Corporate retreats in the UK, USA, and Australia are growing at an amazing rate.

The "work" part of your retreat, however, should run into the evening. Give employees time to relax before dinner. And keep in mind dinner doesn't necessarily mean having everyone sit around a dining table. You could hold a barbeque, a picnic, or, if facilities allow, you could even have participants cook their own dinners together in small groups. At this point, it's generally acceptable to serve some alcohol — but try to keep it contained. Serve only beer and wine, or have drink tickets, which limit consumption. And if there's an activity in the evening, like a bonfire or an improv show, people will tend to drink less. Remember: if folks overdo it in the evening, they'll compromise the next day's work. "