Selecting Attendees for Your Corporate Offsite

Ah, the corporate offsite. A chance for the company to take a break from the monotony of the office and bond over team-building activities like trust falls and awkward icebreakers. But who should be invited to this event? Choosing the right attendees is crucial to ensure the success of your offsite. Here are some tips to help you select the lucky few who get to escape the office:

No Debbie Downers Allowed

First and foremost, make sure you don't invite anyone who will bring the energy down. You know the type - the ones who always have a complaint or a negative comment to make. Leave them behind to grumble at their desks. Instead, invite the team members who are always up for a good time, the ones who will embrace the team-building activities with open arms (and possibly some overly enthusiastic cheers).

Be careful, though, that you don’t mix up a negative attitude with a critical personality: every team benefits by having someone who can find flaws or problems, but if they do it in a way that makes people feel bad or complain every step of the way, they’re off the list.

Keep it Fair

It can be tempting to only invite the higher-ups or the favorites, but that's a surefire way to cause some resentment among the team. Instead, make sure you're inviting a diverse group of employees from different departments and levels within the company. After all, it's not just the executives who need a break from the daily grind.

Choose Your Fighters

No, we don't mean actual fighters. But you do want to invite those team members who are willing to fight for the success of the company. The go-getters. The “we can do this” people. The colleagues who are always striving for greatness and pushing themselves and their peers to do better. They'll be the ones who will take the lessons learned at the offsite and put them into action once back in the office.

Leave the Slackers Behind

This one should go without saying, but we'll say it anyway: don't invite the slackers. Those who are always leaving early or taking extra-long lunch breaks but don’t showcase stellar performance? The offsite is a chance to bring the team together and build momentum for the company, not to give the lazy ones a free vacation.

The Wild Cards

Finally, don't forget to invite a few wild cards. These are the team members who might not fit into the traditional mold, but who bring a unique perspective and energy to the group. Maybe it's the quiet employee who surprises everyone with their hidden talent for karaoke, or the IT guy who has a knack for team-building activities. Whatever it is, don't be afraid to mix things up and invite those who might not be an obvious choice.

So there you have it, the five keys to selecting attendees for your corporate offsite. Just remember, the success of the event depends on the people who attend, so choose wisely. And who knows, maybe you'll even come back to the office with a new appreciation for your colleagues (or a killer karaoke performance).

If you’d like more guidance on how to sculpt the perfect offsite, download our free e book, Offsite-In-A-Box.