Book Jill → 303.999.9224 | jill@jillchristensenintl.com

Jill Christensen International – Employee Engagement Expert Jill Christensen International – Employee Engagement Expert
  • BIO
  • SPEAKING
  • Clients
  • BOOKS
  • BLOG
  • Reviews
  • CONNECT
Back
  • BIO
  • SPEAKING
  • Clients
  • BOOKS
  • BLOG
  • Reviews
  • CONNECT
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Blog
  • How to Organize a Killer Virtual Team Retreat

Blog

27 Sep

How to Organize a Killer Virtual Team Retreat

  • By Jill Christensen
Organize a Killer Virtual Team

As ‘virtual’ becomes a way of life in business, employees are clamoring for opportunities to connect, communicate, and collaborate more. Here is a roadmap – compliments of recognition expert Christopher Littlefield – for organizing a killer virtual retreat.

  • Put it on the Calendar. If the team has a standing weekly meeting, use that time slot.  The last thing people need right now is another Zoom meeting!
  • Outline the Program. Invite team members to plan it with you or to chime in. Either way, ask team members in advance if there are specific topics they would like to discuss or activities they would like to do.
  • Set the Intention. At the heart of any great retreat is a clear intention. For example, “The intention is to have fun, reflect on how things have been going, and plan for months ahead.” 
  • Outline the Agenda. The best retreats have a mix of fun and discussion. For a 90-minute event, include the following seven components:
    1. Warm Welcome (10 Minutes Prior). Start the retreat on the right foot by joining in advance and greeting people as they enter. After a few people have joined, post a welcome question in the chat box to get people sharing.
    2. Introduction & Context (5 Minutes). Start by sharing the intention.  Then put people at ease by acknowledging the circumstances – a messy house or kids interrupting is ok.
    3. Icebreaker (5-10 Minutes). Lead a fun activity to put people at ease. You can find several ideas to choose from here.
    4. Core Discussion (1 Hour). Based on the retreat intention, choose a few questions as the basis of the discussion. The leader can introduce the first question and then invite people to share their thoughts.  Sample questions include: What are we doing well as a team?  What is not working as well as we would like?  What three things could we do to take our performance as a team to the next level in one month?
    5. Break (5 Minutes). People can only pay attention for a limited time and need breaks. After an hour, give people time to stretch, go to the bathroom, and get a drink.
    6. Reflection and Follow Up (10 Minutes). Fifteen minutes before the end of the meeting, leaders will want to shift from the core discussion to a reflection and follow up. Depending on the discussion, this is a good time to ask people what they learned and start brainstorming about next steps. If the discussion needs more time, this is the time to schedule a follow up session.
    7. Gratitude before Goodbye (5 Minutes). Before wrapping up any retreat, it is important to leave time for people to express gratitude and appreciation. This can be done by asking a question like, “Before we close today, does anyone want to thank anyone or share something they are proud of the team for?” After people share, the leader can thank everyone for their time and participation and say goodbye.

JILL, WHAT CAN I DO?  Organize a virtual retreat! Follow this simple roadmap and even consider sending employees a snack pack or drink mix in advance, so you can toast your team accomplishments at the end.

Jill Christensen

SUBSCRIBE NOW

In the U.S., text JILL to 44144 to become a free VIP Member of #CultureNation. Outside the U.S., JOIN NOW to receive exclusive content.

Recent Posts

  • The Latest Hiring Trends Tell a Fascinating Story
  • What Gen Z and Millennials Want From Employers
  • Gallup Releases State of the Global Workplace 2023 Findings
  • Does Therapy Speak Belong in the Workplace?
  • Gen Z is Having an Enormous Impact on Companies

Archives

  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015

Follow Me

  • 0Comments
  • 123Users
  • 359Posts

CONTACT JILL

1-303-999-9224

jill@jillchristensenintl.com

Goodyear, Arizona, USA

Jill Christensen Logo

Connect With Jill

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Youtube

JOIN #CULTURENATION

In the U.S., text JILL to 44144 to become a free VIP Member of #CultureNation. Outside the US, Join Now to receive exclusive content.

Copyright © 2022

Are you ready to FINALLY create a workplace culture in 2023 that employees idolize... and get measurable results in six months?Then Join Jill in the Employee Engagement Academy.
Join Jill

No thanks, I’m not interested!