Offsite Strategy: How Many Offsites Per Year (and Which Kind)

Most teams plan each company offsite as a one-off. A date gets picked, a venue gets booked, and the next one isn't discussed until someone asks, "Should we do another one?" The result is a calendar that's too thin in some years, crowded in others, and never quite connected to the company's plans.

An annual offsite strategy fixes that. It answers three questions before the year starts: how many offsites to run, which kinds, and when. This guide covers what the data says about frequency, the four kinds of offsite most companies need, and how to build and budget your 2027 offsite calendar.

Key Takeaways

• Companies averaged 2.6 offsites a year in 2024, and companies beating their financial targets averaged 2.8, according to Emburse.
• The boost in team connection from an in-person gathering lasts about four to five months, so most teams benefit from meeting two or three times a year.
• A complete strategy usually includes four kinds of offsite: leadership, team or department, company-wide, and kickoffs.
• Distributed and fast-growing companies need more frequent gatherings than co-located ones.
• Plan and budget the whole year at once, at $2,000–$4,000+ per person per offsite, with each event lasting at least 2 days and 3 nights.

How many offsites should a company have each year?

There's no single right number, but the data points to two or three a year for most teams.

What the data says. Emburse's State of Corporate Offsites report, based on a survey of 2,000 US employees, found that the average number of offsites rose from 2.4 in 2019 to 2.6 in 2024. Companies exceeding their financial targets averaged 2.8, compared with 2.4 for others. The share of companies running six or more offsites a year rose from 6% to 8%.

Why cadence matters. Atlassian's research on its own in-person team gatherings found that feelings of connection rose by about 27% and the effect lasted four to five months before fading. Atlassian brings teams together three to four times a year so a new gathering comes before that connection fades. One offsite a year helps; a planned rhythm keeps the benefit going.

The four kinds of offsite in an annual strategy

Most companies need a mix of these, not just one.

A leadership retreat usually comes first in the cycle, because its decisions shape what every other offsite is about.

How to choose your cadence

Three factors decide how often your teams should meet.

How your team works

• Co-located teams see each other often, so one or two offsites a year focused on planning and celebration usually works.
• Hybrid teams benefit from two to three, timed so that people who rarely come into the office stay connected.
• Fully distributed teams often need three or more, because an offsite may be the only time people meet in person.

Size and growth

Fast-growing companies need more frequent gatherings. New hires gain the most from meeting their colleagues in person, so if you're hiring every quarter, a once-a-year event leaves many people waiting months to meet their team.

Purpose and budget

Not every gathering needs to be big. A focused strategic offsite for a small leadership group can make major decisions for a fraction of the cost of a company-wide event. Match each offsite's size to its purpose, then fit the calendar to your budget.

Building your 2027 offsite calendar

Here's an example for a 150-person hybrid company. Most employees attend two offsites a year; leaders attend four.

Each event sets up the next: the fall annual planning offsite shapes the January kickoff, and spring team offsites turn kickoff goals into team plans. When you place each one, avoid holidays, school breaks and quarter-end weeks.

How to budget a year of offsites

Budget the whole calendar at once, so finance approves one plan instead of several surprise requests. Using 2027 team offsite costs of about $2,700–$3,000 per person for a 2-day, 3-night fly-in offsite, the example calendar above works out roughly like this:

These are planning assumptions. Destination, season and group size will move the numbers. If the full calendar is more than the budget allows, scale down the number of team offsites before cutting their length. A one-day trip costs nearly as much in travel and delivers far less.

Common offsite strategy mistakes

• Planning one event at a time. Without a calendar, offsites cluster in some months and disappear in others.
• Making every offsite company-wide. Big events are expensive and less focused. Most planning and problem-solving happens better in smaller groups.
• No follow-up between events. Decisions made at one offsite should be checked at the next. Otherwise each gathering starts from scratch.
• Cutting offsites to one day to save money. Flights and transfers make up much of your team offsite costs whether people stay one night or three, so a shorter trip saves little and loses the time that makes it worthwhile.

Conclusion

A strong annual offsite strategy plans the whole year at once: how many offsites, which kinds and when. The data points to two or three gatherings a year for most teams, and more for distributed and fast-growing companies, because the connection people build in person fades within a few months. Combine leadership, team, company-wide and kickoff offsites into one calendar, sequence them so each builds on the last, and budget the full year at $2,000–$4,000+ per person per offsite. Offsite can help you plan and book your 2027 offsite calendar, from the leadership retreat to the company kickoff.

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