Because of brilliant moments like these 👆.
Video thumbnail: Three thoughtbotters sitting and smiling while on a canal boat tour during Summit in Amsterdam. The video is a slide show of teammates co-working, sharing presentations, and engaging in both in-person and remote activities.
Advocating for company-wide team-building events can be challenging:
- “It’s expensive.”
- “Logistics and planning are too complicated.”
- “People already connect over the good work they do.”
- “Wait. You want to do in-person and remote Summits? Isn’t that much harder?”
Okay, fair. But then you hear:
- “This is the highlight of my year.”
- “Connecting through the virtual escape room was SUPER fun! Everyone was into it!”
- “I like that we don’t force mandatory ‘team spirit’ type activities; these connections and relationships develop organically by having a range of activities that people sign up for. You naturally fall in with new people and groups which is great without the uncomfortable feeling.”
- “These events feel fun, productive, safe, inclusive, and dare I say…transformative. Your attention to detail and utmost care are felt in every moment and appreciated by all of us.”
With positive feedback like that, how could we refuse?
Why in-person and remote?
One work, all work. One play, all play.
Not everyone can make it to an in-person, and since everyone contributes throughout the year, everyone should be part of the celebration. Whether from Amsterdam or at home, we all benefited from connecting beyond our usual day-to-day.
Putting it together isn’t easy, but it’s worth it and makes us stronger. We’re always adjusting to find the right balance.
How we make it work
The more complex it is, the simpler you need to make it.
- Build a solid structure: The Operations team plans budgets, schedules, and activity sign-ups that prioritize high-touch in-person and remote connection.
- Be adaptable: Plans and resources change. When obstacles arise, agility is our friend.
- We research visas and destinations carefully, staying flexible when new information affects team health, safety, and comfort. Equaldex is a useful tool for information on LGBTQIA+ rights in different regions.
- Create shared moments: From org-wide Culture Awards to regional Amsterducks and online Digiducks, we bookmark a few experiences that everyone can join, or that carry the same spirit, even across locations.
- Lean into our values of trust and self-management: Once folks understand the assignment, we trust them to self-manage their time, energy, and budgets, and to ask for guidance as needed.
- Communicate: Keep it concise, clear, and timely. Even the best plans work only when everyone gets the memo.
At thoughtbot, “fully-remote” doesn’t mean “disconnected.” It means we honor each teammate’s needs so we can be united in our purpose and fulfilled in and out of work. Sure, it’s a ton of effort, but for us, this kind of connection is culturally priceless.
