What happens when you take a mostly remote team out of the everyday routine? What if you give them time to learn, connect, recharge, and grow together?
For our team, it meant two days in Detroit Lakes. The retreat was filled with wellness, training, meaningful conversations, teamwork, plenty of laughter, and a few opportunities to step outside of our comfort zones.
“It was just nice to celebrate the ‘friend’ part of our work group and feel like a real team,” shared Erin, reflecting on her favorite part of the retreat.
Our annual staff retreat was designed to be more than just time away from the office. It was an opportunity to invest in our people. We wanted to strengthen how we work together, challenge ourselves to think differently, and build relationships that carry back into our everyday work.
Making Time for What Matters
We started our time in person with movement and mindfulness at 180 Balance Yoga Fitness studio. Whether yoga was familiar territory or something completely new, it was a fun way to get everyone moving and start the retreat with a fresh perspective.
For Natalie, the morning yoga session was a favorite. She said it “was helpful to get centered and clear our minds from daily tasks to reset and be ready to be open to learning.”
From there, we headed to M State for lunch and some “triage” time. Over lunch, we had an opportunity to talk through things that don’t always make it onto the agenda during a typical workday.
From Capable to Cohesive
The afternoon at M State focused on one of the central themes of our retreat: From Capable to Cohesive: How We Work Together When It Actually Matters, led by Christy Jacobson. Christy brought a unique perspective from her HR business, DevelopHR. Although we’re in the same industry, having an outside facilitator gave us a chance to look at our team dynamics through a different lens. It also allowed everyone to participate as a team member rather than as the HR or People Operations person in the room.
Being a capable employee is important, but a strong team requires more than individual talent. It requires communication, trust, accountability, and understanding one another’s strengths. It also means knowing how to work together when challenges arise. The session gave us a chance to consider how we function as a group and identify where we can grow individually.
Melanie appreciated the many practical tools we gained, especially for navigating uncomfortable conversations. We explored them through role-playing, sharing ideas, and stepping outside of our comfort zones.
For Jennifer, the concepts that stood out most were “Intent vs. Impact” and understanding how our strengths can sometimes become weaknesses. These conversations encouraged us to think more intentionally about how we communicate and interact with others.
That experience reinforced something Sierra appreciated about the team: “There truly is a lot of mutual respect between everyone and appreciation for one another.”
After a full day of learning, we wrapped up the day with team photos and dinner together. Sometimes the informal moments are just as valuable as the formal training. Sharing a meal, laughing, and getting to know one another outside of work helped strengthen our connections.
Katrina shared that being together in person “helped with building better relationships since that can be hard on a remote team.”
Proactive, Not Reactive
We started Friday morning with another session led by Christy Jacobson: Proactive, Not Reactive: Thinking Like Owners (Without Burning Out).
The session challenged us to think beyond simply completing the tasks in front of us. Instead, we considered the bigger picture. What can we anticipate? What can we improve? How can we take ownership of our work while maintaining healthy boundaries and avoiding burnout?
Every team member has an impact on the success of the organization. When employees feel empowered to identify opportunities, solve problems, communicate openly, and take initiative, everyone benefits.
Teamwork in Action
We spent the afternoon putting what we had learned into practice through team building activities.
Team building isn’t always about getting everyone to agree or work the exact same way. It’s about learning how to work with one another. That means understanding different perspectives, communicating effectively, and recognizing that each person brings something valuable to the team.
Laraya described the days of training as “surprisingly relatable and real.” One of her biggest takeaways was the importance of being self-reflective, addressing issues within the team, and then letting them go rather than continuing to replay them.
The afternoon also gave us an opportunity to reflect on what we want to carry forward as a team. We established our Top Five Team Commitments as a reminder that the work we do together is just as important as the work we do individually.
More Than Two Days Away
Our time in Detroit Lakes was a reminder that strong teams don’t happen by accident.
They are built through communication, trust, shared experiences, continuous learning, and a willingness to invest in one another. For a remote team, creating intentional opportunities to connect in person can make a meaningful difference.
We returned to work with new ideas, new perspectives, and a little more appreciation for the people we work alongside every day.
We’re proud of the team we have. We’re grateful for the opportunity to step away from the daily routine and focus on what makes us stronger together.
From capable to cohesive – that’s the goal! And we’re excited to keep working toward it together.
