Personal wellness takes many shapes and forms, from the exercise we do to the foods we consume and how well we manage stress. Our wellbeing is an increasingly popular topic of conversation in the media and in our own lives, but what about wellness in the corporate world? Is your company doing enough to safeguard the wellbeing of employees and the health of the company as a whole? Unfortunately, an astonishing 61% of employees are burned out because of their jobs, with the top five contributing factors cited as fatigue, sleeplessness, aches and pains, anxiety and weight gain.
These triggers are pushing individuals to seek outlets for relief and release, and as a result, the idea and importance of wellbeing are evolving around the world. Individuals are becoming increasingly open to the concept of mindfulness and more accepting of practices such as meditation and yoga for stress relief, and there is a growing demand for corporate cultures to embrace and facilitate wellness support initiatives.
As we approach Mental Health Awareness Week in May, now is the perfect time to assess your workplace and identify ways to improve employee wellbeing. A group retreat or a team-building getaway is a great way to kickstart your wellness initiative. We outline four reasons you should take a corporate wellness retreat to improve the health of your team in both the short and long term.
IMAGE: PEXELS
1. Escape The Familiar To Encourage New Ideas And Development
When you’re interviewing a prospective candidate for the latest opening in your team, each question does not only seek to reveal the character of the individual but also serves as an opportunity to gain an insight into the candidate’s capabilities, behaviors, and attitudes in a work environment. Why is this important? Because these factors affect work productivity, which is integral to the success of wider business objectives.
Employee wellbeing is another key factor in determining the productivity (or lack thereof) that a company elicits from its staff. Funding group mini-breaks may seem like a hefty outlay, but these trips can provide great opportunities for boosting employee wellbeing, and the benefits will be seen in your organization long after the retreat has ended. Giving your team the opportunity to escape the familiar and spend time with colleagues in a new environment can boost work productivity by stimulating fresh ideas and perspectives.
Within the confines of the nine to five, deadlines and daily tasks, many employees talk with the same people and repeat similar tasks day in day out. A group retreat away from the office breaks habits and monotonous routines. It encourages people to interact with colleagues from across the organization and not just in their own department. Depending on the type of retreat you choose, the environment is often very different from that experienced in the workplace.
Choose your retreat carefully and staff will be immersed in a natural setting that encourages relaxation, enables de-stressing, aids the development of new ideas and provides a refreshed outlook. When individuals feel happier and more fulfilled, they are more likely to show higher levels of engagement and motivation.
2. Feeling Valued Fosters Loyalty
According to the Global Wellness Institute, wellness programmes are only effective in terms of improving employee health and productivity if the organization is perceived as genuinely caring, as opposed to implementing a policy merely to tick a box. By offering group retreats to enhance teamwork and boost staff wellbeing, you send a clear signal to your teams that they are valued and worth your investment — in short, it shows that you care. This will increase employee loyalty to the organization, enhance engagement and improve productivity.
Susan Feldman, Founder of In The Groove advises, “Surround yourself with a trusted and loyal team. It makes all the difference.” As with any relationship in our lives, trust and loyalty are fundamental to the employer-employee relationship and imperative to the success of the business as a whole.
3. Create Stronger Teams
A strong teamwork culture is an important element of business success. Without a strong team pulling together towards achieving a shared goal, results will be patchy and unlikely to meet business objectives. Businesses are continually being encouraged to diversify their staff to add value to the company by broadening ideas and perspectives. A team with a varied range of skills and experiences is more likely to achieve success than a team who all think alike. Without challenge and fresh ideas, teams and their work will stagnate.
A lack of communication in a team can also cause problems. A group retreat provides the time and space you and your team need to bond and develop new communication networks. You may be thinking, “we go for team drinks every Friday at the pub across the office.” Although this change in setting offers opportunities to establish out-of-work relationships, a corporate retreat where activities are designed from the core to encourage team building is more likely to encourage organic connections between employees who would not normally interact. You will also be able to identify strengths and weaknesses in the team, providing areas of focus for performance management when you return to the office.
These group mini-breaks will enhance team morale and trust between team members. For the company, this means less stress and conflict at work, which means more time and energy can be invested in delivering results together as a healthy, thriving team.
4. Improve Physical And Mental Health
The days in your diary continue to pile up with new deadlines, meetings, and conference calls. The importance of taking time out each day to momentarily shift the focus from work to personal health is often overlooked. Taking a retreat with the team will not only boost camaraderie and provide inspiration, but it will also provide an opportunity for the whole team to rejuvenate and relax.
We know that workdays are hectic because we all strive for success. But what does success mean? On a retreat, you have the space to pause and take a moment to slow down and reflect on what makes you happy and whether you agree with the decisions being made. Take a walk in the woods, spend some time chatting with colleagues by a campfire or enjoy a trip to a local vineyard. This time out may not seem like “work”, but having the space to make better lifestyle choices, become healthier and understand how to be happier can have a significant and long-lasting impact on your life — both professional and personal.
Group retreats can offer more than a fun weekend away with your teammates. They are a great way to support teamwork, improve communication and enhance the wellbeing of employees. This will deliver results long after the retreat is over, and there is a wealth of corporate retreats to choose from, whether go-karting is more your thing or you’d prefer a walking holiday or yoga break. There is a perfect retreat to suit all workplace teams. Become a strong and indestructible team by going on a group retreat.
If you are interested in even more lifestyle-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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