Apart from basic survival – what is the one thing that every living being in this world seeks to achieve? Correct – Happiness. In other words, the desire to go about our lives peacefully and without pain or harm.
Apart from basic survival – what is the one thing that every living being in this world seeks to achieve? Correct – Happiness. In other words, the desire to go about our lives peacefully and without pain or harm.
Blenda Batista is a specialist in the field of happiness. A professor of positive psychology, lecturer and also happiness coach, she knows the secrets to happiness and was the perfect person to ask about some company retreat tips.
Last week, I had the chance to sit down with her for an interview. I was curious to find answers to how to make happy teams, especially in remote settings.
Remote work has been our reality for a while now.
And sure, we’ve got a number of tools —Slack, Zoom, Teams. But despite all that, we can’t help but notice that remote workers are still facing challenges to always work efficiently as a team.
This is not just a feeling. It is reflected in research. Findings show a clear pattern: lack of cohesion, miscommunication, low empathy. Short, blunt messages often replace meaningful conversations, leaving people feeling disconnected.
Blenda puts it perfectly:
‘Let’s think of a team like an orchestra. Everyone knows their part, when to play, when to come in, when to stop. A well, literally, orchestrated team works in that way. But if your goals are not clear or people are working based on their own agendas, then things can get messy.’
A potential fix: Getting together in person. Even if it’s once a year on a corporate retreat.
After all, no orchestra ever nailed a rehearsal on Zoom😉.
Planning a company retreat comes with its own set of challenges.
How do you make the time worthwhile? Is it all about getting through a packed work schedule? Or should there be room for more?
Many leaders fall into the trap of turning corporate retreats into extended workdays in new locations—laptops open, emails flying, without truly connecting or collaborating.
‘Personally, if you invite me to a meeting or retreat and then we sit there side by side but we are still answering our own emails and not really collaborating, then it wouldn’t be so fruitful.’ states Blenda with a reason.
Blenda introduces a new framework. Instead of sticking to the old routine, she suggests rethinking retreat design entirely with three simple, yet powerful pillars: Learn, Bond, Create.
Her recommendation?
Design work and activities to help your team grow (learn), connect (bond), and build something new (create).
It’s not about packing more into the agenda, just more meaningful things.
Here’s how to implement this to your retreat:
Organising a corporate retreat isn’t just about bringing your team together physically. In fact, there is so much potential to create moments that really matter.
By focusing on Blenda’s company retreat tips and her 3 pillars – Learn, Bond, Create – you’ll have the power to design experiences that bring your team closer, inspire innovation, and leave lasting memories.
Curious to dive deeper into Blenda’s insights? Amongst others, you’ll find out about the concept of ‘Natan’, the Hebrew word for ‘giving’ and how companies can implement it to create a culture of mutual giving and receiving.
Watch the full interview here.
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