Retreats as a Human Centered Business Practice

In the nonprofit sector, we love to retreat. These retreats, however, can sometimes feel less like a retreat and more of a work marathon. 

For many educators, “retreats” were a code word for uninterrupted working blocks where we tried to cram in as much as possible to our collaborative meetings. The day started at 8am and we pushed through to 4 or 5pm, structuring in a “working lunch” for a conversation break and community building. Yes, we included ice breakers and maybe you were allowed to tap out for a bathroom break as needed, but often there were more deliverables at the end of the day than before we walked in. 

At The Teaching Well, we have learned to reprogram our past conditioning to embrace a new way of retreating. As an organization, our entire team gathers on retreat twice a year. While both retreats share in the goal of team alignment, shared experiences, and strengthening team, each retreat has its own unique purpose. 

In the summer, the agenda reflects the warmth and energy of the season: we onboard new team members, revisit community agreements, engage in outdoor healing practices, and work collectively to set the tone for a powerful school year ahead.

In the winter, our agenda centers restoration, relationship building and joy: we play games, sit by the fire, take naps, engage in body-based practices and ground ourselves in self and collective care. In both cases, we eat well, sleep well, and laugh so much! For our team, that is spread across geographies, this has become the glue to support yearlong collaboration and ensure we are all “on mission”.

We asked some of our newest teammates to offer their reflections on the retreat experience and this is what they shared:

“I've worked in the education nonprofit sector for a while, and we do love to retreat! While a lot of the retreats I've attended previously have been supportive and focused on community building, I will say that my last two retreats as a newer staff member at The Teaching Well have really surprised me in beautiful ways. 

In the past, I've been to retreats where even our free time is overscheduled. So the fact that we have a whole deceleration day to choose what activities (or not!) our bodies, mind, heart and spirit need to get nourished is pretty special. Some of us went hiking, some of us just sat, cooked or read, or wandered about the grounds of the Airbnb, soaking up nature. And so for me it was such a special time to build community, drop into one on ones with my colleagues, but also really center my own care and well-being. Given that we are a fully remote organization, a lot of our colleagues live in different places, so if we're not in the field and co-facilitating together we don't get to see each other a lot. It's such a special time for us to come together as an organization.”

~ Alia Peera

Alia P. assisting a team mate during yoga

“Beginning my work at The Teaching Well on Winter Retreat was such a profound gesture of care. Carpooling with teammates immediately set a tone of connection and safety. The conversations flowed naturally, and I felt psychologically, emotionally, and physically supported from the very beginning. Despite having a structured program, nothing felt overwhelming. It was clear that the Directors had meticulously crafted the material to minimize mental load and maximize meaningful engagement.

What truly set this experience apart were the optional evening activities like game nights, reading, spa experiences, and even karaoke which allowed for organic connection and joy. Sharing a home, meals, laughter, and peaceful moments of silence accelerated our team bonding in a way I've never experienced before. As a new teammate, I felt as though I had known everyone for years, not days. The retreat didn't just introduce me to faces; it introduced me to a mission, a community, and a way of working that is deeply compassionate and intentional.”

~ Emily Perea

Facials, herb water and tea time to soothe the team’s soul

The paradigm shift is this: when we rest individually and communally, when we are compensated to heal out loud, and when we invest resources into workplace wellbeing, we retain our greatest talent, calibrate to expedite collaboration, and weave a thread of connection that cements an organizational and team identity that can weather storms of distance and uncertainty. Rest makes sense, but it’s also a business best practice!

When you know better, you can do better. If you are a school or non-profit leader reading this post, we want to empower you to reclaim rest as not only your birthright, but as a critical tool for ensuring your team’s productivity and sustainability. As leaders within the organization, you have the positional authority to  set the tone and set the agenda. We know that we can directly control the extent to which we normalize the grind or honor the notion of a retreat: a time for pause, rejuvenation, and replenishment.