Why Brokers Should Plan a Summer Retreat for Their Employees

It’s summer – a time when many workers are under-motivated and have their minds on other things. That means it’s time to work up a renewed sense of purpose and drive with a summer retreat.

Company retreats aren’t just for big corporations. Brokers can have them for their employees, too! Your employees will be happy to know that you value them enough to take them on a trip, near or far, and invest in their growth at your company.

No matter if your retreat has intense team-building activities (like white water rafting) to more laid-back fun (like relaxing at a resort), a retreat can renew and invigorate your employees’ connection to your mission, values, and goals.

Here are our top five reasons why you should plan a retreat for your employees:

1. Boost Morale

Everyone needs to know they are valued. Employees who feel valued at work report higher levels of engagement, satisfaction, and motivation, compared to those who don’t feel valued by their employers, according to the American Psychological Association. When your employees feel valued and you create a culture of positive thinking morale goes up and so does productivity. A note on productivity: If your agents need help being productive, we have a few tips that can help in our blog “How to Be Productive During the Summer Months.”

2. Uncover Unique Skill Sets

Sometimes we all get caught up in day-to-day tasks, and often only exercise the skills we need to get the job done. A retreat setting removes the day-to-day grind and allows for more skill learning and growth that you never knew your employees had. New scenarios let people open up, try new things, and uncover skill sets they (and you) didn’t know they had.

3. Communicate Goals

A summer retreat is the perfect time to refine your direction and renew your firm’s sense of purpose. Removing the distractions that bog people down can help you communicate important messages and receive crucial feedback on your firm’s goals and aspirations for the future. When your employees feel involved in the process they will also be more committed to achieving the goals you all create together.

4. Deepen Employee Connections

Many of your employees might not interact with one another. If they work on different teams, or work semi-independently as many agents do, they might not have a lot of experience talking with one another. Summer retreats can create a stronger bond through shared experience and communication in a new and fun environment that isn’t the office.

5. Increase Understanding of Different Perspectives

Each group dynamic is different, but being together for several days means your employees are bound to disagree on any number of topics and decisions.Understanding and respecting why people disagree is great for creating a culture of mutual respect. Even those who are very similar will have minor disagreements with one another, and these areas, the gaps where they don’t agree, can provide learning opportunities and can help people bond once the discussions are over.

It’s plain and simple: summer retreats can be a lot of fun and offer a new atmosphere for growth, renewed sense of purpose, and revealing skills and attributes you didn’t know your employees had. For more real estate tips and tricks, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.