Company Retreats in Omaha, Nebraska

While finding ways to attract the best and brightest employees has become much more of a focus point, it’s the things you do to retain them that will largely determine your long-term success, among many other benefits that take shape with an investment in your people. The work environment, upper management, and co-workers one works closest with have proven time and time again to be one of the biggest factors in job satisfaction and staff tenure. You may get lucky and have everyone on your team mesh well together, but it’s wise not to leave that up to chance. Company retreats arguably have many benefits, but at the top of the list is spending time with one another and getting to know who you are working with on a personal level, which extends into understanding how to work best with them in a professional environment.

When it comes to planning, the best part about company retreats is that as long as you are able to accomplish the objectives for the event, you have the freedom to make it a unique, fun, memorable (in a good way of course), and ultimately, impactful experience. On the flip side, with so much potential to harness, deciding on the right scenario for your next corporate retreat can be challenging! As such, we’re more than happy to share a few of our own experiences that have been ideal in building our team and sharpening our vision.

Depending on the time you have to dedicate to a company retreat, you’ll find yourself considering both local places and those that would make for a great adventure outside of city limits. Getting out of the office is critical, and not just out onto the lawn in front of your building. Think back to field trips you took as a child and it’s a sure bet that not only do you have fond memories of the place itself, but also the experiences—the learning and growth that takes place in a different environment. There’s nothing more freeing, restorative and stimulating than getting out of the confines of your day-in-day-out desk and into great outdoors; it’s literally a breath of fresh air, which is what you’re going for in terms of perspective.

Lied Lodge & Conference Center is just a quick road trip away to Nebraska City, and is located on Arbor Day Farm, spanning 260 acres and offering numerous attractions and activities.

“Lied Lodge has a variety of activities that provide essential teambuilding opportunities for retreat attendees, and also allow them to let loose and have some fun,” says Erin Crispin, Conference Planning Manager at Lied Lodge & Conference Center. “From a high ropes course to gnome hunts in the forest to Discovery Rides through the orchard, the activities we offer at Lied Lodge encourage teamwork and collaboration. Our planning managers take care of all the details — like timing, transportation, and the flow of the activities – to ensure that guests get the best experience and feel well taken care of. We are imaginative and seek out the best creative possibilities for your group.

In helping our clients to plan a company retreat that meets their criteria, we find that it is important to listen first and really understand the purpose of the retreat, and then offer ideas and activities that fit well with the group’s purpose, culture, and schedule. As a Conference Planning Manager, I always encourage clients to step outdoors and explore Lied Lodge’s 260-acre campus too. Once you have a better idea of all of the possibilities, it becomes much easier to make a final decision for your group.”

Another retreat possibility that requires a bit of a road trip is Bryson Airboat Tours, which is situated along the banks of the Platte River near Fremont, NE. With the group packages, you’ll not only have access to unlimited airboat rides during your scheduled time, but there’s a nice area set up for guests that accommodates groups of all sizes. Amenities included are a grilling area with plenty of tables and seating, horseshoe pits, sand volleyball, swimming in the river, bean bag toss, and you are
also welcome to bring games of your own or set up various activities for your attendees to take part in while they’re not on the airboat.

“In terms of finding something unique, truly just hopping on one of our tour boats and going for an airboat ride is going to be a completely different experience for anybody,” emphasizes Bryson, owner of Bryson’s Airboat Tours. “Our three hours of fun package is the most popular, and while the airboat rides are generally the highlight of the outing for most, I’ve seen so many different ways that our guests have utilized the outdoor space for teambuilding activities that have been a big hit. As a word of advice, for anyone who chooses to have an outdoor event in Nebraska, consider spending money on renting a tent just in case, whether it’s shelter from a sporadic rain shower that pops up or to have a designated place to get out of the sun for a bit, especially in July and August.”

A bit closer as an in-town venue, but still with plenty of action and possibilities, Papio Fun Park is yet another great destination for a company retreat!

“At Papio Fun Park, our mission is to have each guest leave with fun memories shared with one another, and there’s certainly no age limitation for that,” says Margaret White, owner of Papio Fun Park. “With corporate retreats in particular, it’s important to concentrate on providing the opportunity for your staff to mingle without associating it with the ‘office.’ Opportunities to socialize and have fun are critical. As just one example, our newly remodeled laser tag arena offers the interaction you want regardless of age or ability, as it’s large enough to run and climb around but there are also spots on the ground with easy access to hide out. Alternatively, something as simple as an air hockey tournament also attracts all abilities and usually the quiet, less aggressive employee is the one that wins.

We approach every event as a custom package, so whether it’s tweaking the activities or adjusting the timing to allow for maximum attendance, we can do it all. In planning your event, you’ll want to make sure to keep in mind your goals, what you’ve done in the past so it’s not repetitive, the attendance of your previous events so you can schedule for optimal attendance, whether you want to incorporate your staff only or open it up to their families as well, if you want exclusive access to the whole park or use of the pavilion area, your budget, catering style preference, and whether you’ll permit alcohol. Also, when trying to think of something outside of the box there’s a tendency to put too much thought into that aspect alone; sometimes it’s just the small touches that make the most difference, and it’s important not to lose sight of the purpose of the event itself.”

As we’ve briefly touched upon in terms of planning and logistics, it’s important to understand what is provided by your venue of choice and what you will personally be responsible for bringing to the event. This will likely include whether you’re taking advantage of on-site catering or if you’re allowed to bring in a caterer of your choosing, providing beverages and how they will be served to guests, and filling in the gaps with what isn’t provided, which instead of purchasing items outright, would entail rental of party goods and equipment.

The landscape of corporate retreats has changed so much in the contemporary world of business; there’s so much more out there to take advantage of and far less confines as to what constitutes a model event. By focusing on creating an enjoyable environment that’s conducive to natural interaction as opposed to forced or contrived exchanges, and by incorporating equal elements of fun and goal-oriented, guided initiatives, you’ll bring your team together and allow them to find common ground and a greater understanding of how they fit into the scheme of things while reinforcing company culture, which is the ultimate goal.