When your workday starts with back-to-back Zoom calls and lunch happens at your desk, it might be time to ask the real question: When was the last time your team saw sunlight?
According to Diane Lovell, Assistant Director of Catering & Conference Services here at Equinox Resort, not often enough. She says professionals aren't getting their daily dose of vitamin D, let alone connection, creativity, or camaraderie.
“We always sit behind our desks and we work, work,” Diane says. “You eat lunch behind your desk, and then you go home at the end of the day. Have you been outside?”
Trading the Cubicle for the Great Outdoors
Let’s face it: the average corporate retreat can feel like a PowerPoint in a prettier room.
Here at the Equinox Resort, we aim to flip the script. With green grass and blue skies, the goal is to get people out of their heads and into the fresh air.
“Especially here in Vermont, where the sky is this gorgeous blue, the grass is an amazing green,” Diane remarks. “There’s so much fresh air. It doesn’t matter which season it is. You really need to be outside up here.”
Here, we tap into the “outdoors as catalyst” model, where activities aren’t just fun distractions; they’re performance enhancers.
Whether it’s lawn games that look like a corporate Olympics or axe throwing that unleashes everyone’s inner lumberjack, the goal is the same: let teams rediscover each other outside of quarterly goals and KPI reports.
Custom-Built Chaos (The Good Kind)
Before the first beanbag is tossed or the first axe hits the target, Diane’s team asks one key question: What’s the point?
“The first and most important thing is to find out what the purpose of the retreat is from the client,” she says. “What is their goal, what’s their purpose, what are they trying to accomplish?”
Once that’s clear, we build a program that aligns with both the vision and the season.
Our offerings are not rigid; they flex with the weather and the vibe, ensuring that your team's retreat experience is always tailored to your needs and preferences.
From summer golf tournaments that double as fundraisers to cozy sleigh rides in winter, we have something for every season and every team.
And if you’re worried about standing outside in 15-below temps? Don’t.
Diane promises no one’s being tortured by a Vermont blizzard for the sake of bonding.
From CPA to MVP
The beauty of these outdoor experiences isn’t just the activity; it’s the transformation.
“You may see somebody who is really great with numbers… but then you see another side of them when you get to be outside of the office,” Diane says. “You might find that you have something really crazy in common.”
When a finance director turns out to be a beast at axe throwing, it reshuffles office dynamics in the best way.
Labels fade.
Trust builds.
And connections stick.
That’s the kind of team building that drives the best results.
Out of Office, and Into Connection
Diane sees real changes after these “work-play” retreats.
“The camaraderie among the teams really is enhanced when you do get to spend time outside of the brick and mortar office,” she shares.
Sharing meals, awkward laughs during team games, or that “you did what?!” moment during a scavenger hunt helps people see each other beyond job titles. It also helps them collaborate more naturally once they’re back in the office.
History, Heritage, and Hilarity
It wouldn’t be Vermont without a little Revolutionary War trivia.
Equinox makes the most of its historic surroundings by offering scavenger hunts that both educate and entertain.
Just down the road? The former home of Robert Todd Lincoln, the eldest son of President Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln.
As Diane notes, even Abraham Lincoln’s family once found peace and purpose here.
Can’t Make It to Vermont? Bring the Retreat to You
Not every team can swing a cross-country trip to Vermont. But the Equinox approach can still travel.
Start by finding your local version of the outdoors.
The key is outside the office, whether it’s a city park, a nearby trail, a public garden, or even a rooftop with a view.
- Host walking meetings.
- Organize a half-day field day with goofy challenges (think water balloon toss, tug-of-war, or team trivia with a twist).
- Hire a local facilitator or coach who can run low-tech team-building sessions under open skies.
You don’t need a sleigh ride or an axe-throwing range to shift team dynamics.
What you do need is intention, creativity, and permission to ditch the usual routine. Even one afternoon outside can do wonders for morale and mental clarity. Bonus points if you leave your devices behind.
Put Down the Mouse. Pick Up an Axe.
Retreats shouldn’t be boring.
And they definitely shouldn’t happen indoors with the same stale snacks. Equinox is proving that a bit of mountain air, some playfully competitive games, and yes, a flying axe or two, can break down walls faster than any trust fall ever could.
Spreadsheet fatigue is real. But so is the cure. It’s outside. And it just might involve a flannel shirt.