I recently had the supreme honour and privilege of attending and presenting at the IABC World Conference in Vancouver #IABC19
One of the tremendous benefits of being a presenter is that you are invited to attend any and all of the other sessions!
The Hyatt Regency Vancouver is a 5 minute walk to the seawall, so I made it my goal to start every morning with a run … easy when your body is 3 hours ahead of west coast time!
My runs were breathtaking (both literally and figuratively) … it had been a few weeks since I had strapped on the shoes!!
The keynotes and the breakout sessions that I attended were packed with new learning and fresh faces. It was like going back to school … only this time it was my choice! I devoured every minute of it!
The experience in Vancouver made a huge impact on me. In fact, it fueled the content of this blog which looks at the incredible advantages of offsite learning.
So many things happen when you take learning offsite!
Focus – People are more focused and therefore learn more effectively when they are away from the office. They are not distracted by phones or emails throughout the day.
Engaged – When learning takes place away from the office, a change of scenery has a very positive effect. Engagement is higher which helps everyone get the most out of the sessions.
Networking – Offsite learning often provides more space to run larger sessions including people from other businesses, departments or teams. This is great for networking and teamwork. It also improves the learning experiences, when people can share advice and ideas on what works best for them.
… And of course I get it that when it comes to budgets, every penny counts! So, you must ensure that every participant learns as much as possible, and retains the learning.
Studies have revealed that 90% of new learning is lost within a year. So yes, the environment in which the learning is delivered is paramount to retention.
It doesn’t have to be a view of snow-capped mountains in Vancouver, but please try your best to avoid the windowless training room in your offices!
Photos courtesy of IABC
If it’s time to ramp up your team’s innovation and collaboration abilities – we can help! Contact us today.
Marilyn
