Away days
How can a team away day be a powerful catalyst for progress?
Taking a strategic pause shouldn’t be a luxury. It can be essential for reflection, planning and contemplation. A well-executed off-site can be an effective tool for galvanising a team, refining a strategy and fostering the connection. This guide will walk you through designing an away day that delivers real, lasting value for your team or organisation.
Laying the Strategic Foundation
The success of an away day is determined long before the first Post-it note is stuck to a wall. A lack of clear purpose is the number one reason off-sites and workshops fail to deliver impact. Before you even think about venues or catering, you must build a solid strategic foundation.
Define your 'why': the core objective
First, ask the most important question: Why are we doing this? A vague goal like "team building" is not enough. Your objective must be specific, measurable and directly linked to your organisation's challenges or ambitions. Are you:
Navigating a period of significant change?
Developing a new three-year strategy?
Clarifying your organisational vision and values?
Improving cross-departmental communication and collaboration?
Tackling a complex challenge that requires fresh insight and creative thinking?
Defining a single, primary objective ensures every activity on the day is focused and purposeful. This clarity is the first step towards achieving meaningful transformation.
Involve your team in the planning
An away day shouldn’t be something that is done to a team, but something that is created with them. This is a prime opportunity for internal stakeholder engagement. One tool is to send out a short, simple survey beforehand. Ask what everyone hopes to achieve, what topics they feel are most urgent and what would make the day a success for them. This not only generates valuable ideas but also builds buy-in and a sense of shared ownership from the outset, demonstrating strong leadership.
Designing an away day for impact and connection
With a clear objective, you can now design a day that delivers. The key is to balance structured, strategic work with moments for genuine human connection. An effective agenda is the engine of your away day.
What are the benefits of a strategic off-site?
A well-planned off-site, workshop or away day offers far more than a day out of the office. The primary benefits include:
Focused strategic thinking: removing the team from daily distractions allows for deeper, uninterrupted thinking on complex issues like long-term strategy.
Improved team cohesion: shared experiences and collaborative problem-solving strengthen interpersonal relationships and break down departmental silos.
Renewed motivation: a day dedicated to the bigger picture can reignite passion and remind everyone of your shared mission, boosting morale and retention.
Innovation and creativity: a new environment and different ways of working can unlock fresh perspectives and creative solutions that are hard to find in the usual office setting.
Facilitation is everything
Consider bringing in an external facilitator. An impartial expert can keep discussions on track, ensure all voices are heard (not just the loudest) and challenge the team’s assumptions in a way an internal leader cannot. A skilled, independent facilitator can be the difference between a pleasant chat and a breakthrough session.
Conclusion: embedding the outcomes
The away day doesn't end when everyone goes home. Its real value is measured in the weeks and months that follow. To ensure your investment pays off, you must embed the outcomes into your daily operations. Summarise the key decisions and actions and circulate them within 48 hours. Publicly celebrate the progress made and link any subsequent changes or new projects back to the discussions from the day. By proving that the away day led to tangible action, you build trust and create momentum for the future.
Ultimately, a strategic away day is a powerful expression of your organisation’s culture and leadership. It’s an investment in your most valuable asset: your people. By planning with purpose, designing for impact and following through with commitment, you can transform it from a dreaded obligation into a cornerstone of your success.
Here’s a blog about how to incorporate storyboards into your next away day or workshop.
