Seagate's Morale-athon

Inside the tech giant's $9,000-a-head team-building blowout in New Zealand

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April 3, 2006 at 4:00 AM UTC

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Plenty of companies try to motivate the troops, but few go as far as Seagate Technology (STX ). In February the $9.8 billion maker of computer storage hardware flew 200 staffers to New Zealand for its sixth annual Eco Seagate -- an intense week of team-building topped off by an all-day race in which Seagaters had to kayak, hike, bike, swim, and rappel down a cliff. The tab? $9,000 per person. Correspondent Sarah Max went along for the bonding.

SUNDAY "DON'T BE TOO COOL TO PARTICIPATE." It's cocktail hour, and nervous getting-to-know-you chatter floats around the Queenstown chalet, where we've arrived by gondola. Staffers from a dozen countries are talking and gazing out at a stupendous mountain view of The Remarkables. The employees been chosen from 1,200 who tried to get into Eco Seagate. (The company employs a total of 45,000.) There are no age limits: The oldest racer this year is 62.