How to Plan Offsite Meetings Your Team Will Love

Offsite meetings give teams a chance to connect outside of the office. Although a change of scenery seems like it might not have a big impact, the right setting can lead to real progress — whether that’s solving complex challenges or building stronger relationships across teams.

In this article, we’ll discuss what offsites are, why they improve productivity, and how an Athena Assistant can support the planning process.

What’s an offsite meeting?

Offsite meetings are gatherings held away from your usual workplace. Unlike standard meetings and Zoom calls, offsites typically tackle broader business goals. They’re designed as a break from daily tasks, giving the team room to think about strategic planning, team building, and company-wide alignment that’s hard to prioritize during a regular workweek.

Offsites can range from one-day planning sessions to multi-day brainstorming retreats. The location and format vary, but the intent is to step outside the routine and give teams the physical and mental space to focus. Holding these meetings away from everyday work distractions gives colleagues the space to have deeper conversations, work better together, and build stronger connections.

Why are offsite meetings important?

Thoughtfully planned offsite meetings can improve team performance overall. Here are some of the most valuable outcomes.

Improved Focus

Changing environments removes common distractions and helps team members focus on key objectives. Without Slack pings and back-to-back calls, teams can fully focus on long-term planning, creative thinking, and deeper discussions. If you’re organizing a multi-day corporate retreat, you can include focused sessions with specific goals to help teams stay productive.

Boosted Morale and Relationships

Most offsite meetings, especially long retreats, include some form of team-building activity that allows coworkers to connect on a more personal level. Shared experiences like meals, small-group breakouts, and team-building activities deepen trust among colleagues, which carries over into workplace projects. This is especially useful for remote or distributed groups that rarely interact face-to-face.

Better Strategy Alignment

Offsites are ideal for stepping back from day-to-day execution and aligning on the big picture. Structured sessions allow leadership to clearly communicate plans, gather feedback, and ensure everyone understands the company’s direction. These insights can lead to stronger decision-making across the board.

Strengthened Company Culture

Time spent outside the office helps reinforce cultural values in ways that can’t always happen through formal training or internal messaging. For instance, teams that value sustainability can give out reusable water bottles and organize a group volunteer day for planting trees. These activities turn values into shared, meaningful experiences that people can carry into their work.

7 Steps for Planning an Offsite Meeting

A successful offsite requires more than booking a location and ensuring all team members get an invite. Here are seven simple steps that set up your offsite brainstorming session for success.

1. Define Your Purpose

Start with clear objectives and identify what you want your team members to walk away with. Your goals shape the agenda and help you decide on the most effective activities and environment.

Here are a few common reasons people host offsites: 

• Planning: Organizing a large event, outlining a product launch, and brainstorming ad campaigns
• Problem-solving: Improving workplace processes, troubleshooting common errors, and addressing stakeholder concerns
• Building relationships: Playing games, doing obstacle courses, and cooking meals 

Depending on the event’s length, you might be able to accomplish more than one goal.

2. Carefully Choose Your Location

When choosing where to meet, decide whether to go out of town or stay somewhere local. Spread-out teams may benefit from meeting in a central location so no one has to commute too far. Traveling can also be a great option for companies interested in a more vacation-style retreat.

No matter where you end up, look for a setting that encourages focus and creativity. A well-equipped meeting room, ample space for small group breakouts, and a few casual gathering spots go a long way. 

3. Build a Focused Agenda

Prioritize quality over quantity in your sessions. Too many activities, even if they’re fun, can stress employees out rather than energizing them. The point of an offsite is to take employees away from the hustle and bustle of the office, not recreate it elsewhere. Instead, block time for structured discussions and relaxed breaks so people stay engaged throughout the event.

4. Send Frequent Updates

Once the offsite planning session or meeting is on the calendar, keep communication clear and consistent. Send updates on the agenda, prep work, and travel logistics so team members show up prepared.

5. Design for Interaction

Avoid back-to-back lectures where people can’t work together. Many offsites aim to encourage team building and communication, so the agenda should leave plenty of room for colleagues to interact. To help the team feel like they collaborated, build in small group exercises, open forums, and discussion blocks. 

6. Include Team-Building Activities

A shared meal, group challenge, and lighthearted game can add dimension to the retreat. These small moments create stronger bonds that carry into day-to-day collaboration. Here are a few popular team-building ideas to get you started: 

• Scavenger hunt: Go to a new city and have teams search for popular landmarks together. 
• Cocktail hour: Book space at a local brewery or winery and host a tasting. 
• Outdoor adventure: Organize a ropes course outing, hike, or camping trip.
• Museum tour: Explore the top art and history museums in your area. 
• Beach day: Head to the coast to enjoy sun, surf, and sand.
• Game night: Find a space to compete in games like Codenames, Cranium, and Trivial Pursuit.

When planning these activities, try to pick things your team would enjoy most. And keep people’s abilities in mind — you don’t want to inadvertently exclude a wheelchair user who can’t join a hike.

7. Document Takeaways and Evaluate Results

Don’t let the value of the offsite stop when it’s over. Start by sharing a quick recap with the team — highlight key takeaways, decisions made, and any next steps. This is a simple way to keep everyone aligned and carry the momentum back into day-to-day work.

Then, follow up with a short feedback survey. Hearing what worked (and what didn’t) will help you make the next offsite even more effective.

How Can an Athena Assistant Help You Plan an Offsite?

Planning an offsite takes time and attention to detail. Athena Assistants simplify this process, letting you focus on connecting with your team. Here’s how they can help: 

• Organizing logistics: Athena Assistants make travel arrangements, book venues, and schedule activities.
• Planning events: They build timelines for each meeting and excursion, expertly balancing work with fun.
• Managing paperwork and presentations: Assistants can prepare presentations, share industry research, and compile papers you’ll need to lead each event.
• Providing ongoing support: If anything goes wrong — like a venue canceling at the last minute or bad weather interrupting an excursion — Athena Assistants can help. From rebooking travel arrangements to reviewing insurance policies, they fix issues with ease.

Planning an offsite doesn’t need to pull you away from your day-to-day responsibilities. With an Athena Assistant, you get a sharp operator who knows how to manage complex events while anticipating your needs.

Get Started With an Athena Assistant

An offsite gives you the time and space to bond with employees and make essential decisions. Let an Athena Assistant save you even more time, both on and off site. 

Our executive assistants are the hidden superpower behind elite founders, top investors, and world-class leaders. From planning company offsite functions to reorganizing daily processes, Athena Assistants bring structure, foresight, and calm to your calendar.

Hire an Athena Assistant so you can focus on what matters most.

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