Retreat time: set aside time for education, teambuilding and fun.

• Author: Lewis, Di
• Position: Special Section

When company leaders use the word "retreat." they often think of some something that gets employees out of their typical work environment, out of the office building and to somewhere different. says Heide Kraus. event planner for CHG Healthcare and vice president of education and events for the Utah chapter of Meeting Professionals International.

And that's the whole point--to get employees out of their element to inspire creativity and let them get to know each other outside of the daily grind. "You're getting people to do things with the people they do things with every day, but not doing what they do every day," she says.

Make the Investment

While the economy has made budgets a little tighter for many companies, Janice Boes says companies should still set aside time and money for retreats. Employees see their company making an investment in their education and morale and it pays off in the long run, says Boes, CEO of Pierpont Place and Premier Event Services.

"Those companies that strive to do better, even though they're struggling, will do better in the long term," she says.

Companies generally hold retreats for a few reasons: strategic planning, education, motivation, as an incentive and team-building, says Doug Smith, vice president of expo and event services at Modern Expositions & Events. Whatever the goal, being able to get away as a group gets people thinking and interacting in different ways that can help the company, he says.

When companies stop events because of a lower revenue year, it affects company culture, Smith says. When administration doesn't invest in education, motivation and exposure to new ideas and places, he says the effects are seen for several years after the one or two years the company cut back.

"It takes a toll on culture. There's a brief hiccup and a misfire in the corporate engine when they stop investing," he says.

Companies that don't take time to step back and look at the bigger picture are going to suffer burnout in the long run, Krause says.

Cut Loose

Once a company decides a retreat is needed, figuring out what to do and where to go is at the top of the list.

Both Kraus and Smith say that at least half the agenda should just be fun stuff to get people far outside their day-to-day routine. Things like a rope course, bobsledding or making videos can kick start creativity and build camaraderie.

Fun activities are especially good at bringing together the many different people on a team, Kraus says. "If...