Reflect, reconnect and routine: the autumn reset
The start of autumn doesn’t just signify a new season but offers the chance to re-establish routine, reconnect with employees and reset ahead of the final few months of the year.
Raphael Herzog, General Manager at De Vere Tortworth Court, a historic mansion house hotel in the South Cotswolds, shares his best tips on how to get the team back together and looks at the benefits of teambuilding to help reconnect and align, to help reach those end of year goals.
Reset with your team
According to a recent Harvard Business Review, 95% of people say face-to-face meetings are key to successful long-term relationships in the workplace. De Vere Tortworth Court boasts a rich history and provides the perfect backdrop for a team looking to get together outside their usual work environment.
The Grade II listed Mansion House hotel has a fascinating history spanning over 1200 years. Recorded in the Domesday Book, the property was the ancestral seat of the Ducie family for over 350 years and was once used referred to as HMS Cabbala, a stone frigate which was used as secretive coding and signals training before becoming home to American servicemen in 1942.
The hotel’s beautiful Victorian arboretum was created by the 3rd Earl of Ducie in 1853 – a keen horticulturalist – and remains one of the finest arboretums in the British Isles, which houses more than 300 plant and tree specimens. From the meeting spaces in the Mansion House to the 30 acres of grounds, De Vere Tortworth Court provides a unique location for teambuilding, meetings, or gala dinners for up to 400 people.
With many corporate companies having such a fast-paced environment and piling the pressure to reach certain targets in Q4, it’s important not to forget about your employees, their relationships with one another and how they work more effectively as a team. By taking them out of their everyday setting you can build on communication and trust, producing more engaged and productive employees that help to drive your bottom line.
No ordinary teambuilding
With more than a quarter of workplaces offering a hybrid work set up it’s more important than ever to ensure employees are offering not just regular face-to-face meetings, but time for the team to bond and build relationships. It’s no surprise that after the summer holidays, there’s a need to catch up with the team after a few busy and disconnected months. De Vere Tortworth Court offers several activities with their trusted partner ACF Teambuilding & Events, allowing them to deliver tailored events and teambuilding activities for groups of five to 500. Keep your team entertained with country pursuits including air rifle shooting; archery; axe throwing; blindfolded 4x4 driving; duck herding, falconry, gundog agility, sheep herding or rage buggies.
For adventure-seekers and for a truly unique teambuilding experience, employers and their teams can finish their meetings and then head into Bristol, just a 30-minute drive away, and spend the afternoon at The Wave, an inland-surfing destination. Suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds abilities, your team can grab their boards and enjoy an afternoon on the 200m surfing lake. It guarantees laughter and if you’re lucky, even a new skill at the end of the day.
Informal team bonding
For those teams aren’t looking for an energetic teambuilding activity there are plenty of other opportunities to connect in an informal setting away from an office environment which will still have the same affect as traditional team building exercises. De Vere Tortworth Court offers employers and event organisers the opportunity to combine meetings with informal bonding opportunities, to allow their team to relax allowing them to build authentic relationships with their fellow colleagues.
De Vere Tortworth Court partners with local brands and suppliers to offer onsite and external experiences. Surrounded by the rolling hills of The Cotswolds, De Vere Tortworth Court is lucky enough to have the Woodchester Valley Vineyard on its doorstep. Teams can learn all about the resurgence of English wine, enjoy a tour of the vineyard and see where the team make their wine. Most importantly, they can taste a selection of wine in their tasting room.
The Tipi is a new space set in the grounds at De Vere Tortworth Court and is available for full private hire. Serving sharing plates and tapas, The Tipi can hold up to 80 guests and is the perfect spot to get the team together after a productive day of meetings to relax and enjoy each-others company in a laid-back, unique setting.
Following an evening in The Tipi, for employers looking for an additional evening activity, De Vere Tortworth Court can host cocktail masterclasses in The Library Bar in partnership with 6 O’clock Gin, a local gin distillery just down the road from the hotel. The interactive experience will guide your employees through how to create the perfect 6 O’clock G&T as well as learning all about the artisan ingredients, complete with plenty of tastings.
For employers looking to put on a show-stopping event to impress their employees, look no further than The Orangery at De Vere Tortworth Court. The Orangery is the original building from the hotels time as a mansion house, dating back to the 18th-Century. The unique space with ornamental glass windows and a domed glass ceiling is a self-contained venue which can cater up to 90 guests. With its own reception area and bar, it stands alone from the main house, allowing organisers to throw an exclusive and memorable event.
For a more intimate event, the Nightingale is a private dining room which can accommodate up to 60 guests. The Nightingale combines the properties Victorian heritage with 21st century style with warm wood panelling, arched doorways and high windows, it’s the perfect backdrop for a special evening for your team or clients.
Corporate retreat
To show your employees that you really value their efforts, why not make a night out of it and offer accommodation too? Having a base and somewhere to stay for the night can help your employees to switch off from their day to day, allowing them to really get involved and get back to the office feeling refreshed and motivated.
After a busy day of meetings and team building, there’s nothing better than travelling no more than 50 metres to get to your room for the night. De Vere’s Estate bedrooms blend the properties heritage with comfort, for delegates looking for a stay with character and convenience. The bedrooms combine a fresh and airy design with comfort and attention to detail alongside modern, well-appointed bathrooms. For those guests looking for an added touch of luxury, they can check into a De Vere Reserve suite.
De Vere Reserve encapsulates the very best that the brand’s properties have to offer, with luxury bedrooms, new Penhaligon Halfetti toiletries, elevated personal service and thoughtful finishing touches to make every moment memorable. De Vere Reserve suites are complete with luxurious facilities including walk-in showers, some with roll-top baths, fluffy robes and slippers, classic Roberts radios and smart TVs - just some of the features that provide a relaxing feel to the historic rooms at De Vere Tortworth Court.
For more information, please visit: https://www.devere.co.uk/tortworth-court
