How to Find Meeting Space for Team Offsites in Austin
It’s 2022, and you’re probably working from home — after all, a solid 71 percent of Americans are working from home, according to one study. Many businesses have embraced the cost savings, improved productivity, and heightened employee retention that all come with remote and flexible work arrangements.
And let’s face it: if remote workers are 35-40 percent more productive than their in-office counterparts, why force them to go into the office, and why pay high rent costs for wasted office space? Most employers have caught on, and those who haven’t will soon lose employee loyalty and competitive edge in their industries.
Is remote work a one-size-fits-all solution? Can you ever find a compromise or come back from the work-from-home model? This age is all about flexibility, so yes — of course, you can change your mind and find flexible enough arrangements to satisfy your needs.
However, remote teams shouldn’t stay remote forever. The odd team offsite is a great connection builder for distributed and remote teams, and offers several other health benefits. We’ll cover the many benefits of remote teams meeting offsite and what to look for in a meeting space for team offsites in Austin.
Related: How to Find Affordable Coworking Space in Austin
What Is a Team Offsite and Why Would You Need a Meeting Space for Team Offsites in Austin?
A team offsite is an event to help inspire team members and chat about topics like personal growth and company strategy. Overall, it’s a break from a company’s regular day-to-day work. Companies host team offsites to reconnect team members with the company’s brand values and each other. At these events, companies use the time and space to:
- Brainstorm creative ideas
- Offer safe space to discuss team member concerns
- Strategize for future goals
- Have fun with team building activities
Team offsites aren’t the same as a corporate team party. The topics of discussion are often still work-related, but the event offers the opportunity to take a step back from the nitty-gritty and focus on the bigger picture of your company brand and goals.
Benefits of Using a Meeting Space for Team Offsites in Austin
The benefits of remote work are plentiful, but what about the odd team offsite meeting? If remote work is so great, is there a need to have team offsites every so often?
We think so. If everyone is within a driving-distance location, team offsites once in a while can offer many benefits to both business owners and employees.
1. Change of Scenery
We all know that the 9-5 daily office workday becomes boring for many workers. Who’s to say we can’t feel that same fatigue from being at home every day? After all, the lines between personal and professional lives are blurred when working from home, a commonly experienced negative over time.
Using a meeting space for your team offsite in Austin offers your team a change of scenery. Sure, there are plenty of ways to connect and brainstorm with your team over online video platforms, but they don’t offer you the opportunity to take a break from your regular work setting. Meeting spaces help keep your team engaged by switching up the scenery.
2. Team Bonding
One of the few drawbacks of working from home is the easy fall into isolation. If company management isn’t careful, their team members could quickly feel isolated if they don’t have a chance to see each other.
Team offsites allow team members that rarely see each other in person the chance to connect. Moreover, the circumstances for connection aren’t limited to a team member’s regular workday tasks. They won’t need to worry about daily operational tasks at an offsite. Instead, they can experience a reconnection with the business and brand in a laid-back fashion with their colleagues. Team offsites help encourage mutual respect amongst colleagues, a strong, positive indicator of future performance.
Offsites are also less formal and more casual than your regular day-to-day work with client meetings or team collaboration on certain tasks. Seeing your team members in a more casual light will encourage greater connection, which will, in turn, have positive effects on team members’ working relationships.
More Possibilities for Team Building Activities
Many companies use team offsites to brainstorm and strategize future goals. However, you might notice companies also try to take a break from work and host team-building activities during their team offsites.
Some team building activities a business might organize at an offsite include:
- Board games
- Debates
- Trivia
- Talking Games to learn more about each other
One important aspect of a team offsite is to add a bit of fun to your team’s workday. Team building activities and games help meet that goal, and encourage employees to relax and have a little bit of fun.
Related: Venues for Corporate Parties in Austin
What to Look for in a Meeting Space for Team Offsites in Austin
Your team offsite meeting should stand out from your average board meeting. So, it only makes sense that the venue at which you host your offsite stands out as well. Here are some things to look for when deciding on a meeting space for your team offsites:
Amenities
A team offsite is a break from the day-to-day workload to achieve better brainstorming and strategic thinking and planning. The offsite space should offer enough amenities to make a business and its team feel comfortable. Some examples of coworking space amenities include:
- Free parking
- Dedicated desks
- Private phone booths
- Mail and package handling
- Dogs welcome
- Coffee and tea
- Additional conference rooms
- Snacks
- Standing desk
- Wireless internet
- Space for exercise, meditation, or yoga
Now, you’ll usually only desire a few of these amenities. Some coworking spaces offer custom packages in which you can pick and choose which amenities you’d like for your contract or even for a portion of it.
4. On-Site Staff
Team offsites can be a hassle to organize, especially if your company has more than 50 employees. The optimal meeting space for an offsite has the option of on-site staff to help coordinate the event. Even though such an addition might come at an extra cost, the planning and organization of the event will be worth it!
5. Good Reviews
A coworking space provider is only as good as its reputation. If you’re deciding between a couple of meeting spaces, consider checking meeting space reviews to help narrow down your choice.
Be wary of any reviews that bring up surprise fees, unhelpful customer support, worn or ugly office spaces, or anything else that won’t meet your expectations.
Flexible Hours
A meeting space for team offsites in Austin should have flexible access hours. A business that uses a coworking space isn’t your average 9-5 — they’re people that may require some extra time and leeway to accommodate a great event.
Many meeting spaces for team offsites in Austin offer 24/7 access to the workspace. This is a great sign, as it tells you that the management company wants to make your experience as in line with your needs as possible.
Outdoor Space
Whether you’re working on a day-to-day work task or attending a team offsite, you might need a few minutes to regroup. This might look like a little walk around the block at the office. At a team offsite, we hope it could mean a dedicated outdoor space with thoughtful additions like large plants, adequate seating, and fair access to sunlight!
Renovated, Updated Space and Furniture
Office furniture in traditional offices is often bland and lacks character. After a while, the typical grey work desk and black office chair against a plain gray-painted background feel impersonal and boring.
Your workspace should inspire you, whether in your day-to-day work or at a special event like an offsite. Look for a coworking space with unique interior design touches like bespoke decor, modern furniture, colorful textiles, and inspiring artwork.
Moreover, look for spaces that look recently updated to maintain a fresh feel during your offsite. The last thing you want is to host your team offsite in a space that’s falling apart.
Find a Meeting Space for Team Offsites in Austin
Team offsites are a vital part of employee engagement and strong team relationships. A meeting space for team offsites in Austin can help you bring your team morale and business practice to the next level.
If you’re looking for a meeting space to host your team’s next offsite, check out Vuka’s offerings. We have custom monthly membership options, including day passes, to meet your unique needs for your event.
Our spaces are designed to inspire companies and their teams to help them connect and get their creative juices flowing. And, our team has a combined experience of 40 years to ensure you get the best service and solution to your need for team offsite meeting space.
Contact Vuka today to get started!
