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Planning a Work Retreat
Work retreats are ideal for working on special projects such as team building, strategic goals,
planning etc., away from the distractions of daily tasks. When planning your retreat, consider
the following factors to help make your event as successful as possible:
Have a goal for the retreat. What do you want to accomplish? What actions will
your group be taking together or as individuals as a result of the retreat? Goals should be
specific and realistic.
Choosing activities. Activities should fit with the goals. You need to also
consider the cost involved in activities. Some activities facilitated by providers on campus
may have nominal fees associated.
Invite the right people. In addition to your core group, is there anybody else
who needs to be included in your retreat? Decisions makers, stakeholders, etc.?
Make sure you have enough time. Do you have enough time to adequately work
through the goals that have been set? Do you need to have more than one session to meet your
objectives? If refreshments or meals are included, did you factor in time to eat? What about rest breaks?
Consider location. Locations help facilitate goals by make people feel more comfortable,
and foster more candid conversations. Location can also be part of the goals (i.e. Ropes course to
facilitate teamwork and team building.). When considering off-campus sites, note the travel time,
which may take away time from your overall retreat time.
Using a facilitator. A facilitator helps people work through the goals. Should
your facilitator be a member of your team, or someone from outside the group? Internal facilitators
may have a greater historical knowledge of the group, while third-party facilitators may be able
to encourage candid discussion.
The Training and Development team can help you plan your best retreat. Contact us.
Facilitation
Meetings and retreats can be an essential component of a department's operations, but can also be ineffective if not planned and executed well. We can provide a trained facilitator to work with a department to plan and facilitate all types of meetings. Facilitation helps create a safe, neutral environment where people can share their perspectives and ideas. Facilitators also provide structure to your meetings, ensuring that the time spent is more efficient and productive. A facilitator should be engaged when:
The facilitator will meet with you in advance to best understand your needs, and work with you to create a strategic approach. To schedule a facilitator, contact us at 801-585-2300.
Onsite Training
Do you need training for a group of employees, or your entire department? We can bring the training to you! On-site departmental training allows you to focus on the issues affecting your workplace while presenting a consistent message to your staff. Your staff will have the opportunity to engage in discussions about real work challenges and problem-solve for future departmental success.
And because your department is working and learning together, there is greater support for the implementation of the training tools and content. On-site training also saves your department time and money. Because we come to you, travel time is reduced. Our on-site trainings are provided at minimal or no cost.
We will work with you to identify the best training for your needs. In addition, we can customize the workshops to offer a just-in-time learning environment. We are willing to discuss any accommodations your department may need; however, we do ask you to consider the following:
Choose topics from any workshop we offer or call to discuss your requirements and together we can determine what will be best for your group. Here are some examples of onsite training topics we can provide for you:
Business Writing - Learning how to write a professional, well crafted, and clear message will not only help you as you communicate through written messages, but also in your verbal interactions.
Creating the Exceptional Customer Experience - Bring creativity and fun to customer service.
Customer Care Challenges - Learn how to deal with the very human side of customer care.
Communication that Influences - Good communication sets the stage for professional excellence.
Creating Effective Relationships - Learn how to create strong, positive relationships and to manage those relationships when a difficult conversation is required.
Conflict Management - Learn how to interact in ways that minimize conflict and how to deescalate a conflict when it occurs.
Communicating in a Diverse Environment - Understand assumptions and how those impact behaviors and interactions.
Listening Skills - Explore what is at the core of being a great listener.
Self-Awareness - Learn how being self-aware is the underpinning to emotional intelligence.
Personal Responsibility & Accountability - Discover how to take ownership for your professional outcomes and achievements in the workplace.
Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) - This workshop will provide insights which influence our interactions and participation in collaborative based environments. Prior to this class participants will complete the MBTI on-line.
Please use this button to tell us about your needs and what we can do for you.
For more information, please use the “How Can We Help?” form above. You may also contact training@utah.edu
*mileage charges will be assessed if traveling off-campus, and there may be a small charge if there is a requirement for participant workbooks.