Out of Office: SiteCrafting’s Annual Retreat
No trust falls here. Our annual company retreat is a time for us to refresh and regroup.
Every year, our team heads out of the office for a quick getaway to reflect on the year’s achievements, plan for what’s next and reconnect to our core mission and vision. This year, our retreat theme of “delight” came from our company mission statement: “To craft digital experiences that inspire, empower, and delight.”
Our time away from the office usually consists of team bonding and group activities as well as time to reflect, celebrate, and plan for the future.
#SCRetreat2019 Recap
We kicked off retreat with a volunteer event as part of our SiteCrafting Gives Back program. We spent the afternoon working on two projects: collecting trash along the highway and spreading wood chips out in fields. Special thanks to United Way of Central Washington for the opportunity!
After volunteering and grabbing dinner in town, we arrived at Canyon River Ranch, which sits right along the river with breathtaking views of the canyons. One of our favorite moments of retreat was gathering around the fire pit at night – jamming out to 90’s classics, having our senior developer Coby lead us in a campfire sing-along, and roasting marshmallows over the fire.
Our second day started with presentations on new projects and a brainstorming discussion to reflect on what we’re doing well and how we can continue to improve.
The afternoon consisted of free time, ranging from hiking and exploring around town to playing yard games at the ranch and hanging out with team members. We ended the night with Brian’s State of the Union presentation and our quarterly celebration, reflecting on our accomplishments last quarter and recognizing six team members for demonstrating our company values.
After a relaxing team breakfast the following morning, we made the trip back to Tacoma feeling inspired (and, yes, a bit exhausted) and also looking forward to new things coming!
What Retreat Means to Our Team
“We are always moving forward at 10,000 miles per hour. Every day brings more changes and disruption in our industry. Retreat allows us to step back and appreciate each other’s contribution to our mission and to serving our clients.”
– Brian Forth, Founder
“I look forward to SiteCrafting retreat every year. [It’s] the best way to hang out and chat with people that I wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to spend time with at the office. Ellensburg and Canyon River Ranch have always been so welcoming to us. The lodge is the best way for us techies to unwind and take in the beautiful nature that surrounds us.”
– Kirk Solar, Senior Web Developer
“I have some pretty funny co-workers. The retreat is a gift to ourselves to relax, and this inevitably leads to many bad jokes and lots of laughter.”
– Megan Boly, Project Manager
“My favorite part of retreat is between team activities and free time. We are given the opportunity to connect with co-workers that we may not get to work with on a regular basis. When you leave, you not only feel refreshed but reunited as a team.”
– Michelle Harrison, HR Specialist
