The Return of Executive Offsites

 

Executive off-sites are making a big comeback on the business calendar. Having been used to virtual meetings, hybrid working and online discussions at just the right time, leadership teams are now rediscovering the benefits of stepping outside their normal work environment.

An executive offsite is not just an off-site meeting. It provides senior executives time away from the daily distractions of the business to discuss strategy, solve tough problems, build relationships and make decisions. That time together is becoming more important as businesses navigate changing markets, new technologies and changing workforce expectations.

Why Executive Offsites Are Back In Vogue

Today’s leadership teams work quite differently. It’s now possible to have executives spread out over many offices, cities or countries. Hybrid and remote working have made organisations more flexible, but senior leaders no longer communicate as casually as they once did.

Updates and communications often are good in virtual meetings. A leadership team is less effective when it takes many hours to debate strategy, challenge assumptions, or make difficult decisions.

Executive offsites are a good environment for those conversations.

Bringing leaders together in person also creates opportunities for conversations outside of the stated agenda. Occasionally, a discussion over dinner or during a break can reveal a subject or idea that would not come up during a scheduled video call.

Space is Required by Strategy

A primary reason organisations hold executive offsites is strategic planning.

Urgent problems take up a large part of the working day of the leadership team. With e-mails, meetings, operational issues and decisions, it can be hard to find time for longer-term questions.

An offsite gets you away from those everyday pressures.

This is the time for companies to review performance, discuss priorities for the future, look at developments in the market and decide how best to allocate resources. Offsites can also be used by leadership teams to discuss new products, plan expansion, look at organisational changes or set the priorities for the following year.

The change of environment may help executives to think in the larger picture, not the immediate operational problems.

Re-connecting Leadership

Good working relationships between executive teams are important, particularly when they have to make difficult judgements together.

But it’s more difficult to build those connections when you’re working remotely. Informal conversations may not happen frequently, but executives may have conversations on a regular basis in scheduled meetings.

Offsites help to restore that connection.

“Eating, doing things, talking to each other creates a different kind of bond than sitting around a boardroom table. Leaders are able to better understand each other’s priorities, perspectives and communication styles.

This doesn’t mean that every executive abroad must do elaborate team-building exercises. It’s often a good idea to leave enough unstructured time to enable people to just talk.

The Importance of the ultimate goal

The location may affect how the attendees perceive an executive offsite.

Companies are moving away from traditional meeting places, and looking for venues that offer privacy, accessibility and an atmosphere that encourages focused discussion.

Hotels , resorts and special retreats can provide meeting space as well as accommodations , food and venues for informal conversations . Some firms deliberately locate further away from the average workplace, others like to be near large cities to cut down on the length of commutes.

The destination must support the purpose of the offsite and not detract from it.

If your leadership team is undergoing a major strategic change, quiet places to meet and privacy can be critical. Another company that cares about innovation and creativity can select a location promoting more relaxed dialogue and original ideas.

Smaller, More Purposeful Programmes

CEO offsites are back, but they don’t have to be big, flashy business retreats.

Many organisations are doing more focussed projects.

Rather than filling every hour with speeches, companies are shaping agendas around a handful of key questions. Pair workshops, strategy sessions and discussions with meals, wellness programming or local experiences.

It recognises that the value of an offsite isn’t in how many activities are planned, but in the quality of the conversation.

It also allows managers to process information and to have natural conversations.

Experience is beginning to be on the agenda.

“Strategy is still number one for most executive offsites but experience is becoming more and more important.”

A special setting, a well-planned meal or cultural experience in the local area can all help to create an ambience that feels different than typical business conference.

Other initiatives are also weaving wellness into their work. Walking in the morning, outdoor activities, exercising, or taking more breaks between meetings may also help participants to sustain energy levels in long talks.

This is not about turning the leadership meeting into a holiday. The idea is to provide a space where executives can focus and communicate and think clearly.

Measuring an Offsite’s Value

An off site executive can be a big financial investment. Total costs include travel, hotels, venues, food and activities.

Companies have to think about what the offsite is going to deliver.

The best programmes usually have clear objectives before participants arrive. These could be things such as aligning on strategic priorities, solving a known issue, increasing alignment between leadership, or creating a plan of attack for the next few months.

When everyone is back at work, then the real value is revealed.

Any big decisions? Are responsibilities clearer? Are there established priorities for the leadership team? Is this being done ?

It can easily become another business activity, if it isn't a fun offsite.

Meeting Outside the Office Doesn’t Work

The return of executive offsites shows how important face-to-face communication is.

Technology has allowed leadership teams to communicate from virtually anywhere, but connection and communication aren’t the same.

Some of the most important conversations take longer than a text, require fewer distractions and everyone is in the same room.

So executive offsites are back. For CEOs at businesses operating in more complex business environments, it can be helpful to remove themselves from the office for a few focused days to reflect, communicate and make choices that are difficult to reach through another online meeting.