How These Resorts Are Rethinking the Concept of Company Off-Sites

In the midst of the pandemic, hotel properties ramped up their efforts to attract WFH employees who were looking for a new “office” space.

For example, the Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street, Boston launched Conference Calls to Cocktails, a dedicated luxury workcation package designed for the digital nomad. And the Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C., introduced MOBase, an initiative that converted luxury guest rooms into office spaces offered as a monthly membership.

But now that remote work has become a permanent feature rather than a temporary fix—45% of full-time employees in the U.S. worked partly or fully remotely in September, according to a Gallup poll—properties are expanding these offerings to include entire teams and, in the process, revamping the concept of a company meeting. After all, everything is an off-site if you work from home.

Back in May 2021, at The Wall Street Journal's Future of Everything Festival, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff spoke about taking the notion of a company retreat even further by building a resort, where Salesforce employees can stay with their families, that features team-building activities as well as employee orientations and training sessions—similar to Crotonville, a General Electric Co. campus located in New York, or like Disneyland minus the rides. And the Journal confirmed yesterday that the software giant has signed a multiyear booking agreement for a 75-acre retreat set among the redwoods in Scotts Valley, Calif., to create a work-and-wellness center for its nearly 70,000-person staff. It will be known as the Salesforce “Trailblazer Ranch.”

While the idea of “bleisure” or “workspitality” isn’t new, the need to accommodate these types of travelers has now grown exponentially due to the shift in the workforce.

The first Branches property is located in the Catskills, 100 miles from New York City, and is slated to be completed in 2023. The 32-acre resort is specifically designed for urbanites and digital nomad communities.Photo: Courtesy of BranchesThat’s why Steve Sanchez decided to found Branches. “When I was in graduate school, I had remote work flexibility and escaped the city to hotels within a two-hour drive up the Hudson Valley to do focused work. We had two small children at home in a Manhattan apartment and our home life and personal to-do list were a constant distraction. I realized then that there is no infrastructure to support remote work for people looking to escape the city and use nature as a tool for productivity and creativity.”

The first Branches property is located in the Catskills, 100 miles from New York City, and is slated to be completed in 2023. The 32-acre resort is specifically designed for urbanites and digital nomad communities, and it aims to cater to individuals, small teams and entire departments who want to prioritize wellness and nature but can’t be completely out of office.

Although the upstate New York site isn’t officially open, a pared-down “pop-up” version opened exclusively for group retreats, including off-sites hosted by several startups. Sanchez said that “a lot of companies are interested in our upcoming renovation and believe there is a need for purpose-built facilities that don’t also cater to weddings or other social functions. ... Instead of the once-a-year corporate retreat, distributed teams, fully-remote companies [also known as FROGs—fully remote organizations] may be planning smaller scale team meetups several times a year.”

Traditionally, off-sites are designed to promote employee and company development, potentially leading to increased productivity, engagement, results, profit and ROI.

“As businesses once again focus on growth, it is important for leaders to define clear success strategies and lead through collaboration, and one of the most effective tools leaders have at their disposal is an annual retreat,” said Trudy Wilson, director of sales and events at Cape Resorts. “Whether defining goals, creating ways to engage remote workers or simply reconnecting as leaders, studies have shown that these face-to-face engagements deliver the highest ROI of any event, regardless of format.”

Cape Resorts’ Beach Plum Farm, a 62-acre working farm in Cape May, N.J., recently launched new group offerings featuring immersive team building experiences for corporate retreats and leadership events.Photo: Courtesy of Cape ResortsShe added that corporate clients are still seeking out the ability to socially distance and to dine privately, as well as “booking flexibility and generous cancellation policies due to changing COVID restrictions.” Wilson also said that “tea-building activities are in demand, with executives focused on reconnecting their leaders after working remotely for the past two years.” Cape Resorts’ Beach Plum Farm, a 62-acre working farm in Cape May, N.J., recently launched new group offerings featuring immersive team-building experiences for corporate retreats and leadership events, including a range of activities such as horseshoe crab rescue, fishing charters, beach clean-ups, drum circles, scavenger hunts, farm yoga and even the opportunity to participate in farm operations like chicken harvesting.

At the moment, the biggest benefit of off-sites might be the ability to come together again after extended periods of working apart.

Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge, which is set in the rainforests of British Columbia’s Clayoquot Sound, is accessible only by floatplane or boat.Photo: Courtesy of Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge“Whilst live video calls have transformed the way we work, there’s nothing like personal, face-to-face connection to convey real meaning and real emotion,” said Sarah Cruse, general manager of Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge, which is set in the rainforests of British Columbia’s Clayoquot Sound. “It’s these candid, organic conversations along with time spent together and shared experiences that generate the best ideas and innovations.”

She added that there’s a trend toward smaller, more intimate corporate retreats and “a desire to get away from the screen and away from the boardroom to allow teams and colleagues to really bond.” To do this, the lodge offers an extensive roster of wilderness adventures—from heli tours to mountain hiking to canyoning—all of which can be tailored to meet a group’s requirements as well as participants’ personal interests. “It’s this more personal approach to corporate retreats that is emerging as we look to catering for future corporate events,” Cruse said.

When it comes to accommodating remote workers, Sanchez said that “properties need to get a few things right. Of course, blazing-fast commercial-grade internet is one of them. ... Many users have multiple devices, and fast speeds are crucial for the rise of hybrid events, where a core team may be running panels and fireside chats from our location with a global audience tuning in.”

He also stressed the need to use “best activity-based design practices that have reshaped the way flexible office buildings are being designed. Communal work spaces, quiet head-down library spaces and a desk with a large monitor in every hotel room can differentiate your property.” Branches amenities include individual work cabins and a group meeting hall, conference rooms and privacy phone booths, along with F&B offerings such as a covered outdoor dining deck.

Branches features a dining room with flexible table seating that can be arranged for round tables or used by individuals or teams as well as a covered outdoor deck with tables.Photo: Courtesy of BranchesWilson added that, “it’s also helpful if the location is accessible to major cities where people would typically have offices and meetings.” Beach Plum Farm is within driving distance from several major East Coast cities including New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

Sanchez agreed, saying “remote teams are interested in visiting exciting locations that get them out of their everyday routine with access to the great outdoors, local activities and a thriving food scene.” He added that his team hopes to eventually open more Branches locations in the Northeast as well as nationwide. “We believe there is room for a Branches retreat in ‘drive-to’ leisure destinations near cities with large numbers of high-income knowledge workers and creators that power our digital economy.”

Branches boasts Wi-Fi-enabled outdoor work cabins.Photo: Courtesy of Branches

Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge features 25 luxury tents and its indoor spaces include a lodge, restaurant and bar.Photo: Courtesy of Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge