Team Building That Works

All episodes

Episode 26

91 seconds

Company retreats should energize everyone—not just the extroverts.

With Guest

June 6, 2025

Retreat location: Country of retreat

Company retreats should energize everyone—not just the extroverts. In this episode, Meaghan Williams from HubSpot shares her approach to planning team-building activities that account for different personality types and preferences. Meaghan emphasizes the importance of starting with input from employees themselves. By sending out pre-retreat surveys to understand food preferences, activity comfort levels, and even timing preferences, her team ensures that retreats are inclusive and accessible. This approach allows employees to show up as their best selves, fostering a deeper sense of belonging and engagement during the event. For people leaders planning retreats for diverse teams, Meaghan’s insight provides a practical model for balancing fun with inclusivity so everyone leaves feeling connected and valued.

Offsite Ideas That Overdelivered

With Samantha ColbyJun 13th, 2025Retreat location:

Team-building activities don’t always have to be formal to be effective. In this episode, Samantha Colby, EVP of Global Marketing and Strategic Alliances at HRchitect, shares two unexpected retreat activities that brought her team closer than expected: an escape room challenge and impromptu one-on-one meetings in the pool. Both activities offered a refreshing change from the team’s typically high-stakes, detail-oriented work. The escape room encouraged playful collaboration, while the poolside meetings allowed for authentic conversations without the pressure of formal agendas. Together, they demonstrated how unstructured, creative approaches to team building can foster trust and deeper human connection.

Episode 28

Unforgettable Retreat Locations

With Meredith LawlorJun 11th, 2025Retreat location:

For distributed teams, choosing a retreat destination that feels special can spark excitement long before the trip begins. In this episode, Meredith from Resource Guru shares how her team’s retreat to Cape Town, South Africa became a milestone moment for connection and culture. The experience included jaw-dropping scenery, vintage car rides, penguin encounters, and shared meals in Camps Bay—all of which helped the team bond beyond their day-to-day work. For a company spread across the U.K. and Europe, the retreat offered not just an opportunity to gather but to create memories that continue to strengthen relationships long after returning home. This episode is perfect for teams considering destination retreats and looking for ideas on how to make the travel investment unforgettable for employees.

Episode 27

Bringing Balance to Retreats

With Jordan CarrollJun 9th, 2025Retreat location:

Retreats are often packed with strategy sessions and team-building activities, but what about supporting the physical and mental well-being of attendees? In this episode, Jordan Carroll, founder of Unlocked Authority, shares why wellness elements like saunas, ice baths, and nutritious food can transform a company retreat. Jordan explains how maintaining healthy routines during travel leads to better focus, energy, and connection among team members. He also introduces creative ways to use wellness spaces—like facilitating “hot topics” discussions in the sauna and icebreaker questions in cold plunges—to spark deeper conversations and build stronger relationships. For leaders planning offsites or team retreats, this episode highlights how wellness isn’t just a perk; it’s a catalyst for higher engagement and better outcomes.