Virtual office? Think of your team's retreat

The pandemic lockdowns around the world have forced millions to work from home, and many companies have discovered the unexpected benefits of running their offices remotely, relying on email and Zoom meetings to get work done. 

Teams in virtual offices can benefit from retreats on the beautiful Riviera

Companies have found that, on average, productivity goes up when employees switch to home working. In 2019, a large-scale survey in the US found that home working increased productivity by 1.4 days per worker per month, or 16.8 days per year. In addition, home working saves companies the high costs of maintaining large offices in expensive city centres.

A survey in August 2020 for the BBC found that almost half of large companies in the UK have no plans to bring staff back to central offices yet.  Many corporations are considering a hub-and-spoke model for their offices, with a small physical presence in an office, and the majority of their staff spending most of their time working remotely.

Riviera Route has partnered with boutique hotels in secluded locations, including Poggio di Marò in Badalucco

But the benefits of some physical connection with colleagues is undeniable. Some meetings need to be face-to-face. Colleagues need to build up trust and a sense of camaraderie, and doing so through a computer screen can only be partially effective. Even if it is only for a couple of days each year, effective teams need to bond together, share meals, build rapport and regenerate their sense of a shared purpose.

When a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, Riviera Route will be working with companies from across Europe to plan safe company retreats, for those firms seeking to re-connect their staff with each other after long months of home working. 

We also offer luxury spa experiences for your team, such as l'Adagio in Badalucco

Virtual offices will be a fact of life for many people in the coming years. It won't suit every kind of business, of course, but many workers will be able to take advantage of the savings, productivity and lifestyle improvements of working remotely. Virtual offices are entirely feasible, but they will require a change in mindset. Corporate retreats will be seen as an intelligent, cost-effective investment to keep staff connected and keep team spirits high, as we move to this new model.

Find out more at www.rivieraroute.com/choose

Sources:

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/15259-working-from-home-more-productive.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-53901310