Using space to build a cohesive team

Not another team-building exercise: While corporate retreats in the right spaces are a great way to start building true connection, there are other ways businesses can be more intentional about their spaces, writes Mandy Barnes.

In our society, we’ve lost connection. We’re always online, but rarely with each other. And nowhere is this more visible than in the workplace. Disconnection has become the default. We sit in front of our screens, in closed-off rooms or cubicles, chasing KPIs. For remote and hybrid workers, their lives are punctuated with virtual meetings, cloud-based messaging and collaboration platforms, but true collaboration and connection can quietly slip away.

Before my role as the owner and resort event manager of a luxury retreat, I worked as a clinical psychologist, helping people navigate trauma, burnout, and disconnection. What I’ve learnt through this work, and something I’ve seen managing corporate events, conferences, and other social events, is that connection doesn’t happen by accident. It happens in space. It’s shaped by our environments.

High-functioning teams are only possible when people feel connected. And you can’t build that connection without being deeply intentional about the space in which it unfolds. That’s why I believe so strongly in the power of intentional space to transform how teams relate. It’s what drives my work at Kalinya Estate. We designed Kalinya to be a space where people can reconnect with each other. Not on a surface-level “team bonding” kind of way, but in a deep, meaningful, human way.

Businesses obsess over hiring strategies and leadership development, but often overlook how their physical environments quietly influence trust, communication, creativity, and culture. Even with the best leaders in the world, the fact is, no single person can bring everything a business needs to the table. A cohesive team requires real connection, real care, and the kind of community where people show up for one another.

Corporate retreats shouldn’t feel like junkets

Let’s be honest. Many corporate retreats are just glorified junkets. A couple of days in a five-star hotel, a few PowerPoint slides, a team dinner at a fancy restaurant, and then back to business as usual. Nice? Sure. But what is it really achieving?

Businesses need to start treating corporate getaways as a chance to slow down, learn about each other, and grow together. They need to create opportunities to build patience, forgiveness, and even love among colleagues. Not romantic love, but the kind that values people for who they are, rather than what they deliver.

Research tells us that when people feel genuinely connected, they’re more confident, more engaged, more loyal, and more productive. That’s why at Kalinya, teams have the option of cooking together. They share hearty meals around a long farmhouse table or take part in pizza making as a team-building activity. They play board games, sing around the piano, and compete on the pickleball court.

These moments might seem frivolous, but they are the true foundation of stronger teams. They allow people to see each other’s real strengths, not just professional skills, but creative sparks, leadership qualities, and care that often go unnoticed at work. This sense of connection is taken back to the office after guests return to the workplace.

Do good, together

In the everyday scramble of office life, it can be easy to focus on the deadlines, deliverables, and “don’t haves”. Instead, leaders should strive to count their blessings as a company and focus on thanksgiving and gratitude. This kind of positivity and focus on a people-first culture has an amazing ability to ripple down to everyone in the business. One way to do this is by partnering with community change initiatives as a team.

Finding the right space

In my experience, space matters. We’ve built Kalinya to be a space that’s immersed in nature. Not just because it’s beautiful, but because biophilic design supports mental wellbeing. It’s not about sticking a pot plant in the corner of your office. It’s about providing opportunities for your employees to step outside and actually work in the natural ecosystem. At Kalinya, you might have your meeting under the trees, with your feet in the grass and the sun on your face. Every building opens out into nature. There are flyscreens and fans instead of locked-shut air conditioning.

Connection starts with intention

While corporate retreats in the right spaces are a great way to start building true connection, there are other ways businesses can be more intentional about their spaces. Small shifts, like adding more natural light, less rigid furniture layouts, or breakout spaces that encourage people to talk face-to-face, can quietly transform team culture.

It’s about designing for connection, not just efficiency. It’s about building a workplace where people genuinely want to show up, where they feel seen, and where relationships have room to grow. When you design for connection, you create a culture that people don’t want to leave.

Mandy Barnes is the clinical psychologist and co-owner of Kalinya Estate.

Kace O'Neill

Kace O'Neill is a Graduate Journalist for HR Leader. Kace studied Media Communications and Maori studies at the University of Otago, he has a passion for sports and storytelling.