My name is Gigi M. Knudtson, and for more than a decade I’ve helped executive teams, HR leaders, and operations managers design offsite programs that actually deliver business value. In my experience, resort courses can be powerful environments for alignment and creativity—but only when the retreat is structured with the same rigor as any other corporate project.
A resort course is typically part of a destination property that includes:
For corporate retreats, these venues offer logistical simplicity: participants sleep, meet, and socialize in the same place, reducing friction and lost time.
Examples include strategic planning, leadership alignment, culture rebuilding, or post-merger integration.
Size, seniority mix, accessibility needs, and prior working relationships strongly affect agenda design.
I’ve often seen cases where retreats fail simply because the agenda is either too dense or too vague. A balanced structure usually includes:
Typical cost categories:
A critical lesson I’ve learned is that many companies underestimate regulatory differences between states, especially for alcohol service, group activities, and liability waivers. Below is a simplified overview of common requirements. This is not exhaustive, but it reflects recurring compliance issues I encounter.
If you can’t clearly explain why each agenda item exists, it probably shouldn’t be there.By Gigi M. Knudtson, Founder
Quantitative metrics may include:
Qualitative indicators include leadership alignment, conflict reduction, and communication clarity.
In many cases, business-related expenses are partially deductible, but entertainment and recreation are often restricted. Documentation of business purpose is critical.
Two to three days is typical. Longer programs risk fatigue and diminishing returns.
No. Activities should match participant preferences and physical ability.
Either trained internal leaders or neutral professional facilitators, depending on the sensitivity of topics.
Participant injury combined with inadequate waivers or insurance coverage.