Building a resilient and energized workplace
The United Nations Development Programme Viet Nam
Duration: 3-day retreat in 2020, 2022, and 2023

Context
The United Nations Development Programme has been playing a critical role in helping Vietnam to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Tackling immense challenges like inequality and climate change, their work is complex and demanding.
The office has around 100 people, and every year they only have one chance to come together at their annual retreats. This is the time to deepen connections as well as co-creating plans for a resilient and energized workplace.
Our role
We have designed and hosted three retreats for the UNDP, and every year the program was modified to meet that year’s focus. For example in 2020, their office was building the 5-year country vision, so the main outcomes were to get the team’s feedback and help them align with the plan. Then in 2022, after two years with the pandemic, the office needed to build resilience to face such unexpected and complex challenges.
With every year’s design, we maximize the participation of every member, making sure all voices are heard, and tapping into the collective wisdom of the whole team. We also invite members of the retreat committee to co-design and facilitate the sessions that they best understand.
Outcomes
After each retreat, the office feels recharged and has a concrete action plan to prototype for the coming year.