Out of office: the benefits of corporate away days and retreats

We all enjoy a break from our everyday routines, knowing that time out can lead to feeling more energised and more positive. This is equally important when it comes to jobs – stepping away from day-to-day responsibilities and activities is crucial for helping employees feel valued and invigorated about the work they do and the company they’re doing it for.

One of the best ways to do this is with an away day or corporate retreat. These are fantastic opportunities to boost morale, creativity and communication with fun team building activities, as well as a host of other great benefits.

Read on to find out the reasons why it’s definitely time to book your next corporate away day or retreat, and why Alfriston Gardens is the ideal venue to hire for it.

Being away from the office provides a unique opportunity for your team to get to know one another in a different way, without the ping of email notifications and the ring of the phone. Now that more people have hybrid working patterns and often work from home at least some of the week, getting everyone in a team together in person is more important than ever.

Connections that are forged on away days will continue when back into the everyday of Teams meetings.

Being in different surroundings can cause your brain to see things in a new way. Numerous studies have shown that a new environment, particularly one in a ‘natural’ setting such as the countryside, can boost creativity and wellbeing, as well as getting the brain thinking in a different way. This in turn can lead to great insights, fresh ideas and shifts in thinking, which can be particularly relevant if your company is going through a rebrand or planning new projects.

Taking your team away to a beautiful place with delicious food, fun activities and the chance to relax is a great way to boost personal and team morale. This is particularly important if there’s been a recent stressful period or major project that’s taken up a lot of people’s time and energy.

You want to attract and retain the best people in your industry. To do this, you need to create an excellent workplace culture, and corporate away days and retreats can play a large part in this. Employees will feel you’re invested in them both professionally and personally, which will in turn make them feel happier and more valued.

It’s all too easy for team members to lose sight of what they’re working towards and become demotivated. Time away from the computer, and the chance to see how they and each of their colleagues fits into the bigger picture, can give motivation a much-needed boost.

Now you’re inspired to book your next away day or retreat, it’s time to find the perfect setting. Forget a bland hotel conference room with plastic sandwiches; you want a venue in a gorgeous setting with state-of-the-art facilities, delicious food and plenty of tranquil space – and that’s just what Alfriston Gardens offers.

You’ll find Alfriston Gardens on the edge of the South Downs in Sussex, ideally located just off the A27, three minutes’ drive from Berwick train station and within easy reach of London and Gatwick. This countryside setting is just what’s needed to relax and recharge your team, while the luxury accommodation for up to 58 people will ensure everyone enjoys a relaxing night’s sleep!

There’s plenty of space on site for whole company events as well as breakout and team building activities. Our beautifully restored barns are the centrepiece of the venue, providing a wonderfully light and airy space. Your team will also love the two acres of stunning gardens which, combined with the surrounding South Downs countryside, are sure to inspire fresh thinking and new ideas.

We can host a range of fun on-site team building activities such as yoga, lawn games and a film night – the mezzanine lounge in our Century Barn has beautiful mint-green velvet theatre seats that are just perfect for this! If you fancy getting creative, how about a ‘sip and paint’ session or craft activity to learn a skill? Or if your team loves to try new food and drink, you could opt for a cheese and wine tasting hosted by our catering partner Black Pepper Hospitality.

There are also plenty of great activities locally that your team will enjoy, such as wine tasting at local vineyard Rathfinny  or a trip to see the animals at Drusillas Zoo. You can also take advantage of our location on the South Downs with a walking tour to learn more about the local flora and fauna, or go stargazing at night – the South Downs’ designation as an International Dark Sky Reserve makes it the perfect place for this.