A Tropical Virtual Corporate Retreat

Each year our client hosts an in-person corporate weekend retreat in Whistler, BC, Canada. This annual retreat is held by the company’s partners and has previously taken place in the summer. As the company has a highly competitive atmosphere, they enjoy many challenges and being physically active throughout the weekend. With the Covid 19 pandemic restrictions in place, hosting an in-person retreat was not an option. Rather than cancelling the retreat entirely, this company worked with our team to plan a virtual corporate retreat instead.

A Glimpse At The Virtual Corporate Retreat

The goal of the event was to keep everyone engaged and offer opportunities for friendly competition. We worked with our client to host a tropical-themed virtual corporate retreat for 70 people. The event took place over a five hour period and involved a number of different virtual event ideas to keep guests engaged.

One of the benefits of planning a virtual event is that you can locate the event anywhere in the world, without having to travel. So, we decided a beach themed setting was best and designed a beach virtual resort for our client. With a customized floorplan, teams were able to gather on the pool deck around chairs, umbrellas and the bar as they planned their winning strategy.

Event Details

For this virtual corporate retreat, our team secured the virtual event platform and designed the virtual experiences. We planned the agenda around a five hour window and included custom curated experiences that all would enjoy. During the event, there were a number of branded aspects incorporated throughout to help promote company culture.

Prior to the event beginning, guests received a hand delivered corporate event package. Included in the package was a branded beach bag with a branded beach towel, as well as themed food and beverage treats to enjoy.

Throughout the day the focus was on providing opportunities for our virtual guests to stay connected, along with creating shared experiences and opportunities to compete. The attendees enjoyed team building activities along with culinary competitions and virtual excursions. This virtual event included a highly engaging agenda. As a result, all participants stayed and participated for the entirety of the event.

Three Key Lessons Learned

It is still possible to create a fun, engaging and competitive environment through virtual events
When hosting a virtual event there are a number of factors that can go wrong. That’s why we provide guidance and support to hosts and attendees to avoid issues, as well as always test everything in advance.
Custom branded packages are a great way to create unity and keep guests excited about the virtual corporate retreat. We recommend having these delivered in advance and referenced throughout the event.

For more information on our virtual events and to learn if virtual event consulting is right for you, check out our website or send us an email! Or if you have been tasked with planning your company virtual event, be sure to grab your FREE copy of Donuts in the Lunchroom with advice on how to keep your team engaged during your virtual event.