are several benefits that you can enjoy with a startup retreat.
1. Making Economic Sense
There’s a key reason why a startup retreat can save money… employee burnout can be extremely expensive, especially when you have a small team like in a startup. If one employee starts to burn out, the effects of that could be major, which is why you should be on the look-out for burnout and do everything you can to avoid it.
If that’s the goal of your startup retreat, you should consider somewhere with a lot of space. Tech companies seem to favor mountain ranges but go exotic if you can afford to! Make it somewhere where you can work and play as a team. A great example is this conference venue in Adelaide, full of beautiful scenic rolling hills, great spaces to work, and host meetings, but is also right in the middle of some of the best wine countries in Australia.
2. Getting together with your Employees
The modern startup is unlikely to take place in an office exclusively (especially this year), and many entrepreneurs are instead taking to the virtual realm to source employees. That’s great for saving money and reducing overheads, but it sacrifices company culture, something that’s incredibly important in making a company efficient in the long term.
Even if you don’t have remote employees, you’re bound to have some members in a team that need to be recognized more than they currently are (like the dev team). A retreat allows you to bring everybody together, getting everybody on the same page, and helping the team feel connected to each other.
3. Boosting Morale
A startup is a grind, anybody will be able to tell you that – but sometimes you need to take some time away from the grindstone and focus on raising the spirits that working constantly grinds down. The excitement leading up to a startup retreat, which is effectively a working holiday, will help to raise morale.
Doing something in a new and exciting location will allow your employees to feel a sense of freedom, especially when they don’t have to pay for it. It’s a big sign from the company that you’re willing to invest in your employees, which should instill faith in your leadership and give employees a distinctive sense of pride. Giving your team members the feeling that they matter to the company will improve their performance by improving their dedication, motivation, and morale.