By Jeffry Farman, past Global President, International Association of Conference Centres.

Whether it’s for a strategy meeting or team building day, off-site meetings, away from the office at a dedicated conference hotel, can encourage your team to break habits and develop new ways of thinking.

A new location and change of scenery can really have a positive effect on employees, allowing for a more focused discussion and a newfound commitment to achieving business goals.

Below are four key benefits of heading off-site for your next meeting or conference:

INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY AND FOCUS

Mixing up the daily working routine by meeting out of the office environment can bring employees away from everyday distractions such as emails and phone calls. They’re likely to be more responsive, focused and enthusiastic about being away from their workplace, resulting in higher productivity.

ENHANCE CREATIVITY

Stepping out of the office for two or three days can help bring new perspectives, and often with this comes fresh ideas. If you are planning a strategy meeting, launching a project or encouraging brainstorming sessions, a new environment can enable employees to break out of their office personalities and communicate with one another differently, generating innovative ideas and a spark of creativity

BOOST STAFF MORALE WITH TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES

This is especially the case if you wish to add team building to the agenda.

Going somewhere new gives your staff something to look forward to and will make them feel valued, boosting morale and building a sense of camaraderie within the team. You’ll also find out a lot more about them as individuals, including their strengths, weaknesses and leadership qualities – much more than you would in your average meeting.

GOOD FOR FOLLOW-UP

Too many people leave their meetings not knowing what the next steps are. A well planned and facilitated off-site meeting will finish with actions and a scheduled follow-up. Holding this at a dedicated venue will also give greater measurable benefit to your business and you can hold your team accountable for follow-up.

CONFERENCE HOTEL MELBOURNE

Opting especially for somewhere in a rural, natural setting invites freedom beyond the four walls of a meeting room to open up everyone’s minds. Our beautiful retreat and resort setting in the Dandenong Ranges offers a magnificent location with dedicated meeting rooms and plenty of outdoor space for team building.