At Buffer, we’re a completely distant and distributed workforce, which signifies that for many weeks of the yr, we work collectively throughout 21 completely different nations and 49 cities. For one wonderful and cherished week a yr, we meet collectively in particular person for a working week we name “Retreat” to collaborate and join.
We just lately wrapped up Buffer’s 14th Retreat in Antalya, Türkiye! The week after we returned dwelling, our planning workforce met to rejoice and debrief a profitable Retreat, and also you guessed it, gear as much as do all of it once more for our 2026 Retreat!
Buffer has been internet hosting annual Retreats for practically a decade, and whereas the guts of Retreat hasn’t modified, the logistics positively have! With teammates flying in from extra nations than ever, and new well being concerns within the combine post-Covid, our planning has developed. Our present Folks workforce has organized the final two Retreats (in Cancún, Mexico, and Antalya, Türkiye), and we’ve landed on a mannequin that blends years of knowledge with the wants of a contemporary, distributed workforce. We’re excited to share what’s labored for us!
Why we host Retreats
Once we’re deeply linked as a workforce, distant work flows a lot extra simply. That is why throughout Retreat week, we prioritize productive work, significant connection, and loads of enjoyable throughout our in-person time. There’s really nothing like spending real-life time together with your teammates, particularly when it solely occurs yearly!
Buffer Retreats give house for deep convos over espresso, late-night karaoke, shared meals, spontaneous foyer meet-ups, and all of the little moments that remind us why we do that work collectively (we prefer to name it Retreat magic ✨).
As a result of we all know simply how helpful these moments are, we take nice care in crafting a optimistic and impactful expertise for each teammate, at each Retreat. We have discovered so much, and hit just a few many bumps alongside the way in which, however each taught us one thing new and helped form the playbook we’re sharing with you at present!
10 key steps for planning a Buffer Retreat
These 10 steps are the inspiration of our planning course of, whether or not we’re heading to Türkiye or someplace model new. We’ll stroll you thru each beneath!
1. Set your imaginative and prescient: Outline targets, price range, and non-negotiables
Earlier than you dive headfirst into lodge searching and spreadsheets, hit pause and ask: What sort of Retreat will we really need? Collect your stakeholders and align with management earlier than locking something in.
That is your likelihood to zoom out and dream a bit. What are your prime targets for Retreat? Is it deepening workforce connection? Time for technique and planning? Or just per week of sunshine and snacks together with your favourite coworkers? All nice choices, however aligning in your targets early will form each resolution that follows.
As soon as you’ve got obtained some high-level targets, it helps to jot down just a few non-negotiables similar to assembly areas to accommodate your full workforce or shut proximity to a serious airport, your Retreat beliefs or “wishlist” (howdy, outside dinners and optionally available morning yoga), a tough sense of the schedule for the week, and naturally, price range.
Setting a transparent imaginative and prescient up entrance makes the planning approach smoother, and units you up for per week that’s really productive to your workforce, not simply busy!
Non-negotiables for Buffer Retreats:
Visa-friendly vacation spot: Whereas we’re open to touring to many nice locations (and have teammates everywhere in the world!), one among our highest priorities is discovering a rustic for which most of our teammates can acquire visas for journey.Climate: Whereas we do not want a tropical location, we love having the choice to host occasions exterior and so we aren’t inside all week. A vacation spot that enables for some outside conferences and meals is right. (This additionally helps stop or decelerate the unfold of any sicknesses that pop up. Now we have some expertise with Retreat Flu, and have discovered our lesson!)Shut proximity to a serious airport: This helps reduce layovers and journey time, which reduces jet lag, and in the end makes for a extra productive week.Correct work and/or assembly house: We’re onsite working collectively for the week, so we want enough house for our full workforce to work collectively collectively, and a number of breakout rooms for smaller workforce or division classes. All areas want robust wifi, retailers for charging, projectors, and screens.Each teammate has their very own bed room and loo: No sharing rooms for us. Everybody wants house for downtime, particularly these of us battling jetlag, so we’ll rule out properties early on if they cannot accommodate our full workforce measurement.
Wishlist objects for Buffer Retreats:
We actually love the all-inclusive idea because it permits a variety of flexibility for teammates, encourages spontaneous “meet-ups”, helps us estimate price range higher forward of time, and is much less work for teammates and our finance workforce relating to purchases and bills.Naturally lit and never “white field” assembly areas. Assembly areas with character and pure mild simply make the house extra snug. We have been versatile right here previously, however due to how a lot time we spend in these areas in the course of the week, we have validated that it is essential for us.Small, boutique-style resort. The smaller the resort, the better it’s to run into Bufferoos (our cheeky title for a Buffer Teammate!) and permit for spontaneous connection. Accommodations additionally usually supply higher service if our group is using many visitor rooms and assembly areas.4 to five-star properties. Whereas this technically is not concerning the “stars” per se, and we’re not looking for luxurious, we do choose purposeful, well-designed properties that present nice worth and wonderful service to create a cushty week for the workforce.
Finances with intention (not simply numbers):
Whilst you’re dreaming up targets for Retreat, it is also a good time to begin speaking price range (fairly essential!). Over time, we have experimented with completely different approaches, and after 14 Retreats, we have discovered so much. Previously, we might go to Finance and Management and easily ask, “What’s our price range?” — normally pondering by way of a per-person quantity slightly than an total determine.
As of late, we’re exploring a extra proactive route: beginning with what we have to create a profitable Retreat expertise, then working backward to see what’s potential.
With a transparent imaginative and prescient, robust non-negotiables, and a stable sense of what makes a Buffer Retreat magical, we’re discovering it simpler to advocate for the items that matter most. In fact, there’ll all the time be trade-offs, however our purpose is to strike the candy spot the place the price range helps a significant and linked expertise for our total workforce.
We’re nonetheless exploring one of the best ways to align on this internally, however up to now, constructing the plan across the expertise (slightly than simply the numbers) appears like a worthwhile path to pursue. Keep tuned, we’ll possible share extra in a future debrief!
Previously, we have spent round $4,000–$4,500 per Bufferoo to carry Retreat magic to life. Multiply that by 70 teammates and, yep, you are $280,000–$315,000 for the total shebang. It is a large quantity (we all know 😅), however we are able to confidently say: it is among the finest investments we make all yr.
2. Begin the search: Select a location and description your agenda
As soon as your imaginative and prescient is about, it is time to begin dreaming about the place this magical week will happen, the way it may look, and the way you will carry all of it to life.
Location
We have discovered it useful to slim issues down rapidly, ideally to only one or two potential nations. Once you’re planning journey for a globally distributed workforce, the record of dream places will be fairly prolonged!
When narrowing down potential Retreat places, we like to begin with the vibe we’re going for. Are we dreaming of a relaxed, beachy escape the place teammates can take strolling 1:1s on the sand? Or a vigorous metropolis Retreat full of cultural experiences and buzzy power? Clarifying the type of occasion helps slim the choices rapidly and retains your targets entrance and middle.
Since we prioritize all-inclusive properties and climate that enables for outside occasions, we’ve landed at coastal or beachy places over the previous few years. Nevertheless, if we are able to discover metropolis properties that meet our non-negotiables and wishlist objects, we’d like to rotate the vibe for Buffer Retreats.
From there, we additionally take into account components like flight prices and journey time (lengthy journey days can zap power quick, however are sometimes unavoidable for world groups), and whether or not the vacation spot affords a brand new expertise — one thing culturally or geographically completely different from previous Retreats. Language is one other consideration. Whereas English-speaking nations are sometimes the simplest, we have discovered it extremely useful to decide on locations the place no less than one teammate speaks the native language or the place we are able to plan for additional help.
Schedule for the week
Subsequent up, you will need to begin fascinated by your ultimate week-of circulate; this may assist information your property search! For us, that normally appears like teammates arriving on Sunday, and we work collectively Monday-Friday, and depart Saturday (or Friday if price range does not permit for Saturday departure).
Think about the important thing occasions you need to embrace: full workforce classes, dinners, cultural moments, and something your venue must accommodate.
There are just a few workforce occasions we all the time plan on for Buffer Retreats. These are useful for us to maintain prime of thoughts and plan round after we are designing the schedule.
These are the occasions we embrace at each Retreat:
Welcome occasion: hugs and heat fuzzies as we reunite and/or meet one another.Cultural introduction to the nation or space: If now we have a teammate from the nation, we love to listen to from them, and if not, ask somebody on the resort in the event that they’d be prepared to share concerning the native tradition.Keynote from our CEO, Joel Gascoigne: Usually Monday morning or day 1, as this helps kick off the week.Group-wide buyer help session: Everybody within the inbox supporting our clients, collectively.Private story teams: Small teams that share their private story (story of their life, basically) over dinner just a few nights per week. This helps deepen the connection with teammates exterior of your direct workforce, and it’s usually a favourite exercise for Bufferoos. In our post-retreat survey, one teammate wrote, “Private tales had been my favourite a part of the occasion! It was such a particular expertise to attach with my group on a deeper degree.”Full Group Dinner: Mid-week occasion to attach and bondGratitude session: Group-wide time to shut out the week by leaning into our worth to “Present Gratitude,” whereas we cross a microphone and share issues we’re grateful for, about Buffer, the week collectively, and past.
In our expertise, teammates admire the structured agenda. This additionally got here up in our post-retreat survey with one Bufferoo particularly mentioning, “I actually cherished each second of the occasion. Nothing felt pointless or unplanned. I felt like every part was properly thought out and ready.”
Group occasions we like to think about (if price range, property, and timeline permit):
Farewell dinner: a ultimate occasion to assemble, say goodbye (hugging that many individuals takes time!), and want one another protected travels.Karaoke: a enjoyable and straightforward method to delight the workforce and let unfastened collectively. Many tenured teammates may say it is a Buffer staple!Full workforce or workforce offsite actions: if price range permits, it is enjoyable to see the realm we have traveled to or do one thing enjoyable exterior of the resort as a workforce (optionally available).
Planning companions
One other large resolution early on is whether or not to usher in a planning associate. Should you’re working with a small workforce or simply need to scale back stress, a associate is usually a large asset. At Buffer, we like to remain fairly hands-on, however we have discovered a useful stability between what we personal and what we outsource.
What we outsource:
We love getting assist with sourcing places, reserving the property, and discovering further distributors like floor transportation or exercise suppliers. One of many largest perks we’ve discovered is that planning companions usually have direct relationships with lodge manufacturers and may escalate points rapidly when wanted. Throughout workforce journey days, planning companions can typically additionally supply distant help from alternate time zones, which makes a giant distinction and permits the planning workforce to journey and relaxation a bit extra simply.
What we personal:
That mentioned, we prefer to personal the guts of the planning ourselves. We set the imaginative and prescient, keep carefully concerned in vendor choice, and handle swag, workforce communication, and on-the-ground coordination in the course of the week. The magic actually occurs whenever you discover a associate who will get your working type and imaginative and prescient. Ideally, every Retreat will get simpler as they get to know your workforce and your preferences a bit higher. ✨
3. Create cultural connections: Moments that carry the workforce nearer
One of many largest causes we host Retreats at Buffer is to nurture cultural connection, and never simply with the nation we’re visiting, however with one another. Whereas a variety of that magic occurs organically, we additionally like to construct in just a few intentional moments that spark connection, particularly throughout groups that do not usually work collectively each day.
Our schedule already features a few significant highlights, like a cultural introduction to the nation, private story dinners, and our gratitude session. However we additionally love layering in some additional enjoyable:
Retreats: This beloved Buffer custom turns into a worldwide snack fest in one of the best ways. Teammates are invited to carry goodies from their space. Suppose native candies, espresso, teas, or no matter their hometown is known for, and share them with the workforce. The desk (really… tables, plural) rapidly turns into a 24-foot buffet (no joke!) of treats and dialog starters. It is pleasant, scrumptious, and a straightforward method to get a literal style of one another’s worlds.
Welcome desk with nametags + coloured lanyards: Our gifted design workforce all the time helps us shine right here (and belief us, you do not need to see the model we tried to DIY). As teammates arrive all through the day, we love having a welcome desk arrange with a cute signal, a QR code for the Retreat agenda, and customized nametags ready for every teammate. For the previous few years, we have added coloured lanyards too: inexperienced means “I’m cool with hugs,” whereas orange indicators “let’s stick with a pleasant wave or fist bump.” Whereas it isn’t all the time excellent in apply (some of us are simply pure huggers!), it is a considerate nudge that respects consolation ranges and helps maintain everybody feeling protected and seen.
Karaoke: The unofficial, but very actual, crown jewel of each Buffer Retreat. If the venue can swing it (or allow us to set it up), we’re completely bringing the mic. There’s one thing about belting out your favourite throwback that brings a workforce nearer like nothing else. It is goofy, it is joyful, and it is peak Retreat bonding.Gratitude station: Residing our worth of “Present Gratitude,” we all the time carve out house for a bit love word magic. We arrange a gratitude station with clean thank-you playing cards so teammates can jot down notes of appreciation and hand them out earlier than the week ends. Whether or not it is for a brand new pal, a behind-the-scenes hero, or somebody who made you giggle so laborious you cried, or confirmed up for you, there’s one thing additional particular about leaving Retreat with a pocketful of gratitude.
4. Customise swag: Our favourite objects and what we’ve discovered
Actual discuss: everybody loves swag. Like, actually loves it. It is a Retreat spotlight, and sometimes the objects are cherished for a few years. We have discovered (typically the laborious approach) that it is value investing time and care into getting it proper!
Begin your search early
Should you do not have already got a swag vendor you’re keen on, begin your vendor search early. You will need somebody who:
Gives objects your workforce will really useCan ship internationally (as a worldwide workforce, we choose to have every part delivered to the resort).Is a real associate, not only a click-to-order web site
We’re nonetheless looking for our ultimate swag-vendor match, however we’re getting nearer annually!
What we search for in a swag vendor
High quality over amount: We might slightly hand out just a few superior objects than a bunch of “meh” ones. (That $5 water bottle? Not value it.)Title-brand drinkware: Yeti, Stanley, Nalgene, and many others. All the time a success.Customer support: We would like an actual human who’ll stroll with us from the primary order to the ultimate supply. No bots, please.Delivery + customs experience: Significantly, this issues.Ask how they calculate customs charges, and ensure all charges are included of their transport quote.Learn how they help you in case your objects get caught at customs.If the seller cannot inform you precisely what to anticipate in customs charges, be skeptical. Finances for hundreds, not “surprises.”Are you able to inform that worldwide transport has been a problem for us? Ask your swag vendor all of the questions! A future thought now we have is sending swag to a couple US-based teammates to usher in checked baggage. Fewer customs complications, fewer what-ifs, we’ll let you recognize!
A few of our Retreat swag favorites
The beloved tee. We’re loyal to the Subsequent Stage Tri-Mix. We love the tee a lot, we purpose for one traditional Buffer tee + one Retreat-specific design.Journal and pen for note-taking and doodling throughout classes.Stickers! A number of them. Inside jokes inspired. Sticker Mule has been the most effective for us — nice high quality, quick transport, and inexpensive.One thing native or culturally particular. Turkish towels had been an enormous hit in Türkiye!Tote or bag to hold all of it, and it really works completely for handing swag out.
5. Plan a web site go to: Why seeing the property upfront issues
If it is inside price range (and we strongly advocate budgeting it in), do your self (and your future self) a favor and go see the property in particular person.
We all know it isn’t all the time potential, however if you happen to did not get an opportunity to go to earlier than signing the contract, then a pre-Retreat web site go to turns into a close to non-negotiable. It is the quickest method to iron out particulars, keep away from surprises, and really feel assured that your lovely plan will really work in actual life.
We have discovered that the candy spot for a web site go to is about 75 to 90 days earlier than the Retreat. A lot sooner than that, say, six months out, and the lodge possible is not able to dig into the nitty-gritty. Any later, and also you is perhaps scrambling to make adjustments in time.
This go to is not only a fast tour, it is your likelihood to stroll via the whole week on-site. Ask to satisfy together with your primary lodge contact, plus the meals and beverage workforce, the A/V crew, and anybody else who performs a job in bringing your Retreat to life. Getting everybody in the identical room helps eradicate these “I’ll need to examine on that” moments and provides you clear solutions when you’re there.
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TL;DR: Should you can swing it, go. You will go away with a clearer plan, stronger lodge partnership, and a complete lot fewer “uh-ohs” in the course of the precise week.
6. Prepare transportation: Coordinate flights, arrivals, and floor logistics
Between flights, airport pickups, and jet-lagged teammates arriving from all corners of the globe, transportation is without doubt one of the most essential (and underestimated!) components of Retreat planning. Listed here are all the transportation elements we take into account:
Flights
As soon as you’ve got finalized the vacation spot, we might advocate checking in together with your Finance workforce earlier than launching flight bookings to the workforce. You will need to align on budgets, the expense course of, and timing, particularly if flight prices will hit in the identical billing cycle. At Buffer, most of our workforce prefers to e book their very own flights (seasoned vacationers over right here!), and we have discovered it to be extra environment friendly than working via a reserving service.
We sometimes supply a price range cap based mostly on researched averages from main departure cities, padded a bit to cowl seat choice and taxes. We cowl economic system fares that permit seat choice for long-haul flights and have not required cancellation protection previously, although it is value evaluating the fee impression and together with in case your price range permits! Giving teammates a transparent reserving timeline helps get issues rolling, even when not everybody books straight away. Simply do not forget to obviously define easy methods to expense flights or use the corporate card, it is a small element that saves a variety of back-and-forth later.
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Professional tip: For teammates checking luggage, we advocate an AirTag throughout the bag. Misplaced baggage is not any enjoyable. Our workforce even had the enjoyable thought of a Buffer-branded AirTag, as a result of sure, you guessed it, we have misplaced our fair proportion of bags alongside the way in which!
Floor transportation
Floor transportation is simply as essential, particularly after 24+ hours of journey, relying on the place the teammate is coming from. We purpose for a easy, supportive expertise the place teammates can stroll off the airplane, spot the Buffer signal, and hop right into a clear, protected journey. Should you’re working with a planning associate, lean on them to supply distributors (bonus factors in the event that they’ve labored with them earlier than). For us, clear communication in English, skilled drivers, clear autos, and dependable arrival monitoring are key. And sure, printed indicators with our brand are a should, no scribbled Sharpie chaos, please.
Maintaining it multi function place
To maintain every part organized, we use one shared clear spreadsheet for transportation (one supply of fact) that tracks all of it: flight budgets, flight numbers and arrival/departure instances, and floor transportation plans. That is additionally enjoyable as a result of teammates can see who is perhaps touring with them and who they need to be looking out for!
7. Share a retreat useful resource: Centralize all the small print to your workforce
Your workforce is about to journey internationally, some for the primary time, some with a number of layovers, and everybody has completely different questions. That is why a centralized Retreat useful resource is so important. That is the go-to hub for every part teammates must know, and it helps ease nerves, construct pleasure, and scale back repeat questions (you will nonetheless get some, however fewer!).
In our post-retreat suggestions survey, one Bufferoo shared, “I felt absolutely knowledgeable and the plethora of beautifully-organized content material within the Notion web page made me really feel so comforted!”
Begin constructing your Retreat useful resource early, even when a variety of the small print will not come collectively till the ultimate month. We advocate getting the fundamentals in place upfront and aiming to finalize it about two weeks earlier than Retreat. That provides teammates time to learn via every part as they begin getting ready for journey.
Inside our Retreat useful resource (which we create and share in Notion), we embrace the next data:
Resort detailsTravel and transportationDetails to have available for crossing the border (and any documentation wanted)Full agenda and scheduleFood and eating infoWhat to pack and wearExpenses and reimbursementsHow communication and photographs will workHealth policiesIdeas free of charge time activitiesAlcohol steerage (for All-Inclusive properties)The aim behind RetreatsCultural expectationsSafety tipsFAQsHow to take part from dwelling, for teammates who aren’t becoming a member of in particular person
We all know, it is so much! We have discovered each part helps the workforce really feel extra ready and having a spot to level the workforce to for questions is vital.
8. Programming for the week: Plan classes with management and groups
Retreat programming does not simply magically fall into place (if solely!). It takes time, coordination, and a bit little bit of technique, particularly whenever you’re hoping to loop in your management workforce.
Whereas kicking issues off three months out may sound early, we have discovered that early is definitely the candy spot. The extra lead time, the smoother every part comes collectively and programming a giant piece of the Retreat puzzle.
At Buffer, we’re nonetheless fine-tuning our strategy, however this is what tends to work: our exec workforce begins by aligning on the large image, issues like Retreat themes, company-wide classes, and the sort of power or outcomes we’re hoping to create.
From there, we construct out time for team-specific, department-level, and cross-functional classes, utilizing these high-level targets as our information.
One tip: Attempt to form the general construction earlier than asking leaders to plan their classes. In any other case, you possibly can run into that traditional “what comes first?” dilemma: leaders do not know when to schedule, and you do not know what to carry house for.
It additionally helps to loop workforce leads into the broader agenda early and ask them to begin sketching out their session concepts as soon as the framework is in place. Give of us loads of time to prep, whether or not that is planning a brainstorming session, or dreaming up a team-bonding journey. And do not be afraid to examine in alongside the way in which. A mild nudge can go a great distance when everybody’s juggling All The Issues.
9. Group communication: Preserve everybody knowledgeable at each step
On the subject of Retreat, your workforce desires to know every part, and actually, the extra you share, the higher the expertise for everybody. At Buffer, our worth of transparency reveals up large throughout Retreat planning. We have discovered that common, open communication helps teammates really feel extra included, extra ready, and far more excited.
Begin by sharing dates as quickly as they’re narrowed down. Even when they’re tentative, early discover will increase the possibility that extra teammates can attend.
From there, we maintain every part centralized in clear Slack channels:
a planning channel, for the core planning workforce to coordinate for months upfront and thru the occasion itself.a devoted help channel, for any and all questions that teammates have as they plan, e book flights, pack, journey, and submit bills.a photograph channel to gather all the particular reminiscences and moments in actual time.a chatter channel for something and every part (cue spontaneous pool meetups!)
These channels begin buzzing early (like when flights open up) and carry via the whole week on-site.
We additionally launch our Retreat useful resource and agenda properly upfront, even when it is nonetheless a piece in progress. Let the workforce know that adjustments will occur, however having a shared doc early on helps everybody observe alongside and get within the Retreat mindset.
Lastly, we love carving out time throughout month-to-month All Arms to stroll via key Retreat particulars and host a stay Q&A. It offers teammates house to ask questions, share concepts, or simply get hyped.
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TL;DR: Over-communicate. Ideally early, transparently, and with a lot of emojis. 😁
10. On-site coordination: ultimate prep for a easy Retreat week
As soon as the planning is completed and your workforce is en route, it is time to change into full-on on-site mode. These ultimate particulars are important for making every part run easily and serving to your workforce really feel cared for from the second they arrive.
Our Folks workforce likes to reach on the property two days forward of nearly all of the workforce, or at some point forward of these arriving early (we’ll supply this for these touring over a day or for people who can’t discover flights in time for our welcome dinner). Use this time to do a full walkthrough with lodge workers and stakeholders, together with your main contact, the meals and beverage workforce, and anybody managing AV or assembly areas.
Assessment your assembly and occasion areas – now’s the time for ultimate changes! We additionally use this time to arrange our primary session space with gratitude and Retreats stations, a first-aid station, journals/pens, pack swag luggage, and check tech. Organising a welcome desk with nametags and welcome signage makes an enormous distinction in making a welcoming first impression.
As soon as teammates begin arriving, your cellphone turns into your lifeline. Preserve it charged and be able to discipline transportation updates, coordinate arrivals, or deal with lodge questions (we advocate WhatsApp teams for vendor communication). You will additionally need to arrive early for any workforce occasions or classes to do one final examine of the house.
And when you’re transferring behind the scenes to make all of it occur, do not forget to offer your self some grace. If you cannot be absolutely current at classes and occasions, that is okay; it is all a part of the method. Supporting the workforce is your function throughout Retreat, and it is a large a part of what makes the entire thing profitable.
Lastly, bear in mind: you are part of this expertise, too. So take a deep breath, say sure to spontaneous meet-ups when you possibly can, and benefit from the magic you helped create. ✨
