Mountains, not meeting rooms

Whether it’s a strategy workshop, an away day or a team-building retreat, in times of remote work, video calls and fast-paced schedules, meeting in person has become more important than ever. We spoke to two companies who regularly bring their teams to Tirol to find out why they make the effort, whether it is worthwhile, and what part the mountains play in it all.

Johannes Cox is Managing Partner of a landscape architecture firm based in Frankfurt. Together with his 30-strong team, he regularly heads to Tirol to welcome new colleagues, strengthen team bonds, and simply enjoy time together.
”For us, it’s important to just get away for a few days as a team and spend collective time together. Without project stress, without a packed agenda. You understand one another better after you’ve shared a glass of wine and a few experiences outside the usual work routine. It makes a real difference when we’re back in the office.“ 

For Cox, the setting is crucial:
“You have to get away to properly feel that team spirit. The mountains and alpine surroundings of Tirol are perfect for us. We city dwellers breathe a sigh of relief as soon as we arrive.“

Sandra Vorhofer, Head of Talent, Learning & Culture at Swarovski, speaks of a similar experience. She took her international HR team colleagues from Costa Rica, Thailand, China and Malaysia up to the Seegrube at over 2,000 metres above sea level for a strategy workshop.
“The mountains represent perspective – making them the perfect setting for strategy meetings,“ says Vorhofer. “A workshop in the mountains brings everyone into the present moment. Nature calms the mind, making it easier to focus on what’s important.“

Even though the organisational and financial effort is greater than a video call, personal meetings are indispensable for Vorhofer. ”When you meet face to face, you gain a better sense of the person, not just their role. Conversations automatically change too, moving beyond just work to personal matters. A genuine sense of ‘we’ only forms when you meet in person – it’s impossible to achieve virtually.“

Whether it’s a strategy meeting or a team-building event, in the end it’s often this shared sense of ‘we‘ combined with the backdrop of the Tirolean mountains, that draws entrepreneurs like Johannes Cox and his team back to Tirol time and again:
”Without the natural surroundings and alpine landscape, our team retreats would never have the same impact,” says Cox. “The sunrises, the views of the peaks – these are moments that linger in the memory and leave a lasting impression. Our team retreat in Tirol is time and money well spent. It’s the reason we keep coming back.“