When Strategy Feels Like Home: A Look Inside a Purposefully Designed Offsite for Employee Engagement

Markel Group came to us looking for something different—an offsite that created space to step away from the day-to-day, reset, and re-align. Passionate about finding better ways to do things, they envisioned a leadership retreat where participants could fully engage and build authentic relationships while surfacing the strategic insights needed to drive meaningful change.

So, we asked a simple question:
What if this felt more like coming home than going offsite?

Creating Space for Something Bigger

The theme, “Be the Best Home for Our Businesses,” emerged early in the process. It became both a creative guide and a reflection of the client’s culture: to build genuine relationships and connect on a human level. To create a space where every voice and perspective could be heard.

This wasn’t a traditional corporate setup. Our focus was on the experience, not the formality:

• The environment was warm and personal. Think living room-style seating, clusters of coffee tables, and open spaces that encouraged movement and conversation.
• The kitchen served as a gathering place. Sharing meals around the dinner table invited organic moments of connection.
• The design was symbolic. The home-like environment included purposeful rooms like offices and study areas to support focus and productive thinking, a guest room to exemplify hospitality and accommodation, a library representing a setting for inspiration. Even the presence of a friendly office dog added a layer of warmth. Each of these unexpected elements underscored the purpose of the retreat.

Every element was intentional, and each detail was in service of creating a setting where real conversations could happen and employee engagement wasn’t just discussed but lived.

Designing for Connection

Closely collaborating with the client, we built a program that blended structure with spontaneity.

• Attendees shared personal photographs in advance. Seeing their family moments displayed on arrival sparked stories and created instant camaraderie.
• Facilitated exercises invited participants to tackle challenges together, offering fresh insight into each other’s roles and perspectives.
• The atmosphere was relaxed, but the work was real—grounded in candid dialogue and a structure designed to deepen employee engagement.

Looking Back, and Ahead

This project wasn’t just about creating a beautiful setting or planning an effective offsite. It was about helping a client meet a key cultural moment with intention, creativity, and care.

As we celebrate 25 years of circle S studio, this story captures what we value most: building experiences that encourage connection and transformation. It’s what defines us as an experiential marketing agency—not just creating events, but designing intentional moments that move people and organizations forward.

Because when strategy feels like home—people show up differently.