The Pros of Hosting a Meeting Offsite
Every routine is a double-edged sword. People function well in certain routines like exercising, eating a balanced diet, or sleeping regularly. However, routines can easily devolve from helpful safety rails into prisons of monotony. This is especially true in the workplace where even the most content employees sometimes have trouble staying focused in the same location every day.
One way to temporarily break the office cycle is to get your employees out of the workspace for a meeting or group activity. Coffee shops, restaurants, and co-working spaces are a few examples of creative places you can host meetings instead of your usual conference room.
Why Leave the Office?
We spend a significant portion of our lives at work. The average full-time employee is at the office around 45 hours a week, according to the American Time Use Survey conducted in 2017 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This translates to a whopping 35 percent of our waking lives, which doesn’t even account for any work we do from home.
Considering all the time we spend at the office, it’s helpful for managers to develop methods to get employees out of traditional patterns. Even starting the day somewhere new for an hour or two of light, productive conversation can boost morale and improve camaraderie around the office.
Not only that, but going offsite can boost productivity. By breaking up the day, you stop complacency before it starts. Before you head out, make sure you establish goals you’d like to accomplish while there. If you don’t have one large, important goal, create an agenda to stay focused.
An underrated aspect of offsite meetings is the potential for growth. More and more, companies are realizing the enormous benefit of cultivating a strong team of employees who feel valued and empowered. If you’ve been seeing or feeling tension within your company, an offsite meeting can also be a great way to learn and grow together as well as work through issues. But that doesn’t mean it has to be a stressful activity; there are plenty of examples of excellent, low-pressure team-building exercises that can be performed offsite, such as the LEGO SERIOUS PLAY workshop.
What to Do
Not every meeting should be offsite, and sometimes it’s better to stay in the office. However, there are certain activities that might be more successful away from the distractions of your regular workspace.
Where to Go
Where you go has everything to do with your needs. If you’re simply looking to boost morale and camaraderie, a local coffee shop might be the best option. But if you’re seeking a place to really focus on work, it’s best to look for a location specifically centered on those needs.
The Innovation Station in downtown OKC is a great spot for your team to brainstorm, collaborate, or grow together. There are conference-style rooms as well as more casual spaces. If you’re looking for a place to meet and mix it up, contact us today!
